Raising engine without hoist

  • #1

    Raising engine without hoist

    Hey folks… I recently removed my steering rack for overhaul, which required lifting the engine an inch or so. I don't have a hoist, so I used a floor jack on the bell housing of the transmission.

    Since then, I've seen at least one picture of someone lifting the engine by using a similar technique, but using a piece of wood under the oil pan. Either way, the transmission mounting bolts are seeing load they don't normally see, but probably less using the second method (tranny weighing less than engine, and most of its weight already supported by engine anyway). Just not sure about how much load the pan can handle. The bell housing seems like a much stronger lifting point.

    When I put the rack back into the car, I want to do it the better of the two ways. Don't really think there's much of an issue here, but I've already typed this much, so what the heck… tell me what to do.
    '86 NA - original owner (1986-93) and final owner (2005-present)

    My build thread: http://z31performance.com/showthread…-Got-mine-back

  • #2
    You don't have to raise the engine to get the rack in or out, though now that you've got the engine and tranny mounts undone you may as well I guess. If I recall from when I did it, you basically have to slide the rack in upside down from the passenger side, slip it thru about two-thirds of the way, then get under the car and finish it. It's a bit fiddly but nothing serious.

    I think people pretty frequently do the oil pan lift here and I've never heard of anybody crushing one.
  • #3
    I don't think either one will hurt anything. Technically you're right, the bell housing bolts will have some extra stress on them, but nothing that will damage anything. They are plenty strong and there are a bunch of them. The stress also would be in a direction they are designed to be able to handle. I've put a jack in both locations on different occasions and had no ill effects from either. Just make sure you use a large enough piece of wood to spread the load out a bit.
    Prius… because Pretentious wouldn't fit across the back of the car…

    Cheap, Fast, Reliable - pick any two

    My 1986 Turbo Build
  • #4
    Originally posted by FrozenZ View Post
    You don't have to raise the engine to get the rack in or out…
    I tried doing it without raising the engine and it wouldn't clear with the tubing still connected. I was strictly trying to pull it to the driver's side, because the smaller diameter is on the passenger side of the rack. I ended up removing the motor mount nuts and lifting the engine and it went quickly after that.
    '86 NA - original owner (1986-93) and final owner (2005-present)

    My build thread: http://z31performance.com/showthread…-Got-mine-back

  • #5
    Oil pan + wood worked everytime…
  • #6
    Wood under the pan works for 90% of situations.

    Be careful when attempting this on certain cast aluminum oil pans. I had a Windstar pan crack on me when lifting by the center of the pan. The Ford pans appear to be made from several pre-cast sections that are then sort of cast together using more AL as a glue. All other makes simply cast the pan as one piece and they are much stronger. If you need to lift one of the funky Ford units, place the block of wood on the edge or corner of the pan where the material is much thicker.
    5.3 LSx Z31