TR4/4A Engine Installation

[KVH]

This is a good article. > Engine Installation TR-4 Spring 2009 <.

I'm still wondering about something, however. How do you torque the front fan extension dog bolt in the crank to 110 ft lbs after the engine is already rebuilt and put back into the vehicle? It seems easier by using a block of wood before oil pan installation, and then to lower the engine into the vehicle with the fan extension already on and torqued. My steering is already moved and out of the way, so I'm inclined to put the fan extension on first, but if I do it later won't I be putting an awful stress on my transmission to reach that torque spec with the car in gear being the only "stop."

Also, even if there's room to pre-install the front fan extension and dog bolt, is there some concern that during the process of engine installation and lowering onto the engine mounts that the extension assembly might get hit and damage the crank? Is that a reason behind the suggested process of installing the extension later?

I seem to recall another process whereby a bar is bolted to the fan assembly to stop it from turning as the dog bolt is tightened, though at 100 ft lbs for the dog bolt it seems something else might give, like the fan extension bolts.

Thanks all.

 

[Geo Hahn]

Deleted

 

[Geo Hahn]

I've done this a couple of times.

I think I used the 'rope trick', i.e. removed a spark plug on a cylinder with the piston at bottom starting a compression stroke. I then stuffed a length of rope into the cylinder via the plug hole leaving a some hanging out.

Then the engine is slowly turned bringing that piston up against the wad of rope until it can go no further. That holds the engine from moving as you torque the dog bolt.

When done of course you back it off a bit and withdraw the rope.

 

[KVH]

Yes, I remember that now. I've got a good fat rope I'll use. Thx Geo,

 

[bobhustead]

Impact wrench. Precise torque here is not important. tight is.
Bob

 

[Popeye]

Rope trick would work, as would dropping the oil pan and using a block of wood (a lot more work!) to keep the engine from rotating. Both work before or after installing the engine.

One thing to consider: once the engine is in the car, there is a lot less room to swing a wrench. The fan bolt is both unobtainium - and the bolt head has rounded edges by design.

I torqued mine out of the car for better control. Obviously there are many ways to skin the cat; mine not the only nor the right way.

 

[sp53]

could you put the car in 4th gear and hold the brake and then tighten the nut

 

[CJD]

+1 to 4th gear and use the hand brake...or foot brake if the handbrake is not adjusted yet.

 

[LuckyLeo]

How about remove starter and hold flywheel by ring gear with large screwdriver against the mount hole.

 

[KVH]

I think I'll either try the rope trick or 4th gear with brake. Or I might try an impact wrench, though my HF model that's supposed to wrench out 100 lbs will do hardly that.

 

[Popeye]

How about remove starter and hold flywheel by ring gear with large screwdriver against the mount hole.

That would make me nervous… one chipped tooth and a whole lotta rework. I suppose if you make darned sure the screwdriver face is fully engaged with the tooth surface it could work.

 

[LuckyLeo]

Works fine for me.

 

[KVH]

Just following up. I built that wooden engine “dolly,” and it works great. I even chiseled out a groove for the oil plug pan “swell” or protrusion where the oil plug goes— just for the protrusion, not for the plug, itself. That would’ve caused the dolly to be excessively wide.

The front engine side is also boxed in. Only the rear is open, left for transmission attachment, of course. The engine is sitting firmly on the oil pan bolts on three sides.

The dolly sits on a harbor freight 1000 pound rated dolly that was a little bit bigger than the wooden ones that I already had. There’s a crossmember underneath the dolly, sitting about a half inch below the oil pan, and screwed into the two sides for extra support.

Thanks to all who helped me here.

I am now wrestling with another issue. The flywheel bolts I purchased are too long. I’ll deal with that in a separate post.

 

[Popeye]

Looks great!!

 

[sp53]

I like the dolly a lot. The good news on catching the bolts now is they could have been like 1/32 too long and you might have thought you had it torque down, but did not.

 

[KVH]

Is it safe to say the rebuilt engine and transmission together weigh substantially less than 1000 pounds? Also, I realize I've mentioned this issue before, but when installing the engine and transmission, is it sufficient to raise the front of the car by 8 inches or so? Going up too high on jack stands got scary the other night because with no engine and almost no front end weight, my car rocked in the air.

 

[Popeye]

Im trying to remember: are you putting the engine on the frame before or after the body? (How much room do you have?)

If body-on, then I think you want to raise the rear, so that you won’t have to tilt the engine as much.

Regardless, go slow and make sure you can always back out - ie take the motor and transmission back to their starting place, secure on the ground. For example, I had to finagle a bit to get my motor mounts aligned, requiring me to re-rig my lift to give me roll control. The mounts were great, but I had to come down on them just so for them to align. With the motor “airborne”, you cannot be rushed!

 

[Geo Hahn]

Going up too high on jack stands got scary the other night because with no engine and almost no front end weight, my car rocked in the air.

For greater stability I use cribbing instead of jackstands...

 

[KVH]

How are those all fastened together? Dowels, screws?

 

[Popeye]

Plain screws or nails. There is not much shear load on the fasteners when supporting a vehicle. (Do not be tempted to add casters to the bottom… would be dangerous.)