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Lilly Engine up-date
wow that engine is a beast... well it looks that way when you try to fit it in the little opening...
dropped the engine in today. it is tight and half way thru it i wondered if it really did fit. getting ahead of myself. i got the engine all set up on the engine crane i borrowed. i ended up connecting it in 3 places. the front valve cover bolt, and on the rear plate. i almost used the top two bolts on the rear plate but after looking at Keith's pictures (see engine hoist thread) i saw he used the next two. then looking at it a few times i realized it is probably too hard to get to these bolts after the engine is in. plus i worried the chains get in to the firewall. so i went with the same holes he did. i bought three connectors at Tractor supply to hook the chains to. the front one i had to grind back so it would not press against the bolt.
so i was pretty much set up.
and then i took some measurements.
my car lift is actually like two ramps and the bottoms are bolted to the floor. the legs on the crane were going to run in to these bases and it looked like they might do it about 6" before my motor mounts would be over their base. the last thing i wanted to do was get the engine almost in and then have to pull it back out. i played with a few ideas but then decided the crane was not going to work. i have a an electric hoist mounted to my ceiling. after a few more measurments, i opted for the ceiling hoist.
good news: it is electric so i did not have to worry about the hydraulic ram maybe losing some pressure and the engine drifting down before i was ready for it.
bad news: it is electric and it is hard to be smooth trying to lower the engine a little bit at a time.
the ceiling hoist worked well though. i piled blankets and towels all around.... maybe too many. you need every bit of room you can get. the worst thing was the engine leveler. it was one from harbor freight that came with the crane i am sure. (borrowed this to) anyway it was a bear to crank. i finally removed the handle and put a pipe on the end of the arm to turn it. boy this is a scary time i will tell you. first time and by myself. last thing i wanted was to drop this thing and dent something. it seemed like it took forever but i finally got the engine to an angle i could get it in the tunnel area. then i kept bumping it down while pushing the car forward. my next fear was getting the motor mount over the brake reservoir but once i got the gear shift part of the tran in the tunnel it went pretty smoothly. i had put a little dolly under the car to catch the end of the tran as it came down and keep it moving. this also helped to level the whole unit. then i started cranking it back to level. as i did it seemed i could lower the engine. when it got back far enough i put a rope around the very back and lifted it up over the frame. the next issue was making sure i missed the brake line from the back of the car where it attaches to the union. finally i got the engine far enough back i could use a pry bar between the damper and the cross brace. pushed it back and let it down at the same time. it dropped right on the mounts.
well i thought i had it made. but not so fast. got to get those holes lined up pretty straight on the mounts to get the bolts in straight. the passenger side was good so i ran all four in. the driver side not one lined up good enough. i pushed and pulled and finally got one to start but the others looked way off. at first i thought i must have a bent mount. that would be a real pain. ended up i went to the back of the tran and moved it left and right. a little bit of movement one way or the other allowed me to lined up the other holes one by one. once i got them in, i went to the back and bolted in the tran mounts. So if i was to give a tip, it would be to not bolt the rear until you have the front two with all four bolts started.
after this i could remove the chains. whewww, what a relief to know it was in and i did not scratch or damage anything. i then went opened up a folding chair, sat down and drank a beer.
wow that engine is a beast... well it looks that way when you try to fit it in the little opening...
dropped the engine in today. it is tight and half way thru it i wondered if it really did fit. getting ahead of myself. i got the engine all set up on the engine crane i borrowed. i ended up connecting it in 3 places. the front valve cover bolt, and on the rear plate. i almost used the top two bolts on the rear plate but after looking at Keith's pictures (see engine hoist thread) i saw he used the next two. then looking at it a few times i realized it is probably too hard to get to these bolts after the engine is in. plus i worried the chains get in to the firewall. so i went with the same holes he did. i bought three connectors at Tractor supply to hook the chains to. the front one i had to grind back so it would not press against the bolt.
so i was pretty much set up.
and then i took some measurements.
my car lift is actually like two ramps and the bottoms are bolted to the floor. the legs on the crane were going to run in to these bases and it looked like they might do it about 6" before my motor mounts would be over their base. the last thing i wanted to do was get the engine almost in and then have to pull it back out. i played with a few ideas but then decided the crane was not going to work. i have a an electric hoist mounted to my ceiling. after a few more measurments, i opted for the ceiling hoist.
good news: it is electric so i did not have to worry about the hydraulic ram maybe losing some pressure and the engine drifting down before i was ready for it.
bad news: it is electric and it is hard to be smooth trying to lower the engine a little bit at a time.
the ceiling hoist worked well though. i piled blankets and towels all around.... maybe too many. you need every bit of room you can get. the worst thing was the engine leveler. it was one from harbor freight that came with the crane i am sure. (borrowed this to) anyway it was a bear to crank. i finally removed the handle and put a pipe on the end of the arm to turn it. boy this is a scary time i will tell you. first time and by myself. last thing i wanted was to drop this thing and dent something. it seemed like it took forever but i finally got the engine to an angle i could get it in the tunnel area. then i kept bumping it down while pushing the car forward. my next fear was getting the motor mount over the brake reservoir but once i got the gear shift part of the tran in the tunnel it went pretty smoothly. i had put a little dolly under the car to catch the end of the tran as it came down and keep it moving. this also helped to level the whole unit. then i started cranking it back to level. as i did it seemed i could lower the engine. when it got back far enough i put a rope around the very back and lifted it up over the frame. the next issue was making sure i missed the brake line from the back of the car where it attaches to the union. finally i got the engine far enough back i could use a pry bar between the damper and the cross brace. pushed it back and let it down at the same time. it dropped right on the mounts.
well i thought i had it made. but not so fast. got to get those holes lined up pretty straight on the mounts to get the bolts in straight. the passenger side was good so i ran all four in. the driver side not one lined up good enough. i pushed and pulled and finally got one to start but the others looked way off. at first i thought i must have a bent mount. that would be a real pain. ended up i went to the back of the tran and moved it left and right. a little bit of movement one way or the other allowed me to lined up the other holes one by one. once i got them in, i went to the back and bolted in the tran mounts. So if i was to give a tip, it would be to not bolt the rear until you have the front two with all four bolts started.
after this i could remove the chains. whewww, what a relief to know it was in and i did not scratch or damage anything. i then went opened up a folding chair, sat down and drank a beer.