Pulling XK engine

[Mac]

I would like to pull the engine on my XK140 in preparation for body work and a new coat of paint inside and out. The manual talks about hooking up a "sling system" around the sump. Since the motor will need to be tilted, that seems a little risky at best. Are there hooks that can be attached to the cylinder head bolts? What other methods have been used for pulling the motor? Mac

 

[John S Farrington]

Normally the head bolts have lifting hooks attached. If your doesnt, you may still pull the motor using hardware bolted with the head bolts (front and rear). I use a normal engine puller combined with a tilting worm gear device for obtaining the extraction angles. The sling arrangement sounds like it came out of an antique manual.

 

[AlanT]

Lifting brackets did not come on the XK engines until the mid 60's . My 67 3.8S has them , the 64 E-Type does not. I recently installed two different engine /gearbox assemblys in two different XK150S's and used a four-chain 'engine-tilter' made by TD performance products. I bolted the ends of the chains under the 2nd from front and rear head studs. You will need plenty of chain as that engine needs to tilt more than you think. A 140 is a little easier than a 150 but it would be nice to have two other knowledgable persons close by. Don't forget to remove the front damper. I have used the sling method with good results but that was a long time ago.

 

[Mac]

Thanks Alan. You said I should remove the front damper. What is that? Also, I assuming when you said that you bolted the chain to the second from the front and rear, you just took off those four head nuts, slipped and appropriate sized chain over the bolt and put the nut back on? Mac

 

[AlanT]

Mac, The front damper is the lower pulley assy or harmonic balancer. If it has not been replaced before , then it is probably time to give it a close examination for deterioration. And yes the chain will go under the head bolts. You will not have room for a washer in most cases. Tighten the nuts snugly or as the DB4 manual says..'tighten nuts tight but not too tight' Alan

 

[DrEntropy]

"One *grunt* not two." /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/wink.gif

Not to be a smeartarse, but look into fabricating some brackets. Spread the stress a bit by loading two studs evenly at each lift point... just a paranoid old f*rt suggesting alternatives. You're dealing with an OLD bit of machinery.

Edit: I have used slings with no problems, BUT: "druthers" given, I'd go with chains and brackets, due to the "jockeying" necessary to get it (engine/trans) out.

 

[vettedog72]

It's been a long time since i pulled my XK150 engine with tranmission attached; too long to remember the details except it had to be at an extream angle to get it out (front of the motor pointing at the mood with the transmission pointing down. I was in a conventional house garage and used a nice big rented engine puller. The car was on jack stands and I had trouble getting the engine puller to get enough height to clear the fenders because of the jack stands. I can only offer the advise to get some kind of gadget that will allow you to let the back part of the engine down while holding the front part of the engine steady allowing the angle you will need while pulling it out

 

[John S Farrington]

Revisiting the drill of pulling XK engines with transmissions out of one of the sports models reminds me of those good old days. It was also common to drop these engines out of the bottom of the car removing any suspension and steering part interferences, jacking the chassis up high on big jack stands and lowering away. It was a draw as to which was more efficient or easier. I preferred raising with an angle control device.

 

[DrEntropy]

Best "widget" I found for achieving the right angle (pun intended) was a pair of "travelling" cables: pulley and a cable wrapped once around, bracket on each end. TWO of 'em for a measure of redundancy (safety). Only did it once from "below", used a lift. Too much "extra" work with hydraulics and geometry, IMHO.