So my hoist blew a seal this morning and I need to get the engine out today if possible. Does anyone know any good tricks for dropping it out the bottom safely from a FB?

I have 1 jack and 4 jack stands if that helps at all.

 

get a buddy and a 2X4 with chain...worked for me a few years ago with my 7

 

I'm sure it is possible to drop the engine out the bottom. If you did, I'm sure you'd have to drop the transmission at the same time.

The other alternative to the hydraulic cherry picker type of hoist is to use a chain fall attached to something substantial in the ceiling.

 

yes! put the car on jackstands, the higher the better. with this method, the engine and trans need to come out together.

you need to remove the steering center link, if it doesn't wanna come off, it might be easier to just unbolt the whole idler arm, and swing it out of the way.

put the floor jack under the bellhousing/ rear of the oil pan.

remove the front engine mount plate, unbolt the trans mount.

lower engine.

unless you have really big jack stands, you'll have to take the motor of the jack and slide it out

i did mine like this, its remarkably easy, way better than wrestling with the stupid hoist. it came out in like 20 minutes, install is like half hour. on the way in there is no lifting, the arc of the floor jack just puts the engine perfectly where it needs to go

on the way in, we had one person operate the floor jack, and then one person held the engine from the top to keep it from tipping.

 

If you're only pulling the motor, not the trans, two guys with a length of 2x4 & chain or strong rope can handle it easily. Did my first rebuild that way. You need the hoist to get it back in easily for lineup, but out is simple. It's less than 200 lbs stripped. I've picked them up off the floor by hand.

 

What he said.

 

Cool thanks guys. My jack is kinda small so I have a friend on his way over and we are going to use some pipe and a tow strap.

I thought about my chain hoist but where the car is the roof won't support it loaded.

I am glad the hoist failed over night and not with the engine up in the air.

 

Don't forget to support the front of the trans with a floor jack.

 

I weighed a motor not too long ago and it was over but close to 250 #'s. It was a 12A w/just a waterpump, flywheel and front mount. No intake, carb, pressure plate and clutch. Just a little tid-bit of info.

You can lift it out like said above with two people, chain and strong bar (I don't know if I'd trust a 2x4) . Hardest part is lifting it high enough to clear the body panels without damaging them, so keep the chain short and the car low.

 

fix the hoist....and do it the safe way.http://www.harborfreight.com/catalog...q=engine+hoist

 

The bar worked just fine. I don't really see it being unsafe. Just like with the hoist the only risk is the engine dropping. We would have both been very safe if the tow strap shaped.

 

Pulling the water pump first does help.

Way I did it that first time was to put padding on both front fenders, place the 2x4 directly on the fenders, jack the engine (suitably supported on wood) up off the mounts, then lace the engine lift points to it with multiple passes of 1000-lb test line. Then pull the mount crossbar for more clearance, & make sure the trans is supported at the same level.

Friend and I did a squat-shuffle to get it forward & off the pilot, then stand and shoulder-lift out and forward (hood and rad were of course already out).