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Pulling a shortblock from a junker.... without a lift?

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Old 03-15-05, 12:48 PM
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Pulling a shortblock from a junker.... without a lift?

I have a friend of a friend that has a junker FC with a blown engine and he'll let me have the core for $50 but doesn't have a lift and there's no way to use one on it because it's in a field on blocks.

The shortblock without manifolds and all that only weighs ~180lbs, right (it has been drained of fluids)? I was thinking three of us (one of which weighs over 300lbs) could yank it by hand once we relieve it of the manifolds and PS/AC pump, right?

Just wondering if anyone has done this and if you have any tips. I'd like to do it as fast as possible since it's still below freezing. Thanks!
Old 03-15-05, 12:52 PM
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take the radiator and front bumper assembly off and cut the upper radiator support off and pull it out the front or be prepared to hurt your back
Old 03-15-05, 12:55 PM
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The problem is, there's nowhere good to grab onto the engine to lift (especially more than one person). Good luck though!
Old 03-15-05, 01:04 PM
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Yes there is a way to use a lift in a feild . Make your own. You need 5 4x4's, some rope, and a pully. If you cheap, get 3 and make a tripod.... :p.
Old 03-15-05, 01:04 PM
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I did this with one of my friend.

you simply cannot remove it alone because you dont have a good grip and the engine is too low in the engine bay.

What we did is pretty simple. Take a maybe 6 or 7 feets long metal rod ( REALLY solid one ya know ). Then simply attach it to various point on the engine with ropes. You have to be both in front of each fender to lift the engine. I also recommend to have some wood blocks or something underneath your feet because unless you're 6'7" you'll have a hard time throw the core outta the engine bay

After that, position the bar on your shoulder and lift it using your legs, not your back.

you'll have a serious hard time removing it from the tranny, Then simply throw this bitch on the ground or table to begin the dissasembly!
Old 03-15-05, 01:17 PM
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Hmmmm, so it's gonna be difficult. I'm gonna see if he can lift it out with one of his tractors. If we chain it and pull it out we should be in business.

If we do that, I wonder if I should try and offer him more just for the long block. I could sue some manifolds to practice porting on.
Old 03-15-05, 01:20 PM
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Aren't any of you guys Boy Scouts??? You can "lash" together a few poles with rope that would be plenty strong enough to pull the motor.....assembled with the manifolds. You need a Boy Scout handbook some poles some 6' ropes and a $20 2-ton hand wench and a chain with hooks......your done. I'll try to get a pic for you.
Old 03-15-05, 01:37 PM
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yea post pic ...
Old 03-15-05, 01:38 PM
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Here is a link that shows how to build an "A" frame. You build two one on each side of the car and lay a pole across the two "A" frames and then attach the hand wench to the cross member.......simple.

http://www.inquiry.net/outdoor/skill...pioneering.htm
Old 03-15-05, 01:55 PM
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I don't know... A stripped block (no manifolds, no alt, no fan, etc) that has been drained, is not really that heavy. I guess you could make some pole lift or something, but once its all stripped, you just reach inside the exhaust ports and under the oil pan and lift it out.

Maybe I am stronger than the averaqe bear, but the two times I lifted a rotary engine out, I just lifted... now make sure you have some nice and heavy leather gloves. Gloves are important. Those edges are sharp.
Old 03-15-05, 02:02 PM
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just tie rope around the short block several time and then tie it to a pole and one person on each side picks it up.
Old 03-15-05, 02:04 PM
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good idea
Old 03-15-05, 02:05 PM
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I once did an engine pull in an apartment parking lot...a half stripped t2 engine. Still had turbo and mani, oilpan, LIM, and flywheel attatched. I built 2 tripods and a crossbar out of 2x4, and lifted it up really high with the comealong...then realized that not only could I not move my homemade hoist forward, I couldnt roll the car backward since it was already against the curb (backed into the space). I got brave and decided to grab the engine by hand, lift it sideways across the fender, and throw it down on the ground beside me (soft mud). Well, lets just say it all went fine until one of the motor mounts got hung on the fender lip, caused me to twist and lose balance and footing, and next thing I knew my *** was planted on the asphalt with a turbo rotary sitting on my lap. Yeah, that didn't go as planned. I rolled it off me, got the wind back in my lungs, and all was fine.

Now, the difference is that it's a lot harder to lift an engine UP and out of the bay, than it is to just grab it from already lifted and let it down. That said, 2 or 3 people can do it no problem...use a short chain or rope in such a way that the crossbar lays right on both fenders, so you have the most room to lift up. I'd also suggest that a spare person be on hand to rock the engine around and seperate it from the trans while the others lift, and the third can then guide the engine out of the car.

Keep in mind this engine has a flywheel and oilpan and motor mounts still installed (im asuming) so this bumps weight up around 210 instead of 185 for a standard shortblock. It won't be a walk in the park.
Old 03-15-05, 03:04 PM
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Originally Posted by TII '87
I did this with one of my friend.

you simply cannot remove it alone because you dont have a good grip and the engine is too low in the engine bay.

What we did is pretty simple. Take a maybe 6 or 7 feets long metal rod ( REALLY solid one ya know ). Then simply attach it to various point on the engine with ropes. You have to be both in front of each fender to lift the engine. I also recommend to have some wood blocks or something underneath your feet because unless you're 6'7" you'll have a hard time throw the core outta the engine bay

After that, position the bar on your shoulder and lift it using your legs, not your back.

you'll have a serious hard time removing it from the tranny, Then simply throw this bitch on the ground or table to begin the dissasembly!
i've done this method to get a core for my rebuild. it works, and we all were about 5'5"-5'7", <=140 lbs. it just took 4 instead of 3 people since where kinda smaller. just lifted it onto a pallet.
Old 03-15-05, 03:22 PM
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me and my bro have pulled a few out by hand
Old 03-15-05, 03:24 PM
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Originally Posted by RotaryResurrection
Keep in mind this engine has a flywheel and oilpan and motor mounts still installed (im asuming) so this bumps weight up around 210 instead of 185 for a standard shortblock. It won't be a walk in the park.
You really think its that much??? I would have figured closer to 150-160#...

Oh well wouldn't be the first time I was wrong
Old 03-15-05, 03:36 PM
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Owned!!!





































J/k
Old 03-15-05, 03:47 PM
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just pick it up
i picked mine up and put it in the back of my DD
Old 03-15-05, 04:09 PM
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yea man i think maybe 170 or so. Me and my friend did it to my GXL. I kinda had 2 stand inside the engine bay after we got it forward off the mounts. Lots a fun


Mike
Old 03-15-05, 04:58 PM
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No Mark, I know from shipping shortblocks here and there. A palleted shortblock with nothing but front cover and 5 plates will run 220, with pallet weight being 30-40 of that. The block itself weighs 180-190 depending on year and model.

The stock s4 flywheel is like 22lb, and you add a couple lb for assorted other BS, and you're up over 200 easily.
Old 03-15-05, 05:10 PM
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Thanks for the suggestions guys, this is gonna be fun. I'll take pics when we go to do it. Hopefully we'll be able to use one of his tractors to help a little.
Old 03-16-05, 01:31 PM
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I would plan on building the "a" frames. My buddies seem to be golfing too much to help with an engine. Every body assumes that you wnat to spend all day stripping the motor down to a short block. I would be thinking that I want the ECU, the harness and anything else I could get from the motor. If you had a nice "A" frame lift you could pull it out with the tranny attached. Leave a shell behind
Old 03-16-05, 06:06 PM
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Originally Posted by jhammons01
I would plan on building the "a" frames. My buddies seem to be golfing too much to help with an engine. Every body assumes that you wnat to spend all day stripping the motor down to a short block. I would be thinking that I want the ECU, the harness and anything else I could get from the motor. If you had a nice "A" frame lift you could pull it out with the tranny attached. Leave a shell behind
That might be tempting as well. My tranny is good right now, but I wouldn't mind having a spare lay around. This shortblock is gonna be a spare ported motor for my GXL as well.... that and my new plaything for the next couple of months.

I wonder if I could just get the whole shell. I'm gonna get there, talk to him tomarrow and see what I can pull.
Old 03-16-05, 06:51 PM
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I would just try to get everything that could be justified as "the motor". Unhook the throttle cable. The two wires to the alternator and oil pan. The Wiring harness at the ECU, and place it on top of the motor and disco the bolts to the tranny and take it all out. You never know what you need for parts down the road. Could be a nice investment. Plus when you start to build that motor you don't have to worry about things from your current motor not fitting for whatever reason.

Jeez an OMP is worth $100 bux.
Old 03-16-05, 07:04 PM
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um i striped a engine to a shortblock and me and my brother and his freind got it out barley but got it out....i carried a shortblock from my garage to basement... so i bet it can be done


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