Advice on lifting engine

Robotsan

Robotsan

Club Member
How do,

I'm planning to remove the front subframe/crossmember in order to get it powder coated while the rest of the front end is off the car (as it is currently).

I don't have an engine lift/hoist, nor the space to use or store one, so I was thinking of using one of those engine support beams, like this: https://www.machinemart.co.uk/p/clarke-cec500ds-dual-hook-enginegearbox-suppo/

Are they ok to use with an S30? My L28 has the front and rear lifting points/brackets still attached, so was hoping I could attach the 2 chains to the front and back ones, take up the strain with the beam, then undo the engine mounts, check it's all stable, and then take the subframe off. But I gather these beams are easier to use with transverse engines.. so has anyone used it on an L series?

Also thinking a good plan would be to get a spare subframe and have that powder coated and ready to swap, so the engine isn't hanging there for longer than it needs to be! Anyone got one spare?!

Found a thread on a US forum which both scared and encouraged me in equal measure: https://www.classiczcars.com/forums...-front-cross-member-removal/?&page=2#comments
 
MCBladeRun

MCBladeRun

Club Member
Hey George, I borrowed one of those off of @Huw. It was so I could remove the front cross member. It was hanging onto the engine for a good year - you put the rubber mounts on the hoist over your suspension top mounts.
 
Robotsan

Robotsan

Club Member
MCBladeRun said:
Hey George, I borrowed one of those off of @Huw. It was so I could remove the front cross member. It was hanging onto the engine for a good year - you put the rubber mounts on the hoist over your suspension top mounts.
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Great, thanks Martin that's good to know. Was it one just like the one I've linked to, with just one bar? As I've seen ones that are T shaped which also sit on the front upper rad support which I was thinking would be better for longitudinal engines.

And it was just attached to the 2 oem lifting points on the engine?
 
Robotsan

Robotsan

Club Member
Huw said:
Hi George

The beam Martin borrowed off me is one I got from Machinemart. Used it several times for supporting the engine to change the sump gasket on the ZX The chains loop around the engine mounts, the engine gearbox mount has to be still attached however. Supports it very well.

Clarke CEC500DS Dual Hook Engine/Gearbox Support - Machine Mart - Machine Mart

www.machinemart.co.uk www.machinemart.co.uk
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Ahh ok, sounds good. And this would still allow me to remove the engine mounts right?

I do need to change the sump gasket too I think so may as well do that while I'm there.

Thanks
 
Huw

Huw

Club Member
I unbolted the engine mount from the engine crossmember and looped the chains around the mounts still attached to the engine.
 
Robotsan

Robotsan

Club Member
I bought an engine beam off Amazon - looked identical in every way to that Clarke on off Machine Mart so I assumed it is one of those products all made by the same factory and rebadged by all the different brands.

But having followed the instructions, I can't get any part of it to tighten up sufficiently - it's all wobbly. The legs wobble perpendicularly to the beam, and parallel to the beam, no matter how much I tighten the bolts that go through the legs to attach, nor how much I tighten the knobs on top.

Have I just bought a crap one?

 
Huw

Huw

Club Member
On the Clark model there is a nut and bolt at the top of the triangular support leg that needs nipping up when you position the beam at the angle you want (front to back). There is a bit of wobble side to side but once there is weight on the beam (like Rob said), it’s nice and solid. Can’t speak for the one you picked up but would imagine it’s the same.
 
Robotsan

Robotsan

Club Member
Huw said:
On the Clark model there is a nut and bolt at the top of the triangular support leg that needs nipping up when you position the beam at the angle you want (front to back). There is a bit of wobble side to side but once there is weight on the beam (like Rob said), it’s nice and solid. Can’t speak for the one you picked up but would imagine it’s the same.
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Yeah I've tried to do those nuts and bolts at the top of the legs up, but they won't go any tighter.

It also doesn't seem very secure just sat on the strut towers like that. I guess it might be if I can get the legs to stop sliding up and down the beam! But maybe it'd be better if the wings were off - could it then sit in the channels on top?
 
G

Geoff-R

Club Member
Robotsan said:
Yeah I've tried to do those nuts and bolts at the top of the legs up, but they won't go any tighter.

It also doesn't seem very secure just sat on the strut towers like that. I guess it might be if I can get the legs to stop sliding up and down the beam! But maybe it'd be better if the wings were off - could it then sit in the channels on top?
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I could be way off the mark here but that was my initial thought, take the wings off and then place the feet on there. You'd also then be able to 'fix' the legs by clamping them to the ridge. Then again I'm wondering if the wing supports might sit there and you might be creating more work for nothing? You ideally need someone to come on here who has done the exact same thing on an S30. Failing all that just drop the engine out the bottom attached to the subframe?
 
Huw

Huw

Club Member
Robotsan said:
Yeah I've tried to do those nuts and bolts at the top of the legs up, but they won't go any tighter.

It also doesn't seem very secure just sat on the strut towers like that. I guess it might be if I can get the legs to stop sliding up and down the beam! But maybe it'd be better if the wings were off - could it then sit in the channels on top?
Click to expand...
Robotsan said:
Yeah I've tried to do those nuts and bolts at the top of the legs up, but they won't go any tighter.

It also doesn't seem very secure just sat on the strut towers like that. I guess it might be if I can get the legs to stop sliding up and down the beam! But maybe it'd be better if the wings were off - could it then sit in the channels on top?
Click to expand...

You shouldn’t need to take the wing off. It should sit in the lip where the outer wing bolts to the inner wing. You can just about see in my poor quality pic below.


1692112485062.jpeg
 
Robotsan

Robotsan

Club Member
Geoff-R said:
I could be way off the mark here but that was my initial thought, take the wings off and then place the feet on there. You'd also then be able to 'fix' the legs by clamping them to the ridge. Then again I'm wondering if the wing supports might sit there and you might be creating more work for nothing? You ideally need someone to come on here who has done the exact same thing on an S30. Failing all that just drop the engine out the bottom attached to the subframe?
Click to expand...

I would, but I'm just aiming to remove the subframe here and swap it for a newly powder coated version, install new mounts - and leave in the engine in place :)
 
Robotsan

Robotsan

Club Member
Huw said:
You shouldn’t need to take the wing off. It should sit in the lip where the outer wing bolts to the inner wing. You can just about see in my poor quality pic below.


View attachment 59271
Click to expand...

Thanks Huw that does help. I'm guessing you were able to get those wheels/knobs tightened enough to mean the legs couldn't slide up and down the beam then?
 
MCBladeRun

MCBladeRun

Club Member
Something isnt binding on those knobs, add a few washers to lengthen the parts that bind I would.

When you got the weight of the engine, it should stop that last bit of movement 👍
 
Robotsan

Robotsan

Club Member
MCBladeRun said:
Something isnt binding on those knobs, add a few washers to lengthen the parts that bind I would.

When you got the weight of the engine, it should stop that last bit of movement 👍
Click to expand...

Thanks Martin, I was thinking the same but wasn't sure if that'd do it. Will give it a go.
 
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