Engine Removal Technique

dtrumbo · Post by **dtrumbo** » Thu Sep 03, 2009 2:41 pm

Hi all,

After investigating the origin of an oil leak and finding chaffed fuel lines, it is now time to remove the engine from Annie's Bug and take care of some stuff. I've only taken the engine out of my wife's bus and as you might know, bugs and buses are a little different when it comes to taking the engine out.

I've read the Bentley procedure and it's all pretty straightforward except for the part where it tells you to jack up the rear of the car three feet in the air. How exactly does one do that? I have some "SUV" jack stands which get me about 21" high, but that's not quite 36".

What tricks/tips can you offer the newbie bug-engine remover?

fancy pants · Post by **fancy pants** » Thu Sep 03, 2009 3:16 pm

I used a 4x4 on top of my jack to get my bus high enough off the ground. I don;t think it needed to be quite 3 feet.

vdubyah73 · Post by **vdubyah73** » Thu Sep 03, 2009 3:38 pm

Has to be high enough for the fan shroud to roll out under the apron. If you can lift it that high but don't have jack stands that high, just put it on the jack stands til you get it out and down. Then jack the car up higher to get it out from underneath. That way it's safe to work under, and later when it's just balancing on the jack for dragging it out you're still safe because you don't have to go under for dragging it out. If you only have one jack, and the engine is on it, get creative. Lower the engine so the heat exchangers land on some 4X4 blocks and slide the jack out and use it to lift the car. then try to get the engine onto a skateboard or a creeper or just on the ground and drag it out. Gotta think out side the box sometimes.Take the rear wheels off it gives you a lot more room to work.

dtrumbo · Post by **dtrumbo** » Thu Sep 03, 2009 3:44 pm

Thanks Bill!

I have a regular floor jack and also an ATV jack so I'm good there.

What do you think of putting the jack stands on 4 x 12's to increase the height?

Thanks again for the tips.

Oregon72 · Post by **Oregon72** » Thu Sep 03, 2009 4:24 pm

dtrumbo wrote:Thanks Bill!

I have a regular floor jack and also an ATV jack so I'm good there.

What do you think of putting the jack stands on 4 x 12's to increase the height?

Thanks again for the tips.

Dick, that seems like a good solution - remember to chock the front wheels too. My bus is sitting on jackstands right now with 2X4s under the feet Sure would be nice to have a hydraulic lift in your garage wouldn't it - a man can always dream.

dtrumbo · Post by **dtrumbo** » Thu Sep 03, 2009 6:43 pm

I think I remember seeing that TJ has one in his. I guess he's living the dream!

I'll try the 4 x 12's under the jack stands tomorrow. I've already got the front wheels chocked.

Gypsie · Post by **Gypsie** » Thu Sep 03, 2009 10:21 pm

post some pix if you can. I may be doing something like this soon.

dtrumbo · Post by **dtrumbo** » Fri Sep 04, 2009 2:56 pm

Here ya go.

I think Bentley's 36" is excessive. My best tape measure says from the bottom of the oil sump to the top of the fan shroud is about 23". This setup gives me that much and just enough for my ATV jack. Tomorrow morning will tell the tale. I'll let you know how it goes.

chitwnvw · Post by **chitwnvw** » Fri Sep 04, 2009 3:36 pm

Shoot, with a flat level concrete floor, it'll be like shooting fish in the barrel.

dtrumbo · Post by **dtrumbo** » Fri Sep 04, 2009 3:44 pm

chitwnvw wrote:Shoot, with a flat level concrete floor, it'll be like shooting fish in the barrel.

I know, I'm very lucky to have the shop that I have. As I was pondering this project I was thinking about how much harder it would be if I was out in my sloping gravel driveway in the pouring rain trying to pull my engine. I don't have a sloping gravel driveway and it's not raining, but I was being empathetic anyway.

dtrumbo · Post by **dtrumbo** » Sun Sep 06, 2009 8:33 am

O.k. it's out. Here's what I know, bugs are harder than buses when it comes to removing the engine. There is just barely enough room to pull the engine rearward to have the engine studs clear the transmission and the clutch clear the transmission input shaft. So close, you must have the engine tin slip under the engine compartment seal in order for it to come back far enough. Then you must be careful not to rake off your AAR connector on the rear apron. Geez it's close. Once I got it lowered, I "walked" it down off of the extra wood I had to pile on the ATV jack. Once it's down to jack-only level you can slide it out under the left (or right) rear fender. Removing the wheel was a big help. THANKS BILL! Here are some faux-toes.

The extra wood required to make the jack tall enough.

It's out.

No excessive oil in the bell housing so I think my main seal is o.k.

Yep, that's the clutch.

Anyone know what that flappy-looking seal by the throwout bearing is? My bus doesn't have this, maybe it should?

So no smoking gun on my oil leak. The cooler looks dry and, as mentioned, the inside of the bell housing is dry. The outside is covered, maybe by cooling air blowing oil from a leaky pushrod tube. I'll inspect more tomorrow.

Here's a riddle for you. What's worse than a previous owner? Give up? The answer is the previous owner's mechanic. The nut on the starter bolt was only finger tight, so I really only had three bolts holding my engine in. Furthermore the front tin (I think it's called the breast plate) was just flapping. No screws whatsoever holding it in. I've got a little work to do to remedy all of this, but it's now fall and the rains have come so not having a convertible to drive is no biggie.

More to come.

zabo · Post by **zabo** » Sun Sep 06, 2009 5:55 pm

not sure what that seal is...Maybe a piece of the trans input shaft seal that has broken off?
It does look a little grimey in there. Or maybe a piece of the throwout bearing.

Sorry im not too familiar with the later models. Its been a while.

Post by **Amskeptic** » Mon Sep 07, 2009 2:16 pm

dtrumbo wrote:No excessive oil in the bell housing so I think my main seal is o.k.
So no smoking gun on my oil leak. The cooler looks dry and, as mentioned, the inside of the bell housing is dry.

Why does the bell housing look nasty to me? It looks drenched. Normally I expect powdery dry black dust with maybe a bit of weep along the bottom. Is it the flash that makes it look wet to me?
Colin

dtrumbo · Post by **dtrumbo** » Mon Sep 07, 2009 4:20 pm

So I went out this morning and inspected further. Zabo & Colin are right, the bell housing was nasty. What I found was the powdery black dust you and I expected to find was coating a layer of greasy gunk. I swear there was no "fresh" oil in there. Greasy gunk from a previous leak and the clutch dust coating it. I've since cleaned 99% of it with one full can of Gumout and will finish it with the beginning of can #2 in the morning. I'm still grasping to the main seal being o.k. for two reasons. First, on the engine side the flywheel and clutch are dry. I'll have another really close look tomorrow, but I believe this to be true. The second reason is that the spray of fresh oil that prompted this whole project is predominantly on the left side of the car, not centered. This is suggesting push rod tube on the 3/4 side to me. I've ordered a bench-mount engine stand so I can get the motor up off the floor, take the tins off and have a look-see at where this is coming from.

BTW, the thing I described as the "flappy-looking seal" in the pictures is just the sleeve that the throwout bearing travels on coated with gunk. All good, perfectly normal.

zabo · Post by **zabo** » Mon Sep 07, 2009 5:45 pm

where is the fresh oil?- from the pic of your clutch it looks like its on the top end- check to make sure the oil cooler isnt leaking.

Itinerant Air-Cooled

Itinerant Air-Cooled

Engine Removal Technique

Engine Removal Technique