For me that would probably be when I helped a fried lift a 2ltr Pinto (fully dressed) out of a Dutton Sierra.
The plan was that he would tie the engine to a 6foot beam of wood (that was pretty heavy on it's own) and then we would each get one end of a
beam on our shoulder and lift it out of the car.
At first we could barely shift it. I then asked him if the clutch cable (which hadn't been disconnected) passed through any part of the engine.
No, it didn't came the reply. So we heaved again. Still no joy.
I asked again about the clutch cable. He had another look. Yes, it did got through the flange at the back of the engine. He disconnected and at last
the engne was free. So we grunted and heaved and out it came. Dutton Sierras are quite high (think Jeep copy) so lifting that bugger out was quite a
feat. Not planning to do anything like that again!
Lifting a fully assembled MGB front subframe onto a B&D workmate, I seem to remember that being quite chunky as well, Surprised the Workmate
didn't collapse.
Refitting the differential to a Mk2 Triumph Vitesse was interesting as well. The spring is part of the assembly and the diff has to be lifted against
its downward push. I found out later that the factory method involved levers that allowed the whole weight of the car to compress the spring while the
bolts were done up.
Anyone else have any stories to add?
John
[Edited on 25/9/08 by mr henderson]
Not quite in that league but i can lift my Busa engine/gearbox around the garage!
Think you have got everyone beat there Mr H - we all know there is NOTHING heavier than a Pinto!!
My MX5 engine will be.
Well the worst thing I ever lifted off a car was my last Beetles front suspension as despite what others claim it ain’t light at all. So when I did
drag it off it fell to the floor taking me with it and I battered my head off the bonnet then fell on my back stunned not feeling to great…ouch my
poor head 
Engine & gearbox assembly out of and then back into a RAV4. And I got the easy job cos the front end was removed in a body shop for rebuild on a front end repair.
bedford TK 4 pot lump,lifted into the back of a van....that is heavy,saw a perkins V8 on an engine crane,the boom bent like a banana that is extra
heavy
Is this inresponse to todays forum question about engine deliveries??
I posted this below on that thread.
""I've never had a driver hesitate from helping - but never for an engine either...
We all seem to be getting unhelpful, or soft, or restriced by health and safety/insurance.
I'm no longer a firefighter, but, one of the first tests was you had lift an inert firefighter of the same weight (90kg) onto your
shoulders(difficult), get them out of a window (still on your shoulders) and carry them down a ladder from the third floor...
makes giving someone a hand witha motor seem a small request.
It's not that motors are that heavy but they are awkward.""
Lifting a subaru boxer engine into a hovercraft nearly did my back in.... Heavy engine, and if you put it down on the deck it would have gone
straight through....
Much pain!!!
I recently lifted a fully dressed 2.0 zetec with gearbox and driveshafts attached to move it 10 yards along the drive - I only had to get it off the ground enough to not drag, but it was b~@@~D heavy (and took about 4 lifts)!
Me and the BinL lifted a Redtop out of a Cavalier with gearbox and Transfer box. The guy had removed the front panel to help get it out but it was
still chuffing heavy!
We then put it in his rotten trailer. By the time we got it home the tyres were red hot! A lift up the drive and into his garage was the last
straw.
Please cough sir while I check you out!
Steve
quote:
Originally posted by Paul TigerB6
Think you have got everyone beat there Mr H - we all know there is NOTHING heavier than a Pinto!!
quote:
but I did use a small tool
It will be a Zetec off a truck on my own next Monday due to useless bloody couriers !!
[See my post on engine delivery]
a couple of zetec, not at the same time would be heaviest although a series land rover gearbox with transfer box come pretty close.
the most awkward would be liffing a diff, whilst under a car into the Ford axle; not the heaviest but hard to get any leverage on it ...
it would be getting my 15st mother out of the passenger seat after taking her to town in the indy.
Type 9 4x4 sierra gearbox out and back in again on the floor with no jack!!!!
take into account that i'm a 10st weed, i lifted the r1 complete into my kit, also the hewland mk8 gearbox, and the whole rear suspesion on a mates tiga sc84 sports 2000 jobbie, that was heavy, and bits kept flopping about and getting in the way!
quote:
Originally posted by mcerd1
but I did use a small tool
[Edited on 25/9/08 by mcerd1]
Most difficult thing I did (kind of related) was trying to undo the clutch nut on my ST engine. Lying on my front under the car, neck held at 90
degrees (backwards) so I could try and see what I was doing trying to apply enough oomph via a breaker bar to shift the nut... Could hardly move the
next day (not surprisingly!!!).....
I did try to think of an alternative but nothing seemed to work due to things getting in the way of the bar....
quote:
Originally posted by BenB
Most difficult thing I did (kind of related)
My K-series (with anciliaries, no gearbox) from the back of the Passat estate to the garage floor... on my own. I felt several inches shorter afterwards
I found lifting the diff up under the car and getting the bolts in was the heavist problem I had... harder than lifting a zetec engine engine out of
the boot!!
Rebuilt my crossflow on a bench in my basement, and then realised there was no possible way I could get the engine lifter to it, so had to pick it up
myself and lower it to the floor. All went well until I started lowering it down and then found my t-shirt had caught on something on the engine!
There was no way I could have lifted it back up so had to continue lowering it, and ripped a huge tear in my t-shirt.
Bloody stupid thing to do in retrospect as it was really too heavy for one person. Got away with it, but won't be doing it again.
Tipping the striker onto it's side (see avatar) by myself was also a bit hairy. It's a very light car, probably no more than 350kg with the
engine out of it, but it took a large scaffold plank and a lot of grunting and sweating to tip it up. Just glad I'd managed to correctly align
the pile of wheels/tyres for the roll cage to rest on!
[Edited on 25/9/08 by MikeRJ]
Replacing the clutch in a clasic Rangerover, you need to tilt back the engine and then lower the gearbox and transfer box (joined) down from under
the car to get access to clutch, Nightmare , I have done loads of engine lifts including V8 mercedes and V6 alfas but thi was the worst yet.
Lying underthe car with about 150 KGS above your chest , a few inches of clearance and then try to line up the splines for the clutch, you can only
support it throught the gear lever acces hole within the car.
Never, ever again!!!!
Pinto aint that heavy
lifted my fully assembled short block up and mounted on my engine stand on my todd...
you lot need more weetabix 
A pinto short block isn't too bad (though certainly still plenty heavy). Add the head and a flywheel and you'll need a family sized box of
Weatabix!
[Edited on 25/9/08 by MikeRJ]
Mini A series engine and box.
I think I would have been about 17 at the time and thought it would be an easy lift.
I know an A series is quite small, but the gearbox complete with diff add a fair wee bit to it.
quote:
Originally posted by zilspeed
Mini A series engine and box.
I think I would have been about 17 at the time and thought it would be an easy lift.
Sorry Mr H but it has to be done.
quote:
For me that would probably be when I helped a fried lift a 2ltr Pinto (fully dressed) out of a Dutton Sierra.
quote:
Originally posted by MikeRJ
quote:
Originally posted by zilspeed
Mini A series engine and box.
I think I would have been about 17 at the time and thought it would be an easy lift.
I helped a mate with his mini in my younger days, in the absence of an engine lifter we unbolted the subframe and both of us lifted the body over the engine. Another bloody stupid idea I wouldn't contemplate these days
FAT BIRDS
Tackled a few of these over the years, they are heavy as hell and you can't get your arms round them
plus
mates never want to give you hand!
The Mini post brought back a very uncomfortable memory!!
Similar situation. No means of lifting the engine so I unbolted the subframe. With everything disconnected, I put a cushion on the roof of the
Minivan, put a scaffold plank on the cushion and the other end on my shoulder. I tied a loop of rope around the scaffold plank and onto the front
panel of the van. With me crouched down, I tightened the loop to take the slack and then with a big heave, I stood up, thus lifting the front of the
van up and over the engine and subframe.
In all the excitement I forgot a few vital aspects of the operation.
Firstly, the handbrake was on the van so it wouldn't roll or move backwards, forward or twist sideways.
Secondly, as I lifted the van, the engine and subframe toppled over and got jammed.
Thirdly, you really need to disconnect the speedo drive to be able to separate the two.
Fourthly, I'm not strong enough to hold the front of the van in the air for long.
Fifthly, my legs wern't long enough to try to step over or around the engine assembly.
Sixthly, getting wrestled to the floor by a plank tied to a Mini isn't fun.
[Edited on 25/9/08 by owelly]
full cast iron ford V6, fully dressed out of a van, with attached gearbox. and the worlds smallest bonnet... it was out a ford aerostar
quote:
Originally posted by blakep82
full cast iron ford V6, fully dressed out of a van, with attached gearbox. and the worlds smallest bonnet... it was out a ford aerostar