Removing Engine

[Riverfurm]

Getting close to my engine swap on my 86 Golf. The Bentley manual states to remove the front apron and rad. support. Tilt the engine and trans. and remove from the top. I have seen other people remove the engine from the bottom.
  I will be doing this engine swap at home, so I have no lift. But I do have a hoist mounted on a beam ( I've used it to pull big blocks to lawn tractor engines so it's very strong). It seems easer to me to pull it out through the top.
  Is it :?:  :?:  :roll:

The engine coming out is a 1.6 na the one going in is a 1.6 turbo with Giles IP, PP down pipe, and boost bumped up.
It is a manual trans car with AC and I don't want to disscharge the AC system.

Thanks

[Black Smokin' Diesel]

You can get it out through the top if you remove the hood, it might be a PITA though. If you remove the AC compressor from the engine you can avoid discharging the AC (like the bentley says).

Getting the engine out through the bottom is only good if you remove the whole front suspension too (subframe, control arms, shocks...).

[burn_your_money]

I never remove the hood on mk2s but I do take off teh front apron (not the bumper though, just the grill and rad support)

[Mk2Fanatic]

Every swap I've done at home was as follows:

              remove bumper, grille, rad support
              swing ac stuff up and out of the way over p-side fender.
              using a crappy tire appliance cart the fold down style roll it under             motor and trans
remove front tires lower car onto 16x8 cinder blocks 1 on each side
unbolt axles, exhaust ahead of cat or resonator
undo shifter linkage and electrical connectors and roll the cart out with motor and trans on appliance cart.  cart is strong enough to double as a tear down reassembly stand.
reverse procedure to install.
6hrs in and out including new clutch axle seals, TO bearing swapping flywheel etc

[larry104]

 
remove front tires lower car onto 16x8 cinder blocks 1 on each side

PLEASE DO NOT USE CINDER BLOCKS! They have been known to crumble and give no warning. Use wood or, better yet, jack stands to support a car.

[jtanguay]

i was able to remove a motor and leave the a/c system untouched (the lines were bent to their limit at times though  :lol:)

[Mk2Fanatic]

 
remove front tires lower car onto 16x8 cinder blocks 1 on each side

PLEASE DO NOT USE CINDER BLOCKS! They have been known to crumble and give no warning. Use wood or, better yet, jack stands to support a car.

I understand what you are saying about the crumbling part.  The two that I use at home have been filled with concrete in the 3 openings.  My Ex wife's Father is a structural engineer and advised me that if filled they will pose no risk of collapse.  They were purchased new for one purpose and one purpose only.  As an alternative, jackstands or 8" square cut logs or 4 2x8's screwed together will also work.

[RabbitJockey]

its only easier to go out the bottom on mk1s

[bevboyy]

I just removed the hood, and put the front end on jack stands. Disconnected axles. Removed the rad, and ac - which has been pitched..disconnected all wiring. Used shop crane and voila..engine out....

[Riverfurm]

If it wasn't for the AC, (I need an AC recycle machine)I would just remove the cooling fan. It does not look that tight. But I think I'll take the rad. and support out (see how much room for an intercooler). I have been checking around for an exhaust system for the 3" PP downpipe but have not found one yet. I guess I'll have to have a custom one made or fab one up myself.

I have plenty of jack stands and jacks.

[2mn2]

I removed the engine from the top on my rabbit. I used a tilt bar and a shop crane. It came out easy and no complications

[burn_your_money]

I'm also a fan of going out to top for all my cars. I went out the bottom once on a rabbit and it's pretty much just as much work. I find removing the oil fitler will make it easier

[boosted_diesel_84]

i just removed mine out the bottom, with gearbox attached, all together, almost 4 hours, i think its a lot easier to drop it out the bottom than to raise it, not to mention safer, you dont have a massive chuck of metal swinging 10 ft. in the air.