Quite a long thread but lots of info here
why are you dropping the engine?
some disagreement on how much to take off before dropping the engine but if you are doing any major engine work it's all coming off anyway and I find it easier to take it off while the engine is suspended rather than on the ground.
Also a stripped engine is much lighter and earier to move, I use a small trolley and a ramp to get it into my shed to work on.
In that case I'd drop engine and gearbox together ( not done this myself only done seperately)
Jack up and on ramps
Disconnect batt
coolant pipes split
electrics disconnected, starter, ignition, sensors,carb electrics, reverse light switch, etc
fuel pipes disconnected
carb trunking and airfilter disconnected with any hot air pipes to exhaust.
vac pipe to servo disconnected
throttle linkage disconnected
Clutch hydraulics disconnected or slave cylinder unbolted
gear linkage removed from box
drive shafts removed from box
some tinware around the exhaust silencer unbolted
Support gearbox with hydraulic jack
gearbox mount off
straps around engine to inlet manufold and fence post across hatch
engine bar bolts off
Thanks all for you advise, everything done apart from engine mounts but I need to ask a final question.
The gear box mounting is fair enough 4 bolts however my question relates to the engine support bar that spans the front of the engine.
If I am dropping it all, should I drop the with the support bar attached by removing the 2 nuts and bolts either side, I would have to cut them with a grinder as they are corroded
or
Do it the normal way and disconnect from the two engine mounts ?
The normal way is to undo the bar at each end and remove it with the engine. Note, as the engine comes out from underneath, I don't think it could work any other way.
Agreed cut them off if you have too, if they are that rusty you want to replace anyway as these are rather important
make sure you replace with high tensile steel 8.8 and nylon inserted shakeproof nuts, don't use stainless as stainless is nothing like as strong.
Sounds about right to me. It has to sandwich 3mm of spreader plate, 5mm of chassis flange (two skins) plus about 2mm on the foot of the bar. Add two washers at 1mm and a nylock, plus a few threads showing for safety.
25mm should be ok.
1985 Oettinger 3.2 Caravelle RHD syncro twin slider. SA Microbus bumpers, duplex winch system, ARC 7X15 period alloys