Club 80-90 Forums

Hi all, first post about engines, quick intro: Got my van in Feb and been welding up. Spent last 8 months reading & posting on bodywork, seats & glass.

Anyway, time has come to fit an engine. I have one simple question if someone could please help.

Can the engine be craned in or does the van need to be jacked up?

Any help welcome

Jon.

In from underneath is the norm.

Up and Under as Eddie Waring used to say

Cheers
Was hoping it could be lifted as my van is kind of unmoveable (for now) from where I keep it with only about 30cm clearance to the roof.

Can it be lifted in if needs be? or does the van need to jack quite high?

Appreciate the help.

Jon.

It would be very tight to use a crane to lift it in and out - I have a crane but didn't even consider attempting it that way.

Hi mate,

have done it with both....the engine crane has only the height of the hatch....and if you have a overhead cupboard there, the distance is even less.

Done it this weekend just gone....no jacking of van...lined it up behind engine bay, and pushed it underneath. Just do it slowly, and it will get there. If it is tooo tight, you have a few cm of height to play with, and can jack it a little. But we had no exhaust on the engine (admittedly no alternater etc, it was just the block) and it went under.

The hardest part for us was mating it with the gearbox...took several hours...just cos we didn't get the alignment and wiggle quite right.

You got the box in....or are they going up together?

Good luck...its a learning experience.

Em
xx

dont think you'll get a derv under without lifting the van up.

its 3times as hard with a crane from above IMO . much easier to lift the van up and control the engine with a jack.
defo will not go down through engine hatch into engine bay .

Cheers guys.

Slightly confused with regards to some terminology, derv mainly? And that Em says she has lifted hers in through the engine hatch but Mocki says no way?

My van still has the gear box and bell housing. Not entirely sure what an 'engine' consists of.

I can jack it an extra 30cm, possibly more!! I am thinking it could go under if I lift it as far as possible then put the bits on once in place?

Again, thanks for the help.

Jon.

You stick the engine underneath the van and lift it up through the engine hatch into the engine bay and onto the gearbox input shaft.

A 'derv' is a 'Diesel Engined Road Vehicle' otherwise known as a D****l on here, these are almost upright in the engine bay as opposed to the more traditional VW horizontally opposed 4 air cold and water-cooled (Wasserboxer or WBX) engines.

Ian

Ian Hulley wrote:You stick the engine underneath the van and lift it up through the engine hatch into the engine bay and onto the gearbox input shaft.

A 'derv' is a 'Diesel Engined Road Vehicle' otherwise known as a D****l on here, these are almost upright in the engine bay as opposed to the more traditional VW horizontally opposed 4 air co led and water-cooled (Wasserboxer or WBX) engines.

Ian

i take it it didnt have one in it when you got it?

billybigspud wrote:

Ian Hulley wrote:You stick the engine underneath the van and lift it up through the engine hatch into the engine bay and onto the gearbox input shaft.

A 'derv' is a 'Diesel Engined Road Vehicle' otherwise known as a D****l on here, these are almost upright in the engine bay as opposed to the more traditional VW horizontally opposed 4 air co led and water-cooled (Wasserboxer or WBX) engines.

Ian

i take it it didnt have one in it when you got it?

If that was to me mine's had several .... and I've replaced several more.

Ian

Nope, completely engineless. I am now thinking that I don't need to jack the van up that high at all. It's all about sliding it under the van then jacking in place. I will obviously be using someone who knows a bit more about this sort of stuff than me but I like learning all the same. About time I viewed an engine bay or 2 so as to familiarise myself. Jon.

sorry my bad explanation......

your profile says diesel engined, and that why i said you wouldnt get your engine in without lifting the van up off its wheels. The engine woudlnt fit under the rear valance . A water cooled VW flat four wngine will slide under if its a bare engine, ie no carbs or manifold or alternator on it.

you will need to jack the van up really, or you will struggle.

Once the engine is under the engine bay you can lift it with a engine crane, but its easier and more controllable with a jack under the engine.... specially if it s a camper interior with a over head locker at the back.....

it wasnt at you ian.

and i know what you mean by the cold bit though.

Can you confirm what engine you are planning to put in?

Its very different depending on which engine your talking about as others have pointed out.

I do diesels me - so can help out a bit if its a diesel

Ringo