Removing type 4 engine

Discussion in 'Mech Tech' started by grub, Jul 3, 2022.

  1. Hi all
    Can anyone tell me how high I need to raise the rear of my bus to get the engine out?
    1971 Crossover, so no removable rear valance.
    Type 4 1700, carbs already removed.
    I currently have the rear end on 4inches of wood, bus is mildly lowered.
    can't really get much higher in the garage.
    Is it a relatively straightforward job? Never removed a Type 4 from a bay before.. replaced the Type 1 in my splitty, but realise there is a lot mire involved with the Type 4.
    Thx. 20220327_150215.jpg
     
    Gnasha likes this.
  2. It’s ok on standard metal ramps with the engine on a motorbike lift, definitely if you slide it onto a board.
    Easier to get at the nut on the D bolt on the top of the starter than working blind behind the fan housing.
    Remove the 3 tins across the rear and the coil, it’s possible without removing the oil filler tube but easier if you can.
    Lower the gearbox a bit to get a better angle by removing the 2 upper bolts that the bell housing hangs from if it has them!
     
    F_Pantos, DubCat and snotty like this.
  3. mikedjames

    mikedjames Supporter

    Dont forget the rear of the bus will rise up a bit as the weight of the engine comes out, if its tight above the roof already..

    It may turn out easier to drive the bus out of the garage leaving a gap for the door to close, run the bus up on ramps facing away from the garage taking care to not hit the ramps on the exhaust or bodywork ( especiallly on the way down you have to go very slowly or the suspension bounces down.. my exhaust got squashed..the ramp shot out as the bus came down.)


    Then you can pull the engine out easily and pull it back into the garage to work on it.

    And if you let the gearbox pivot, it can be worth undoing the nose cone coupler from the gearbox to save risking damage.
     
    Last edited: Jul 4, 2022
  4. Thx guys, some useful suggestions.
     
  5. Zed

    Zed Gradually getting grumpier

    I don't think 4" under the wheels will be enough.
    Top tip, take the exhaust and heat exchangers off first. They are heavy and you won't be able to get at the heat exchanger/head nuts once it's out.
     
  6. Rich83

    Rich83 Supporter

    If you need a motor bike lift I have one you can borrow. :thumbsup:
     
    paradox likes this.
  7. Thx Rich, I may take you up on that mate.
     
  8. Thx Zed.. how heavy is the engine, compared to a type 1, with the heat exchangers and exhaust off?
     
  9. Don't lift it too high as it will rise on the suspension without the engine weight as stated above and you may find the engine lift (bike lift) wont rise far enough to put it back in. (ask me how i know!) you don't need as much as you think and its easy to jack up the van to drag it out when its on the floor. Top tip is to drop onto a sheet of ply so you can drag it along the floor if that's how you go about it!
     
  10. Zed

    Zed Gradually getting grumpier

    Heavier, I expect you could google the difference?
     
  11. I generally drop the engine on a motorbike lift then slide it onto a board then jack the bus up enough to slide it out.
    Putting it back in just do the opposite, it’s a heavy lump to wrangle but I can do it on my own!
     
    Soggz likes this.
  12. mcswiggs

    mcswiggs Supporter

    I’d recommend dropping the oil and removing the oil filler neck first as it is always in the way. Removing the exhaust helps too. And the rear bumper, although not entirely necessary.
     
  13. i did it pretty much stripped the top half - heat exchangers and exhaust.
     
  14. Thx guys, you are all giving me inspiration to do it myself.
    Is there a knack to getting the oil filler neck off.. I had a go the other day & couldn't pull it off.
    Closed up the clamp & tried to pull the neck out, but didn't want to pull too hard in case something broke!
     
  15. DubCat

    DubCat Sponsor

    Twist and wriggle.
     
    S1mon and nicktuft like this.
  16. Twist and shout?
     
    DubCat likes this.
  17. Soggz

    Soggz An inquisitive supporter

    Then work it on out…:thumbsup:
     
    snotty likes this.
  18. Zed

    Zed Gradually getting grumpier

    You shouldn't be able to twist it unless someone already did and broke it. :)
    I think @mcswiggs means the bottom half anyway - taking that off does give you more room to pull the engine back though personally, I don't get how you can drop the bar out of the chassis hangers without tilting the whole engine gearbox down unless you're into forcing things... You'll find you need to take the coil off too if you're going the brute force way.
     
    mcswiggs and DubCat like this.
  19. Do I need to undo the gearbox at all? Just wondered how I slide the engine backwards on the gearbox spline with the engine bar in place?
     
  20. Zed

    Zed Gradually getting grumpier

    IMO yes, the hanger bolts at the rear of the gearbox. You might want to disconnect the gearchange joint too because if you hinge it down on the front mount too far you might bend something. You'll need to prop the gearbox up with something before you pull the engine off it.

    If you do go this route (and I do) you'll find you can pull the engine out without taking anything off it (should you want to if for example you were changing the clutch). I'm pretty sure VW intended this as "the way" to remove a type-4 because as you say otherwise you have to force things. It's also easier to refit it without the bar stuck under the chassis hangers.

    It is possible to leave the gearbox and brute force it but it's so tight things do get scratched at a minimum. Lots of people do go this route though. I've done both but since the first time I hinged it all down I wouldn't do it any other way. YMMV.
     

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