Engine removal options

ecoangel

Well-Known Member
Appreciate traditional way is to remove front of the car to get engine and gearbox out in one go. Have done that on a couple of A2s.

Given the height of the engine it's probably not possible to remove engine in situ from above.

Anyone tried to remove it from below without disconnecting air con (leaving compressor with car so circuit maintained)?
 
In all honesty, the risk involved and the accompanying cost would outweigh the cost of a simple a/c recharge and/or ac oil replacement.

You could get close to achieving this but what would you do about the evaporator pipework that runs from all sorts of places?
 
Totally viable to drop an engine and leave the a/c pipework intact i have done it this week on Fiat Ducato 2.3 diesel.
You abviously need enough clearance to do so, mines on a ramp
 
The engine and gearbox it’s that hard to get in and out, I would however assume the Audi service position…. Take the front end off.


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Been thinking about this, wondering if it's possible to unbolt the gearbox either leaving in situ or actually dropping it down and lift the engine straight up and out with the use of a crane would save having the front in bits
 
hi,
Done this job on an aua engine and did remove the air conditioner and pipework.
There's not much room to slide an engine in and out otherwise.
I did this as a one person job and it was tough. Moving the engine out and in again was difficult. The car was jacked up to extract the engine and floored to bolt the new one in.
I would have damaged the aircon pipes if they were left in place.

If I had the use of a JCB telehandler the job would have been so much simpler.

I don't recommend what I did because there are much better ways to do this job as already suggested by others.
Enjoy the journey as much as the destination!
Good luck 👍

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Edit. I used a wooden pallet to drop the engine on and a garden trolley to move the doner engine from the garden to the roadside. Mountain bike cardboard shipping boxes placed in the engine bay protected the pipework from damage.
 
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Nice pics and info there @rotifer guessing you took the engine out with the gearbox I am thinking leaving the gearbox in and pulling the engine up with my engine crane might work out, will have to see, it's a fair weather job in fairness!
 
If I could have borrowed the farmers telehandler that would be similar to a crane.
But instead I split the gearbox and got that out the way as the combined mass of the engine and gearbox was not manageable.
It is about weighing up the risk with this kind of job. To yourself the environment and so on...

Edit. To anyone doing this kind if work please be fully prepared and take it easy, don't rush and don't take risks.

Thus endeth the lesson.
 
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I’m planning to take the engine apart in the bay then drop or lift the block depending on space options.
Haven’t yet figured out how to get a fully assembled AMF back in.
 
Yes I agree with @A2Steve. Because the car is not on a car lift you have to mimic one.(If you leave the front end on)
Edit
The front end removed is by far the path of least resistance.

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When Marcus and I changed my A2’s engine in 2016, we dismantled the front end and took the engine out forwards…


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We considered unbolting the engine with the car at the bottom of the lift and then lifting the car upwards, but the subframe gets in the way. In the end, we concluded that taking the front end off was the path of least resistance.

Cheers,

Tom
 
When Marcus and I changed my A2’s engine in 2016, we dismantled the front end and took the engine out forwards…


index.php


We considered unbolting the engine with the car at the bottom of the lift and then lifting the car upwards, but the subframe gets in the way. In the end, we concluded that taking the front end off was the path of least resistance.

Cheers,

Tom
My car sits like that with the engine in it, bless factory towing springs. I can't imagine how tall it will be with the engine out 🤣
 
Hi,

It is possible to not 'vac down' the air conditioning system and remove the engine.

For safety I would hire an engine hoist but I suspect other methods of removal should work.

If you are following the link what you are looking for is roughly half way down page 3 look for the bold type heading.

Air Con can Remain Charged

Good luck!

1.4 BBY Engine with AC
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My car sits like that with the engine in it, bless factory towing springs. I can't imagine how tall it will be with the engine out 🤣
The problem that towing springs have to overcome is 50kgs vertical load on the the tow ball, a long way, (6-700mm? ), behind the rear axle. That's quite an additional load on the springs. Way more than the same 50kgs in the boot.
Mac.
 
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The problem that towing springs have to overcome is 50kgs vertical load on the the tow ball, a long way, (6-700mm? ), behind the rear axle. That's quite an additional load on the springs. Way more than the same 50kgs in the boot.
Mac.
Yes, the last time I took Little Dog along to an A2OC gathering he was named the monster truck.
 
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