Weight of engine

chitwnvw · Post by **chitwnvw** » Sun Aug 13, 2006 7:36 am

How much does a T4 bus motor weigh, fully built, without the muffler?

Can two typical adult men get it off of an engine stand and onto an atv jack?

spiffy · Post by **spiffy** » Sun Aug 13, 2006 8:44 am

chitwnvw wrote:How much does a T4 bus motor weigh, fully built, without the muffler?

Can two typical adult men get it off of an engine stand and onto an atv jack?

I would say about 200lbs or so

So I would think that a couple of folks could easily get off the stand.....my back hurst just thinking about it though!

vdubyah73 · Post by **vdubyah73** » Sun Aug 13, 2006 9:48 am

I would hurt myself before dropping the engine to my pride and joy. Your helper may not feel the same way. I have used a cherry picker style engine hoist others have used planks to slide it down. I'd get 3 people to help.

Bill

Post by **Sluggo** » Sun Aug 13, 2006 10:07 am

Bottomend & I have picked up whole longblocks. Not too heavy with 2 people. Did it with four and it was kind of confusing.

chitwnvw · Post by **chitwnvw** » Sun Aug 13, 2006 4:35 pm

Any advice on what to grab hold of? Engine carrier seems logical seems like you want to grab hold of the bell housing but that would seem awkward.

Not sure what the plank method is?

Post by **Amskeptic** » Sun Aug 13, 2006 4:43 pm

A fully dressed Type 4 is 278 lbs IIRC. Engine carrier is not recommended as a lift point unless the two of you keep it level at all times. The mounts can tear easily if it gets tilted under load.
Colin

chitwnvw · Post by **chitwnvw** » Sun Aug 13, 2006 8:10 pm

OK, then. I got it up there by jacking as high as it would go, and then building a cinder block and 2 by lumber platform for it to rest on. I built a platform for the jack so it was higher, jacked the engine higher, and so on...it was a miny version of the building of the pyramids.

Do I perform the reverse...

Vdubtech · Post by **Vdubtech** » Tue Aug 15, 2006 8:10 am

I've lifted a complete 2.0 from the floor of the garage to my workbench by myself. Not easy, not very fun, but I did it. Just get a friend, unbolt the engine from the stand, and lower it down to the ground. From there you can maneuver it whatever way you need to to get it on a jack and get it back into the Bus. I think you're really overthinking this one to be honest. It isn't that heavy.

chitwnvw · Post by **chitwnvw** » Tue Aug 15, 2006 10:26 am

Vdubtech wrote:I've lifted a complete 2.0 from the floor of the garage to my workbench by myself. Not easy, not very fun, but I did it.

Now that's some useful info. If one guy can do it then two, no sweat. I just didn't want to be like when you're doing bench press in the basement by yourself and you're like, "I can do one more rep!", and then you're trapped with a gazillion pounds on your chest, and the you're like, "How am I going to get out of this? Oh shit, I'm gonna die!"

Vdubtech · Post by **Vdubtech** » Tue Aug 15, 2006 11:56 am

I have to say it again...I don't recommend anyone trying to lift an entire engine by themselves, I barely made it with the one I put on my bench, but no one was around at the time to help me and I needed it up there. With two people you should have no trouble, though you may want to enlist the help of a third so you can have two supporting the weight of the engine while the third unbolts it from the bench or stand or whatever it's currently attached to. If it's just a longblock at this point, I would probably try to grab it by the bottom of the heads, it's a solid point to hold it from and it doesn't rest on the ground so you can get your hands out of there when you set it down. Like I said, try and drop it straight down from where it is now and then you can gauge what you need to do to get it to where it needs to go. Then you'll have an idea of how easy/difficult it will be for you to move. Shouldn't be too much trouble though, I have moved quite a few of them on my own....good luck!!

Post by **Amskeptic** » Tue Aug 15, 2006 6:32 pm

Vdubtech wrote:
I have moved quite a few of them on my own....good luck!!

Keep in mind that your lumbar vetebrae work fine. . . until they don't.
Colin Pseudospondilituswith L3/4/5 herniation

VWBusrepairman · Post by **VWBusrepairman** » Mon Aug 21, 2006 8:11 am

bend at the knees and lift with ease. No one wants a hernia up in here. I've tried lifting a t4 long block from floor to engine stand on my own- very stupid mistake. that was back in 2000 and I still have terrible low back pain at times. Use a chain and hoist if possible!

vwlover77 · Post by **vwlover77** » Mon Aug 21, 2006 9:46 am

Maybe this should go in the "Rebuild Mistakes to Avoid" sticky.... I got my engine and transmission all mated up on the garage floor and dressed out the engine with all the tin, FI, etc.

Then, the question was, how the heck can I lift this thing to get it onto the jack - by myself? Everywhere I put a jack to lift it interfered with where the other jack needed to go....

Numerous wooden blocks and wrestling matches later, it was on the jack and ready to be lifted in place.

Next time, two helpers will be arranged - one person for each cylinder head and one for the transmission!

Post by **Amskeptic** » Mon Aug 21, 2006 9:53 am

vwlover77 wrote: how the heck can I lift this thing to get it onto the jack - by myself?!

A photograph catching the instant of your dawning realization would have been good.

I have been in those predicaments many times. My favorite is when I get a good lift, kick the floor jack under a bit, then the assembly slides away out of reach. . . . . . for the sixth time.
Colin

DurocShark · Post by **DurocShark** » Mon Aug 21, 2006 10:32 am

Easily picked up with two people. Jon Stiles and I lifted a 79 long block into the trunk of my Volvo, and then my 15 year old son and I lifted it out and into my garage.

I picked up a bench mount VW engine stand. I'm going to mount it to a home made stand so it's just about the limit of my (well, Troy's, but it's in MY garage..heh) ATV jack. A couple feet off the floor is just fine. Doesn't need to be at eye level. Easy to get it up there and easy to get it back down.

Itinerant Air-Cooled

Itinerant Air-Cooled

Weight of engine

Weight of engine

Re: Weight of engine