WTB/Rent/Borrow engine support beam

[kbeefy]

need to swap a transmision on a MKIII, anyone have an engine support beam I could borrow or rent? Or buy? On Oahu.

Thanks

Kbeefy1@gmail.com

[Vegeta Gti]

no one locally has them, i have been meaning to order one for awhile, just lazy lol. i wihs there was a harbor frieght here :\

[Vegeta Gti]

u dont need one to do a trans in the cabby tricks dude

[kbeefy]

Can I make do with a small floor jack and the widowmaker? I've done conventional trannies/tcases w/ less, never done a transverse one before. I don't have much help available, don't know anyone here.

[suburbangeorge]

Not that familiar with MKIII engines but I made my own to use on my '87 Cabby. Don't have a picture but I could take one if the following isn't clear. First, I cut a piece of 4" x 4' framing lumber to a length that just fit between the fenders. Each end rests on the edge of the fender which is covered by the hood when the hood is closed. This is where the factory one sits. then I went to a hardware store and bought 1/2" diameter by 12" "eye bolt". I took a sawsall and cut an inch or inch and a half off of the eye portion. Now I had a hook rather than an eye. On my JH engine there is a hole in a cast in flange on the head near the #1 spark plug.



This isn't the greatest picture but you can see the hole to the left of the oil pressure sender on the end of the head. I set the 4 x 4 over the hole and marked it so that I could drill a 5/8" vertical hole for the modified eye bolt. Hook the eye bolt in the hole on the head, thread the threaded portion through the 5/8" hole, add a large washer and finally a nut. I may have used a tap to make the threaded portion longer. Don't remember. Using a wrench, you can lift or lower the engine by adjusting the nut.

[96744.5]

You really dont need one,Ive always used a floor jack and jackstands.Where are you doing the swap?Maybe I can assist,if you want.

[suburbangeorge]

You really dont need one,Ive always used a floor jack and jackstands.Where are you doing the swap?Maybe I can assist,if you want.

Have you ever used one?

Just because you can do it without the above doesn't mean that they're not useful. You need to lower the engine to get the necessary clearance to pull the tranny off. It's way safer and way easier to slowly raise and lower the engine with a wrench.

[kbeefy]

I'm in mililani....

I'll take a look today and see if a flat piece of lumber will clear everything in the MKIII, and what I have to grab ahold of. Thanks for the explanation, I'm pretty sure I can handle that. I like the idea of suspending it, especially working by myself.

[96744.5]

Have you ever used one?

Just because you can do it without the above doesn't mean that they're not useful. You need to lower the engine to get the necessary clearance to pull the tranny off. It's way safer and way easier to slowly raise and lower the engine with a wrench.

No,I haven't.Because like I said,I do just fine without it.Nowhere in my post did I say it wasnt useful,I just said a floor jack works just fine for me.I've done many clutch jobs and trans swaps,you have to work with what you got.Not everybody has the exact tool for every single job.

[kbeefy]

I looked, the 2.0 upper intake is a bit to high to use a flat board. I'm pretty sure I can build something with a few extra pieces of 2x4 or 4x4. The hole is still there.

[suburbangeorge]

Good luck

[Vegeta Gti]

dude, i'll help. we'll have the trans swapped in no time. it's gravy. trust me.

[96744.5]

dude, i'll help. we'll have the trans swapped in no time. it's gravy. trust me.

I second that.

[kbeefy]

Thanks, I'll post back up when I get the tranny and associated parts. I'll buy beer and burn some meat or something.

[Vegeta Gti]

Thanks, I'll post back up when I get the tranny and associated parts. I'll buy beer and burn some meat or something.

deal

[kbeefy]

Well, it's ghetto, but I think it'll work. At least it was cheap.





Tranny finally showed up, I'm gonna order a couple other parts to replace while it's out.

[kbeefy]

I bought another car for the wife so this has been on the back burner...
finally got the tranny out....





Is that bad?

[Vegeta Gti]

diff went pop

[96744.5]

"and boom goes the dynamite."

[kbeefy]

Finally got it all back together and test drove, works great!
Wound up going with a rebuilt close ratio 2y tranny, new clutch and pplate, rear main seal, oil pan gasket, adjustable clutch cable, changed the oil, new tranny mount, shift bushings, relay rod, linkages... drives and shifts awesome! Still need to replace a couple shift rod bushings, but they can wait.

[Vegeta Gti]