best method to remove engine and tran

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charofire

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I wanted to ask all you seasoned vets as I am helping my buddy on his coupe: what is the most efficient (i.e. least amount of time) to remove engine transmission?
I imagine 2 methods:
a) remove front subframe and drop engine and tranny as one unit. this would require the coupe to be fairly high off the ground.
b) remove engine and tranny separately
 
This was recommended to me and will be the approach I use:

I will remove tranny, drive shaft, exhaust. Remove passenger wheel, lower car so only cherry picker can roll under passenger side of chassis, leave hood on, remove radiator, lift engine with bell housing out on that side. You can leave PS pump and AC in car if needed.
 
If you don't have a lift then option (a) is not really viable. S that leaves only (b). I have pulled my engine out the top with the hood still on. It is a tight fit and the engine needs to be angled up quite a bit. Definitely tape cardboard (or some protection) to the underside of the hood. And as Chris mentions, pull the radiator, front fan and also remove the clutch plate and flywheel before lifting the engine.
 
As i have a 2 poster lift, i installed the engine with subframe.
I simply put it on a rolling table and lowered the car onto the subframe - took about 10 minutes to do.

Will have to update the project thread ...
 
At Coupeking engines leave and go back in from the bottom.

At my shop they go through the top.
Hoods only come off if the engine bay is getting painted.
Radiator out, tranny, clutch and flywheel off.
There are only 8 bolts to a tranny bell housing - it's not that tough.


At the boneyard- hood off, tranny and engine come out the top as one.
 
Hello!

Last September I picked up an Atlantic Blue 1971 2800CS manual that had been sitting in a Washington garage since 1987- yep, real barn find. The engine spins freely, but what's got me cursing these days is the amount of grime and the sloppiness of the previous owners of filling the brake fluid has just about stripped the paint off. So I want to bite the bullet now and clear the engine bay and prep for restoration. If I don't do it now, I doubt I will get to this as I'll be to busy enjoying the car.

I've pulled engines out with transmissions many times before-my hood is already off. I am aiming to pull the engine out with the transmission just a matter of convenience more than anything. Since I have no history on the car at all, I'm sifting through everything. It looks pretty straightforward to me if you have a cherry picker and load leveler.

I do want to restore the engine's original color scheme. The head looks fantastic and the intakes are nearly clean, but what about painting the block. Is that just VHT satin black or ? I've seen the threads on restoring the oil cannister, brake booster, etc.

This is my second BMW restoration as I finished a 1987 M6 a couple of years ago, which was truly another barn find out of Montana.
 
jelliman said:
Hello!

Last September I picked up an Atlantic Blue 1971 2800CS manual that had been sitting in a Washington garage since 1987- yep, real barn find. The engine spins freely, but what's got me cursing these days is the amount of grime and the sloppiness of the previous owners of filling the brake fluid has just about stripped the paint off. So I want to bite the bullet now and clear the engine bay and prep for restoration. If I don't do it now, I doubt I will get to this as I'll be to busy enjoying the car.

I've pulled engines out with transmissions many times before-my hood is already off. I am aiming to pull the engine out with the transmission just a matter of convenience more than anything. Since I have no history on the car at all, I'm sifting through everything. It looks pretty straightforward to me if you have a cherry picker and load leveler.

I do want to restore the engine's original color scheme. The head looks fantastic and the intakes are nearly clean, but what about painting the block. Is that just VHT satin black or ? I've seen the threads on restoring the oil cannister, brake booster, etc.

This is my second BMW restoration as I finished a 1987 M6 a couple of years ago, which was truly another barn find out of Montana.
Click to expand...
Hi There

While, of course, there will be lots of help from the good people here. We do have a little community of E9's up here in the PNW and tend to go on a drive together once or twice a year, often to Whidby island etc. Depending on where you are in WA, I am sure some basic advice can be shared, most of us are up for even a little help if close to you

Where are you located in WA
 
Hello and that's great to hear! I'm in Poulsbo half the year.

I've connected with Mike Pelly who lives up on Bainbridge for the summers and is a big resource of knowledge from the E9 world in SoCal. He stopped by to take a look about a month ago and is pretty impressed how complete this car is. I know I've got a ton to learn and have been gathering as much info as I can and absorbing it, including color codes for some of the engine bay parts (oil cannister, air filter, etc) which I will follow.

I'm planning on getting everything out and painted or powder coated propery.

My challenge is getting references from those that have NOT abandoned the original engine as I want to keep this original and know the downsides of carbs, etc. I'm the 3rd owner and think that this may have a 3.0 block as it came with a spare block and driveline. Since the last owner passed away, I have zero understanding of the history other than it was from Connecticut (prior to the last owner) as there's parking stickers for golf clubs, etc.

This is by far not going to be my daily driver, nor need something that is fast, I've got plenty of other cars for canyon carving.
 
Welcome to the e9 world. Check for a VIN stamped into the block on the flat spot above the starter where it bolts to the trans. This will confirm if it's original to the car. Also look for casting date on the intake side of the head near the front of the engine. Post 1980 heads are much better than early original heads.
Good Luck!
 
Last edited:
jelliman said:
Hello!

Last September I picked up an Atlantic Blue 1971 2800CS manual that had been sitting in a Washington garage since 1987- yep, real barn find. The engine spins freely, but what's got me cursing these days is the amount of grime and the sloppiness of the previous owners of filling the brake fluid has just about stripped the paint off. So I want to bite the bullet now and clear the engine bay and prep for restoration. If I don't do it now, I doubt I will get to this as I'll be to busy enjoying the car.
Click to expand...
welcome @jelliman ... since your coupe is a real barn find, there is a good chance that it is not in our coupe ancestry project. would love to know the VIN of the car and anything you can tell me about previous owners. i also own a 1971 2800cs
 
Hey, it's great to connect with some E9 people in the PNW!

I just got a good shot of the stamp on the block
2460417

The head, I see these numbers in the casting on the intake side, more towards the back.
1250 0199
 
jelliman said:
Hey, it's great to connect with some E9 people in the PNW!

I just got a good shot of the stamp on the block
2460417

The head, I see these numbers in the casting on the intake side, more towards the back.
1250 0199
Click to expand...
2460417 is from a 1970 2800 Automatic sedan
 
Thanks for the heads up. It came with a spare block, trans, driveshaft and axles. I'll have to dig up that block number the next time I'm at the shop.
 
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