trucker677

Good morning everyone.

Long story short so you all have a background history on the car, I have a 85.5 Porsche 944 NA. I had a coolant drip in the front of the car that became faster over a short period of time, it looked like it was coming from the oil cooler so I ordered a kit and changed it out and filled it back up and leaked. FAIL. I then decided to pull the motor and do a complete rebuild on it. I pulled it out from the top and no the bottom as I don't have a hoist but I do have a engine crane. I am getting ready to order the rebuild kit from Pelican Parts. bearings, gaskets and everything.

It is going to go back in through the top end again. I am wondering if anyone has ever done this before and what their process was. Did you build the bottom end (pistons, crank and rods and balance shafts) and then install that in the car or did you put the head on and then install it all at once. Do the exhaust manifolds have to be laying loose in the car when the motor goes in because of fitment issues,

I am looking for advice or things to look or sequence of steps to follow to make sure I don't back track. Any help is greatly appreciated.

Thanks in advance.

Van

If you managed to get it out from the top, why do you doubt you'd be able to put it back in from the top?

If it were me, I'd do all of my rebuilding on a stand, remove the radiator, and put it in from the bottom - lift up the front of the car with your engine crane.

V2Rocket

I only take out/put in engines from the top.
You can put the complete assembled engine in with the hood removed.
Both intake/exhaust manifolds can be installed already.
It will be made easier if you put the accessories (AC/alternator/bracket and Power steering pump) on once the engine is already in the car, just for maneuvering room.

As you approach the engine bay it helps to "twist" the engine on the hoist so that the crankshaft is sitting at say a 30 degree angle relative to the centerline of the car, this is for the crank pulley to clear the hood latch

Tiger03447

Or, you could pick up a Haynes manual and follow their guidelines. They go in from the bottom up..I'd follow V2 rocket's advice since you pulled it out from the top already. But the Haynes manual checklist is a good one for re-installation, and other things as well. Good luck..hopefully the oil leak wasn't from the cam tower assembly...Hate to see any one go through the wringer unnecessarily..lkinda like me...LOL!

trucker677

Mine was a coolant drip, I went over the entire motor and found no cracks in anything so I am thinking it was a gasket, water pump or front of head. I guess I will find out when it all goes back together.

Thanks V2 for the tips, When I took it out I unbolted the headers and they stayed in place, while the rest of it came out minus alternator and starter, and power steering. I am rebuilding the rack while the motor is out right now.