CWO4Mann

I am having some serious thoughts about pulling the engine completely out and then pulling the various body sections off to begin the restoration. I have been shimmying around under 3 foot jack stands for the past month and my butt is tired. What's the concensus? Engine on a mount and body panels hanging from the shop ceiling? There is something about tearing the car down to the fame ... . The last one I did like that was my XK140, years ago, and it was a beech to get it done right. Also, when I put it all back together I had some parts left over ( for mounting the rear wheel fender spats, I think. So what do you think?

Maybe just pull the engine. radiator, drive train, etc. ?

hacker-pschorr

Pull it.

jserio

If you got the time and if you got the room then by all means you got the go ahead.

mpesik

If your temperment and brain capacity can handle it -DO IT!, Post pics as well for the dumbasses like myself!O.K Mike

the flyin' scotsman

Many engine operations can be accomplished with the block in place but man is it a pain !!! If you have the space, heavy lift tools and engine stand I'd pull the motor.

kary4th

The more pics you take, the more we'll enjoy the process - and the more likely you'll be to remember where the 'extra' parts might go!

GlenL

Here's a tip: Pull the body first.

The fenders, bumper and spolier (if any) can be pulled as a unit. (At least on the older cars.) I got this idea from another guy who did it first. Works great.

If you separate the bumper cover from the fenders, then you'll should put them back together on the car. Fenders and hood first to set that alignment.

CWO4Mann

Okey Dokey .. sounds like a plan. And thanks GlenL for the pulling the body as a unit idea. Maybe I should set up a web cam in the shop once I start some serious work? Hmmmm, I will look at my Comcast web site capabilities ... yeah, web cam might be cool. One view on the car and the other on the beer fridge.

Cheers,

Dave

hupp

Pull it!

The effort to work on the engine while still in the car is much more than just pulling and working it on a stand. You'll know what I mean when you start removing the cam tower bolts.

I recently pulled and restored my '79 4.5 liter and it wasn't too bad. I learned some lessons in the process, so if you have any questions feel free to ask.

heinrich

I think it's important to get an idea if those who recommend a particular course of action, have btdt.

Pulling the engine on an S4 is not a simple task and definitely requires more than 2 hands. My vote is, if you can do something with the engine in-place, do it that way ... for an S4. Since I see you have an ob, I recommend as others have, to pull the engine. It's actually really easy by comparison and can be done in no time. THere is more than enough room around the engine on a 16V for getting it out, and once it's out all those hard-to-reach places are right there in front of you. Doing a tbelt job for instance, or replacing a head, or the oil pan gasket, are simple jobbies.