mike993c2s

I am planning on reinforcing the engine carrier with the Rennline kit, and replace the stock engine mounts at the same time (haven't decided on RS vs Wevos yet). Anyway, I want to get an idea as to how much time and effort it would take to remove the engine carrier. I have done a search on this forum and have found differing opinions. Some say the cat has to be removed, others say no.

I would like to hear from the folks who have done this same mod on the engine carrier, and hopefully give me a step by step guide. Thanks in advance.

Rick J.

The easiest way to get it out is to remove the cats. Once you get them out you can lower the engine pretty far to gain easy access. As far as reinforcing, thats on you. We always hit up the scrap metal pile and start welding. I personally have never seen a kit to comment on it's effectiveness.

chris walrod

Yep, just have to remove the cat and the aft engine tin, plus the heater manifold above the cat. Very doable with the engine insitu.

mike993c2s

Thanks guys. I guess there is no way around it.... the cat has to come out.

Monique

Cat out is easy .. was time consuming for me as I took photos of each bolt, fastener etc as I took it out.

I suggest you reassemble using copper grease on all contact points. Easy out for later.

Good luck

Paul902

To access the two cap screws that hold both the tin and the manifold near the centre of the carrier (circled in photo), is access easier by removing the bumper? There is so little room to rotate a ratchet back there between the chassis and the alternator, etc.




thanks
Paul

chris walrod

It can be done with the rear bumper cover in place. Would be easier without. however. Just another 30 minutes of work.

Paul902

Appreciated. Thanks, Chris.

cgfen

the rennline gusset kit once welded into place made access to the two nuts that hold the coil carrier in place "very interesting".

tight tight tight tolerances, doable, but did i mention tight, (as in very little space to fit the nuts in place and then tighten them)?

i recommend that you bolt the coils in place if possible BEFORE installing the engine carrier.

just had this experience with flatsixforme's recent re-installation.

have fun

Craig

Paul902

Thanks. I've actually just been in contact with Rennline about this issue since reading of it on another thread here. They have an update in the works to make access a bit easier. There is not a huge amount of room even without the gusset, though.

flatsixforme

As Craig said, it is tight but very doable...I had the old version of the gusset and let Craig get the nuts started and then I went at them with a "mini" wrench...took me less than 10 minutes to get them but I think it might be impossible with a regular sized wrench...maybe a small crows foot would work as well. What helped was that my hands weren't cramped from getting the nuts started since Criag did that. One good tip that Craig did was to stuff something in the holes so the nuts don't fall down into the gusset kit if you drop one.

Paul902

Ugh! A few hours later I have the bumper cover off but it has not afforded me better access. Found lots of dust though! Tried using a short box end around a 6mm Allen key but cannot get enough torque to budge them (still working inside the confines of the engine bay). Might try drilling them out from below. ATR911 is looking for some other tools for me, too. Beginning to wonder if it is worth it....would it have been too much trouble to tap the carrier such that these bolts could be accessed from below like the others!

Rant over. Thanks for the tips, Adam. Will be useful when I get there.

geolab

The two bolts pictured above are the biggest part of the job.
If ever water is sprinkled in the engine bay, it will settle on these two bolts.
I would spray WD40 over them and wipe with cloth, respray WD40 and wait, then try to unbolt. If this doesn't work, as it happened to me once, you have to use these little suckers, and the bolt will come out in three seconds.
One of the bolts top broke in my case, I drilled the bolt core out later when everything was out. New bolts and copper anti-seize after. good luck

Paul902

Hi George,

I soaked the bolts with LiquidWrench before calling it a night. I'll have another go at them tomorrow. I've got a set like that at the ready. Right now I am still getting good bite with the allen key, just not getting any rotation!

Gunter

For reference:

WD-40 is just a light lubricant and NOT a penetrating oil.
WD-40 doesn't have ingredients to allow it to "creep" like a true penetrating oil, i.e., Liquid Wrench, Moov-it, Kroil, etc.

Best results would be to let it soak into the threads as well as under the contact points of bolts & nuts.