is a 907 hole engine re-fittable with gearbox in situ (Esprit S2)?

[marode]

Does anyone here have practical experience in fitting the engine as a hole back in the car with the gearbox still in place? I have dismanteled the stuff in stages, because this project somehow escalated. First the camhousings, then waterpump, tensioner, rear oil seal cover, aux-housing  and finally the block, because I thought, well now, without all the stuff, there´s actually enough space to pull the block and leave the gearbox where it is. Reassembly of the engine would obviously be easier ouside of the car and then fit the thing as a hole unit, but I doubt there is enough space between bulkhead and bell housing. Has anyone done that on a S2 Esprit?

Edited June 8, 2020 by marode

[LOTUSMAN33]

Remove the gearbox and put the whole unit back in from below the car is the best way to do it and far safer from a damage perspective. You do need to raise the car quite high and will require an engine hoist. 👍🏻
 

Dave  

[peteyg]

I couldn't say for sure. I've had the gearbox off but not the engine out. I'm not sure in an S2 it would be possible to take the engine in or out from below? @Matt-watts will probably be able to give you a definitive answer although if you've actually done it Dave @LOTUSMAN33 I will bow to your experience. Pretty sure the whole thing can go in from above though.

Pete

[LOTUSMAN33]

Pete 

You are correct the whole thing can go in from above but harder to do i think and you risk damage to the engine bay.

I think it is possible to pull the gearbox back, drop the engine in then pull it back together but never seen it done and can’t see the point really, aligning the input shaft would be a challenge as well.

I prefer the out the bottom method any day 😁👍🏻
Dave  

[gvy]

In 2014 I pulled it out and in from the bottom. Engine complete with gearbox bolted on. Belt in place, distributor already static set  but without  carbs and airfilterbox.

Not sure, but I may have pulled it with the cast exhaust header on, but it was not possible to mount it back with the SJ sportscars stainless steel tubular headers. I had to mount these once engine back in the car.

I had the advantage that the car can sit just above my working table and I can drop it with an electric hoist on that table.

As can be seen below, there is a good balance between engine and geabox to pull in the middle. I am not sure it will be easy to hoist the engine with the gearbox already in situ and it is more comfortable to be able to mount all parts ( head, camtowers, on the table and install an almost completely built engine.

 

Edited June 8, 2020 by gvy

[gvy]

Ah I found some pictures from the first time I had the engine/gearbox out. That must have been 2011.

The cast exhaust header was on

 

Edited June 8, 2020 by gvy

[semi42]

Took mine out with the gearbox still attached . Out from the bottom , no cranes just a cradle made from a shopping trolley and a trolley jack , 
Engine went back in without the gearbox which was fitted back after the motor was on its mountings.

bit of a chew on but was do-able

[marode]

Thanks for your replies! So basically seems I'll have to ask myself if it'd be more work to pull the gearbox and fit it altogether from below or rebuild the engine in stages as I did while dismanteling.

[Daniel]

Just to confuse the issue more, I took my gearbox out from below and then my engine out from above using a normal engine hoist........ I think I'll put them back that way too.

[marode]

No confusion at all. No doubt you can take the gearbox out from below an leave the engine in the car, i‘ve done that and that‘s now the reason why it could stay there because it‘s allready been overhault and there is no work to do on it. Also no doubt you can pull and fit the engine as a hole from above once the gearbox is out. And for sure there is no doubt you cannot fit the cast iron manifold once the head is in the car, impossible.