Hi folks
My car is a ZX 1.9D.
When removing the right-hand (offside) top engine mount (for cambelt access) the Haynes manual says you're supposed to support the weight of the engine under the sump using a trolley jack and block of wood. It doesn't say how big the block of wood should be though. I've got a block of wood (softwood) that's two inches thick and the same size as the bottom of the sump - that's nine inches by fourteen inches by two inches thick. Is that thick enough? I'm going to jack it up on the cambelt side of the sump, about a quarter of the way along. Should I only be jacking the sump in the middle or can I do it a quarter of the way from one end?
I assume that most people use a smaller block of wood that covers half the sump so you don't have the problem of the sump plug getting in the way and the raised bit in the middle of the sump getting in the way. Is a block of wood that covers half the sump ok? My sump is a bit rusty on the cambelt side. It seems solid enough when I press it so I'll do the jacking and hope for the best but I thought I'd get a piece of wood that covers the whole area of the sump to spread the load out as much as possible. I will make a hole to accommodate the sump plug.
The bottom of the sump and engine is angled back. Is there much chance of the engine slipping off the jack? I can see that the lower engine mounting at the rear of the block holds the engine in place so I hope that's enough to stop the engine slipping off. I've got a Halfords 2.5 tonne trolley jack. The head of the jack is smaller than a professional garage jack. Will this be a problem? How much does the engine weigh? Is there any danger of the wood splitting? As the wood is angled only the edge of the jack head contacts the wood. This is good as the jack head digs into the wood and stops it slipping but it's bad because it puts a lot of force on a small area of the wood.
The Haynes manual mentions putting a steel rod between the alternator mounting bracket and the front bodywork of the car to prevent the engine from tilting backwards when the engine mount is removed. It says "use a stout rod" but it doesn't say how thick. The rod is just bent around the bodywork and the alternator mounting. I'm a bit concerned about this as I don't know how much weight then engine is going to put on the rod and whether my efforts in bending the rod are going to be good enough to hold the engine. I've got visions of the bent rod straightening itself as soon as I remove the mount. How much force does the engine need to pull it back if it tilts backwards? Can I pull it back into place on my own using a rope? Is there a problem with the engine tilting backwards? Should I just let it tilt and then pull it back with a rope when I'm ready to put the mount back on?
I'll make a rod but I've also got a ratchet tie-down strap that's pretty strong. It's the sort of thing that can hold beds on roof racks. I think I'll use the tie-down strap as well as the rod as a backup. Can I put this though the lifting eye that's on the engine in the area of the cambelt or does this lifting eye come loose when the engine mounting is unbolted? Can I put the strap around the exhaust manifold?
Paul
Jacking up XUD engine
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To keep the problem in perspective, your engine probably doesn't weigh more than a couple of heavy people, so think about whether whatever support you are using would support you and a fat friend
Jacking the engine under a sump requires spreading the stress over (say) 20 square inches, but you should have the piece of wood going al the way across the sump (in any direction), so that the load can be taken by the edges, not the middle of the sump.
You tiedown alone (properly secured) should be adequate to control the rearward motion of the engine.
Jacking the engine under a sump requires spreading the stress over (say) 20 square inches, but you should have the piece of wood going al the way across the sump (in any direction), so that the load can be taken by the edges, not the middle of the sump.
You tiedown alone (properly secured) should be adequate to control the rearward motion of the engine.
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Ive never used a block of wood on the sump... I found if you place the trolly jack under the rear most corner of the sump, just ahead of the lower engine mount, you find the engine will NOT move much at all, and will tilt forward and backward easyilly to get the mount out the way....
Paul
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You're worrying to much, I use a small bit of 2"x1" and just let the engine tilt as it wonts to,
that said I've never done a ZX.
that said I've never done a ZX.
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Thanks for the replies. I think I am worrying too much about this. If the engine only weighs as much as two fat blokes then it should be easy enough to jack it up safely. If I imagine that the sump is like a kitchen sink with two fat blokes standing on it then I should be able to do it easily. Thanks for the tip about using the rear mounting to stop the engine tilting. I might extend the wood onto this if it will reach.
Paul
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I also use Malcolm's method. In a Xantia, where there's very little clearance between the top of the cam-belt cover and the bulkhead, it pays to CAREFULLY lower the engine by an inch or two so that it leans forwards slightly.
I wouldn't rely on a trolley jack overnight - they can have a nasty habit of sinking very slowly!
I wouldn't rely on a trolley jack overnight - they can have a nasty habit of sinking very slowly!
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I just use a small trolley jack with a piece of wood about 3x3 on that. Not had any issues and done this for years.
Regarding leaving it overnight, I'd agree not to leave it on a jack. Last time I had to leave it (I guess I could of left it hanging but that's not ideal for long, better suited for some quick access) , I just used a small axle stand with another piece of wood on it.
I could not at the time re-fit the mounting temporarily as I had the block part of it (with the powerful tensioner plunger) off and in my shed for de-seizing session
Regarding leaving it overnight, I'd agree not to leave it on a jack. Last time I had to leave it (I guess I could of left it hanging but that's not ideal for long, better suited for some quick access) , I just used a small axle stand with another piece of wood on it.
I could not at the time re-fit the mounting temporarily as I had the block part of it (with the powerful tensioner plunger) off and in my shed for de-seizing session
Andy.
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