Lifting an S38 Engine with hoist..

[EURO M3 CSL]

Hey guys, i am rebuilding a S38 engine to put in a E12 Chassis and have a couple questions. I bought a hoist from harbor freight and need some guidance on how to lift it off the pallet onto a engine stand that i have also acquired from harbor freight. I know the front of the engine has a loop where i can hook the hoist to, but not exactly sure how to lift the rear of the engine since it does not have any particular place i can secure a hook or chain around. Please let me know if you guys have any ideas onto how to make this work!

Thanks!

[Brent in NZ Hartge 535i]

there is a cast hole at the back of the engine just above where the starter motor fits it

[EURO M3 CSL]

o wow thanks for the tip! Also, where do u usually mount the 4 points to the engine stand to?

[mooseheadm5]

You have two choices with the stand. One is off the bell housing and the other is off the passenger motor mount areas. The motor mount area is advantageous because the stand will be more stable, but it is pretty difficult to turn the motor over. Way easier to do the rear main seal that way.

[EURO M3 CSL]

You have two choices with the stand. One is off the bell housing and the other is off the passenger motor mount areas. The motor mount area is advantageous because the stand will be more stable, but it is pretty difficult to turn the motor over. Way easier to do the rear main seal that way.

yea i plan on doing a full rebuild, so i guess doing it from the side is probably more beneficial huh? (dang that sounds dirty ) Thanks for the heads up though!

[mooseheadm5]

Yeah. The problem with hanging it from the bell housing is that it seriously sags the engine stand. I have never hung the motor from the side, but after reading about others doing it I will definitely do this with my incoming S38.

[Brent in NZ Hartge 535i]

mounted like this

[Mab1957]

What size of crane and stand is satisfactory? HF has 1-ton and 2-ton options for each. Are there other suppliers that offer better value? (I'm searching threads but a lot of material comes up when searching 'engine', 'stands', 'hoist' and 'crane'.)

[mooseheadm5]

The crane capacity varies based on how far you have the arm extended. At full extension, a 2 ton crane may have only a 500 lb capacity, though you usually don't have to have it extended that far to do a motor.
I would look for a folding model as well. Nothing takes up more floor space than an engine hoist.

For engine stand, go with one that has wheels more widely set at the front end to prevent tipping. Heavy duty is better because the M30/S38 is a long and heavy motor, so it has more leverage on the upright. You may want to rig up a front support to reduce sag of the upright if you go for the lighter model.

[ahab]

I had never considered mounting the engine from the side, that's a great idea! I have an H style and a T style stand, the H is MUCH more stable when moving around. These straight sixes do put a load on a stand. The T feels like it can go over at any time. Also, you might consider a stand that has stand-offs where the bracket attaches to the bell housing holes for an end-on mount. The enables you to leave a clutch or torque converter on when you hang the engine. Otherwise you're bolting it up right against the back of the block and not only can it be a challenge to even get the bracket on, as moosehead says there's no way you can change a rear main seal this way. Again, with the length and weight of the straight six though, I would also recommend a heavy(er) duty H style stand.

I second the folding crane, I got one a few months ago and finally disassembled my rigid one and stashed it under the bench. Big difference in room. At the risk of sounding like a broken record, the big six has some weight to it so make sure you get one with long enough legs that they stick pretty far under the car when folded down. Otherwise you may risk tipping forward. It might be worth taking some measurements from the bumper to the centerline of the motor to get an idea of the leg length and crane reach you need to both this safely. I've had MANY precarious hoists, thankfully without incident, but it's not uncommon to have the rear wheels of the crane start lifting and to have to stand back there to keep them down.

[JohnH]

I can recommend Clarkes H style engine stand. Heres mine with a lowly M20 on it, but it shows you the idea.



The thing about this one is that it leans the engine back at about the same angle its in the car.

[Mab1957]

Anyone use this Torin 1500lb model from Northern Tools?

[m535is]

Yes worked very well for building the motor in Chris G's car and doing the stuff on my 3.8L.

[Mab1957]

OK, I found a used Torin 1500 and it is working well for me now. I had to drill two holes in the plate to get more than two bolts into the block for the side mount, and it was a bit tricky to get it under the motor while on the hoist. It is nice to have the S38 off the floor and moveable.

[winfred]

i have the 4 leg HF stand and it works fine for all of the bmw engines i have used it for(I6s and V8s), i think its rated for a ton but not sure id put my 5.9 cummins on it if it ever needs to come out though, i have a nice tripod that my m88 is riding at the moment, good tripods are fine but id avoid a cheap one like VD