Guys,
I've got a 99 XK8 with a 4.0 and an automatic transmission. I need to pull them out of the car. Is it easier to drop the engine and transmission out the bottom or pull it through the top ?

 

Jagolet,

I've moved your question from General Tech Help to XK8/XKR forum. This is the place to post technical questions about your model.

Graham

 

I'm assuming you have a lift. I dropped mine from the bottom onto a motorcycle table lift. it made more sense to me. If I had to do it again, I would do it from the bottom again.

 

is it hard to get trans and engine out at the same time from the top?

 

I pulled mine out the top three times, because of 2 bad replacement engines. I removed the hood, and put the front end up on stands, unbolted the torque converter, undid the wiring for the starter and alt., unbolted the cats, unbolted the engine from the trans, unbolted the motor mounts, undid the heater hoses, undid the 2 large electrical connectors, and the connector for the coolant reservoir, undid the snorkel, disconnected the 2 fuel lines, removed the radiator hoses and coolant reservoir tank, and disconnected the power steering pump from the motor. I bled the ac system and removed the pipes from the back of the compressor as I was lifting the engine out.

I had a separate floor jack supporting the trans, so the torque converter wouldn't fall out. The whole engine removal process took about three and a half to four hours.

The trans would probably take an additional hour after removing the engine, and would come out the bottom......What I did, with the cherry picker, jacks, and air tools available........Mike

 

You may find this hard to believe, but on the last XK8 I worked on (a 98 convert) I removed the engine and trans together as a set from the top WITHOUT removing the hood. Disconnecting the hood struts and opening the hood further, to just beyond straight up position, gives plenty of access. I did take out the fans but left the radiator in place (I put a plywood board against the engine side of it to protect it from damage).

I put the front wheels on 4-5" high blocks and then push the cherry picker in from the left or right side, perpendicular to the side of the car. An engine tilter (load leveler) is the key to this.

And when the new LS1 and 6 speed manual transmission went in, it was the same thing- from the top. The hood has never been off this car......



I did it the same way on my 99 VDP......

Andrew
Jaguar Specialties

 

When the XK8 was first released, Jaguar documentation described this as the 'service position'.

I haven't seen that phrase used for a long time. Perhaps the risk of creasing the panel or the obvious double entendre discouraged it.

Graham