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MG MGB Technical - Engine and gearbox weight

I'm about to source a folding hydraulic engine hoist and need to be sure of its capability of lifting the combined weight of a BGT engine (18GB, 5 bearing) and gearbox (3 synchro, non overdrive. Does anyone have that data?
Thanks
Chris
Chris Woodfield

General consensus on the MGexp site is that it's about 400lbs for the engine and 75lbs for a non-OD gearbox, although that's probably a 4-sync.

I think the 3-sync is slightly lighter.

About 220Kg.
Dave O'Neill 2

When buying a crane to lift both engine and gearbox together you need to check the reach of the lifting arm and the rated capacity at the reach needed to lift at the balance point.

For an MGB that is about a metre for chrome bumper and 1.1 metres for a rubber bumper car. Measure from the front of the bottle jack to the centre of the lifting eye.
Chris at Octarine Services

Thanks Dave that's useful, I'll check out the market. I'm contemplating buying a hoist rather than hiring. Its easy to fall into the low daily rate plus delivery and collection trap, only to find on installation there's an issue and time expands. Then its decision time, hold on to it or return and re-order. Either way the costs can escalate quicker than your heart rate as you swing the lump over the slam plate!
Chris Woodfield

Chris, thank you for that really important info.

Chris Woodfield

A folding from Clarke has to be at it's full extent and still only just reaches the middle of the engine even on a CB, I had to remove the bumper. On an RB V8 I had to remove both the bumper and the front valance which was of the ST type. That reduces the nominal 2 tonne capacity to 500kg, which is only just enough.

Personally I would always remove the engine first, and then the gearbox, it has a number of advantages as well as handling smaller 'lumps'.

You can slide the gearbox in and out under the car and remove and fit the crossmember while it is out. With the gearbox back in and jacked up against the tunnel it is held still while you manoeuvre the engine off and on. It took three of us to get a V8 engine and gearbox combined back in, whereas I did them separately on my own, and a 4-cylinder more than once.
paulh4

I've actually already removed the engine and box having borrowed a 2 tonne lifter from a friend but that is no longer available. It seemed a good idea at the time but in hindsight its probably a blessing because it did have a nasty habit of dropping an inch or so suddenly and without warning and should really have been banished to the tool dump in the sky long ago. I have removed and replaced engines and boxes separately in the past (including a couple of Cs) but was contemplating a dual job this time. You are right of course, installing separately is probably simpler and carries less overall risk as well as making lifting a much easier task. Decision made. Thanks for your input Paul. i
Chris Woodfield

Ha ha, the first one I borrowed (which I'd used before) lifted the engine so far then it started sinking, and no matter how much we pumped it just sank. Spoke to the owner who said it had been with someone else, he asked them and they said "Oh yes, I just keep pumping ...".

Fortunately a pal managed to find another one as everything was disconnected ready for the extraction.
paulh4

This thread was discussed between 01/05/2020 and 02/05/2020

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