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I've read the Haynes manual's account of how to drop a 412's engine and trans, and the thought of balancing 300+ pounds of fine, expensive German engineering on my floor jack from two feet above the floor to ground level (even with "wooden packing") has me a bit concerned. Anyone have any good ideas or best practices on how to get the engine out safely? Maybe a tube-and-angle frame thing to go under it and sit atop the jack? Am I just being overly protective or something?

The floor jack is the best thing.. Position it just between the engine and trans at the parting line and it balances like a charm..

I did it one time with a broken arm, by myself!

Thanks much Jake, I feel a bit better about the whole thing knowing someone's done it that way before (with a broken arm yet?)

Never done it with a broken arm , but I have done it before. It's not light, or easy so take your time and be patient. Usually what I do is stack 2x4's up on both sides of the jack and lower everything down on to them. When I'm sure everything is going good, I'll raise it up a little and take out 1 board from each side and lower everyting down a little more. That way, if something goes, wrong, the engine/tranny can only fall soo far. It's alos good incase I forget to unhook something I'll find out before I yank it off.

I like your idea, too, Ecdez. Sounds like a good way to keep the hardware intact, and it's cheeep, too.

I did mine similarly to Ecdez. Basically, first I raise the car, loosen everything, then lower the car with the engine centered on a hydraulic jack, then raise the car as high as I can get it. Then lower the engine onto supports under the heater boxes. I use short 4x4s and bricks for side bracing of the engine. Then use a crow bar and another stack of bricks to leverage the engine up and take out a part of the side bracing, then move the the other side and repeat. At this point I have removed the hydraulic jack and place a 'mechanics crawler' under the engine. Once I've leverage the side bracing away, the engine is resting on the crawler

What about those little ATV/motorcycle lifts?

I saw one of those recently and thought it might work well for dropping an engine. Didn't have the dough to pick one up though .

I saw one of those ATV lifts on sale at my local Sears Hardware, it's just cheap enough to consider (especially since I've got an RD-400 that needs to be reassembled someday). Hmmm...