Engine Swap - From top of car?

[lobster_head]

Well, just recently the timing belt broke on my '80 rabbit diesel and my engine is toast. I am now in the process of swapping out the (non-original) 1.6 diesel from my '80 rabbit for the turbocharged variety. I am guessing the current engine is not original since I believe these cars only came in 1.5 during 1980.
I have dismantled most everything already. Removed the intake and exhaust manifolds, pump, alternator, battery and starter, and tied the air conditioning compressor out of the way. I removed all the wires, hoses and miscellaneous doodads that were connected to the engine so it should be almost ready to swap out.

Does anyone know if it is possible to remove the engine and transmission together as a unit out of the top of the car? I don't have the capability of lifting the car high enough to remove it out the bottom. According to the bently, they must come out the bottom, but it physically looks like there is enough clearance to come out the top. Unless I am overlooking something.
Thanks.

[briano1234]

I have heard of folks lifting them out the top with a Cherry Picker.

The Bentley even shows the rig to do it with.

I personally only have taken them out at the bottom.
I jacked the car used 2X10 squares and jacked it more and more till I got clearance, then used jackstands on a about a foot foot and a half of wood that was stacked. I screwed the wood together so it wouldn't move. I had it jacked so high that the tail pipe was dragging the ground.

[lobster_head]

Thanks Briano, I think I am going to try taking it out the top since I have an overhead hoist I can play with. I mentioned about the Bentley because I think it said it can be removed from the top only if you first separate and lower the transmission. I want to try to remove the engine and transmission together as a unit, and darn if it don't look like it should be able to be maneuvered out the top.

[briano1234]

You just have to lift it up engine first so the tranny can canter down. I would suggest that you put the car on ramps or jack stands as you never know when the extra bottom clearance is gonna help you.

[lobster_head]

Piece of cake. Just like you said Briano. I had to remove the right side mount to get enough clearance, push down on the tranny while lifting the engine. As it comes up the whole assembly has to be rotated slightly clockwise to get it to clear the brake cylinder on the right hand side and the air conditioning compressor on the left (which was tied up out of the way with twine as far as it would go) and bingo, out she comes. The tranny only needed to be tilted down only slightly.
Thanks.