It's time to fit the engine and gearbox. The engine block has been painted black and the gearbox was mated a few weeks ago when David Griffiths was here. The intention was to fit them as one unit, a reverse procedure of the removal last July. When we took the units out we used a pair of heavy slings. However John and Davie felt that for the fitting procedure the units should be supported from above because there was a better chance of finding the centre of gravity and getting the engine and box entered upright and in a straight line. With the slings its a bit hit and miss, the units can start to lean and tilt, but that's not so important when the engine is coming out.

There are two extended cylinder head studs which are designed for lifting the engine. Davie has had two lifting eyes made up to screw on to these extended studs. These lifting eyes need a straight lift otherwise they start to bend as soon as any significant sideways force is applied. A heavy duty lifting frame was inserted between the crane and the engine and this provided the straight lift we were looking for.

On CX buses the engine and gearbox unit is three point flexibly mounted in the chassis frame, the front of the engine sitting on a rubber block and the rear supported by a pair of bell crank suspension arms. These dampers allow torque reaction to be taken up and limit vibration transmitted to the passenger compartment. Although a complicated arrangement the removal of the fulcrum pins is all that is needed to release the two rear mounts.

So, with the engine and box suspended at the right height, the units were manoeuvred into place a few inches at a time with continual lifting and lowering to get the units past various obstacles on the chassis. It was a tight fit!

With the units in more or less the right position, more manoeuvring was necessary to cajole the fulcrum pins for the rear engine mounts into place. With this done, the front cross-member was re-attached, but when the rubber block was inserted it didn't line up. After a little head scratching we discovered that we had fitted the cross member the wrong way round, not realising that the front engine mount is not centrally located on this cross member as it is on the CX lorry. (Interestingly the front engine mount on the sole surviving CX37 Venturer is a three leaf spring arrangement and not a rubber block.)

Finally, the starter motor was refitted. There is a detachable panel under the drivers seat which allows access at this location. Without this access fitting this unit would have been an interesting exercise! Vacuum pipes, fuel pipes, oil pressure pipes, gear selector, clutch and accelerator pedals have still to be reconnected and that will be a full Sunday shift for two of us, while Davie goes off to Canada for three weeks.

 

One last job to do before the engine goes in... Strip out the old speedo cable
 

And fit a new one supplied by David Griffiths.
 

The engine / gearbox unit is lined up with the aid of the pallet trolley.
 

Once the unit is safely lifted, in it goes a few inches at a time.
 

  The trolley jack is needed to tilt the engine to get the rear mounting points
to line up.
 

The two fulcrum pins for the rear engine mounts are made of hardened steel.
 

The nearside pin gets tapped into place.
 

The front cross member goes on and the rubber block from Tarramurra
stores is inserted.
 

With the detachable floor panel removed the starter motor is dropped down and eased into its straps.
 

A useful day's work. Davie's had a wash - he starts (real) work in an hour!