3 SUPPORTING YOUR ENGINE

IF YOU ARE GOING TO TACKLE AN ENGINE REBUILD THEN YOU MUST HAVE THE RIGHT SORT OF ENGINE STAND OR SUPPORT. IN THE EARLY DAYS PORSCHE USED TWO VW PARTS TO WORK ON THE ENGINES. THE FIRST WAS VW 313 WHICH IS A BENCH CLAMP, THE SECOND IS VW 307 OR 307A WHICH IS A 2 ARM OR 3 ARM SUPPORT RESPECTIVELY AND WHICH CAN ALSO BE USED TO SUPPORT THE TRANSMISSION. BELIEVE IT OR NOT THESES TOOLS CAN STILL BE ORDERED THROUGH YOUR FRIENDLY VW DEALER. HOWEVER THEY ARE NOT CHEAP!!

My VW 307 (matra tools)

LUCKILY THERE ARE SEVERAL FIRMS WHO MAKE AFTERMARKET STANDS WHICH CAN BE CLAMPED TO A BENCH OR TO AN ENGINE STAND DEPENDING ON YOUR PREFERENCE. THE OFFICIAL PORSCHE SUPPORT PART NUMBER P201 IS ALSO MADE AS AN AFTERMARKET PRODUCT.

VW 313


P201 WITH VW313 CLAMP

YOU WILL ALSO NEED A FLYWHEEL LOCK.

NOTE IN THE MAIN PICTURE AT THE TOP THAT IT IS THE LEFT HAND MAIN CASE SIDE THAT IS BOLTED TO THE SUPPORT AND THAT THE NUT FOR THE TOP SUPPORT STAND BOLT IS ON THE CASE SIDE. DO NOT GET THIS WRONG AS WHEN YOU HAVE FINISHED BUILDING YOUR ENGINE YOU WILL NOT BE ABLE TO REMOVE THE BOLT FROM THE ENGINE AS THERE IS NOT ENOUGH CLEARANCE!!

IT IS IMPORTANT THAT THE SUPPORT CAN BE ROTATED THROUGH 360 DEGREES TO ALLOW ACCESS TO ALL PARTS OF THE ENGINE.

PLEASE REMEMBER THE FRONT OF THE ENGINE IS THE FLYWHEEL - THE BACK IS THE PULLEY.

A CHEAP WAY OF MAKING AN ENGINE SUPPORT/TEST STAND IS TO USE A LATE VW BUS BELLHOUSING BOLTED TO AN ENGINE STAND. THE LATE BUS BELLHOUSINGS WERE BOLTED ONTO THE TRANSMISSION AND IF YOU KNOW ANY LOCAL BREAKERS THEN GET HOLD OF ONE. THE DOWNSIDE IS THAT ACCESS TO THE FLYWHEEL IS IMPOSSIBLE WITH THIS TYPE OF STAND BUT THEY MAKE AN EXCELLENT STAND FOR TEST RUNNING AN ENGINE AS THEY ALSO HAVE THE STARTER MOTOR FITMENT CAST IN. SEE PHOTO BELOW.

THE VW BUS BELL HOUSING IS ON THE LEFT OF THE PHOTO. IT IS BOLTED ON TO A ROLL AROUND ENGINE STAND AND THE PORSCHE ENGINE BOLTS ONTO THE BELL HOUSING. THE ENGINE IS A SUPER 90 I AM STRIPPING DOWN.