An engine - any engine - @55 mph is bad news. Make sure you secure it the best you can.
How to transport an engine in the back of a van?
- Thread starter atikovi
- Start date
Still have to take apart the the engine crane and stuff the parts to the right. I do have a tire behind it.
Nice HF load leveler. I have one of those 
Put the engine in a big concrete mixing pan on top of an old tire.
Drive gingerly.
Strap the engine/pan/tire to a pallet if it will fit.
Drive gingerly.
Strap the engine/pan/tire to a pallet if it will fit.
All in.
That looks safe...not... In the event of a crash (particularly common in those vans are the rollover type), where do you think all that stuff is going to go?
It's not going to sit quietly behind the seat, it's going to become a set of heavy, energetic, missiles...
That looks safe...not... In the event of a crash (particularly common in those vans are the rollover type), where do you think all that stuff is going to go?
It's not going to sit quietly behind the seat, it's going to become a set of heavy, energetic, missiles...
Yep and I know first hand of a accident I witnessed many years ago between a SUV and a minivan. We stopped to check everyone. One guy from the SUV had a screwdriver stuck in his shoulder near his neck. We told him not to touch it as we called 911. That screwdriver had come from a tool stash in the back.
Now I can safely guess what any of that in the back of his van would do to a person.
Freak wind (dust devil) rolled a friend's Tahoe right over in Colorado. He saw it coming, slowed down, but it caught the camper he was towing and pulled into the oncoming lane, and the truck followed.
After it rolled three times, and came to a stop on the driver's side, the luggage, which he had carefully stowed and strapped down, stayed out of the passenger compartment. Minor cuts and bruises for him, his wife, and three daughters.
Even the dog was OK.
Because he had taken steps to ensure that the luggage would not be a missile hazard.
It was his only accident in 20 years. Totaled the truck, totaled the camper. Camper parts, luggage and stuff was all over the highway. Every window on the Tahoe was shattered. Every body panel dented and crushed.
The trooper who came upon the scene first was surprised to find everyone was OK, given the tire marks, debris, and obvious rollover evidence.
His consideration of accident potential (luggage stowage and security) saved their lives.
That's the thing about accidents - you don't get a heads up that they will happen. His was a freak, freak wind, over 80MPH, and it took the camper and weather-vaned his truck right over.
If you don't get in a crash, plopping an engine in the back of a van is fine.
But if you DO get in a crash, then it could easily kill you.
And no one knows when their next crash is coming.
After it rolled three times, and came to a stop on the driver's side, the luggage, which he had carefully stowed and strapped down, stayed out of the passenger compartment. Minor cuts and bruises for him, his wife, and three daughters.
Even the dog was OK.
Because he had taken steps to ensure that the luggage would not be a missile hazard.
It was his only accident in 20 years. Totaled the truck, totaled the camper. Camper parts, luggage and stuff was all over the highway. Every window on the Tahoe was shattered. Every body panel dented and crushed.
The trooper who came upon the scene first was surprised to find everyone was OK, given the tire marks, debris, and obvious rollover evidence.
His consideration of accident potential (luggage stowage and security) saved their lives.
That's the thing about accidents - you don't get a heads up that they will happen. His was a freak, freak wind, over 80MPH, and it took the camper and weather-vaned his truck right over.
If you don't get in a crash, plopping an engine in the back of a van is fine.
But if you DO get in a crash, then it could easily kill you.
And no one knows when their next crash is coming.
Any ability to tow? Uhaul trailer which is my go to in $15/dat size would do it and easy to load a low level.
HAHA, but I already took one posters suggestion to lay down a tarp.
Maybe I've lived dangerously, but...
Here are two separate engines in the trunks of two different cars.
The first rolled around quite a bit, and of course dripped oil since it rolled over on its side. It went ~60 miles.
The second was packed in there with a transmission and I knew to pack around it better. Plus, it had it had less to drip. The guy I bought it from had pulled the oil pan(it's bagged/packed separately in there) plus had warmed it up good with a propane heater and let it drip for an hour or so so he'd managed to get about as much oil out as was coming out. This one came from roughly Urbana/Champaign Illinois, then I looped down to St. Louis and the back to Louisville. All told, I think that's about 400 miles of riding back there.
I think these are about 325lbs for block/crank/rods/cam. The head(obviously off on both) is 40lbs.
The transmission packed back there was another 110lbs, plus the head was there also.
Here are two separate engines in the trunks of two different cars.
The first rolled around quite a bit, and of course dripped oil since it rolled over on its side. It went ~60 miles.
The second was packed in there with a transmission and I knew to pack around it better. Plus, it had it had less to drip. The guy I bought it from had pulled the oil pan(it's bagged/packed separately in there) plus had warmed it up good with a propane heater and let it drip for an hour or so so he'd managed to get about as much oil out as was coming out. This one came from roughly Urbana/Champaign Illinois, then I looped down to St. Louis and the back to Louisville. All told, I think that's about 400 miles of riding back there.
I think these are about 325lbs for block/crank/rods/cam. The head(obviously off on both) is 40lbs.
The transmission packed back there was another 110lbs, plus the head was there also.
Oh yeah, you probably exceeded the weight load of the trunk, typically it's around 100 pounds. But probably not for the car if you didn't have passengers in the rear.
What car is that? Unusually contoured bumper.
OK, just didn't recognize it.
AutoMechanic
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My insurance company said those vans are one of the vehicles involved in the least amount of accidents so that’s why when my parents put me on the insurance they put me as driving our van because it was the cheapest since it’s involved in the least accidents. That being said it still can be and that is very dangerous I’ve seen a few of them be in accidents one being a roll over right in the middle of the interstate and the other smashing into one of the highway bridge posts so I wouldn’t put that engine in there like that but that’s just me. Please be safe if you move it like that.
