Removing pistons from block in car.

[dinghyguy]

I feel your pain, I refer to the condo garage as the Dungeon. Our condo doesn't allow working on cars in theory, so my jobs are all planned so that at the end of the day the car "looks" functional (so what if the brakes are all gone), so you are lucky if you can do engine work that will drip on the floor.

I would still advocate for total engine removal, even if that meant lifting out part way, blocking engine, reworking lifting ropes and hoist to get right tight to the engine. My guess is that you can do it in 7 ft of headroom if you really work at it. You also have the advantage of the concrete floor to roll the hoist on. I would then position the engine transverse in front of the car, put some padding and plywood across the engine bay so you have a surface to put stuff on and use the car trunk to keep the tools in (that is where I keep mine). That way your total footprint will be less than a standard car stall. I can tell you from experience that lighting is critical and working as you propose will be very frustrating even assuming you jack the car up 2 feet.

Also with the engine out you can clean everything and thus detect the oil leaks easier in future, detail the engine bay etc etc.

dinghyguy
in the dungeon

[wetminkey]

Wow!
BUMMER, thinking about you guys having to do serious work in that kind of environment. It reminds me of having to work outside,...sometimes in snow.
I took a lot of years, but we finally owned and I got my garage project done first,...so I could build more 'stuff'. That was 1987.
I was able to pull my block easily in my garage, but you do not have that luxury.
dinghyguy describes a method that could be managed. The engine work would be much easier on an engine stand, but I understand how that's easily said,...
I wish you the very best of luck. You may need lots of anti-inflammatory medications during this project,...I always do, for something like this.
Todd.

[RRoller123]

In my case, I just won't start the project until we get out of here. The top end work was easily accomplished in the garage, piece of cake, but pulling an engine is not gonna happen here.