changing the engine

Be careful what you wish for!
About a month ago, I asked how I as a novice could get to know my 2.25 petrol series 3 beast. Wait till you have to sort out problems, you all said.
Well within a week the oil pump failed and I'm in the process of changing the engine (with help from a couple of series-heads!).
We've got to the bastard bit - putting the new (ish) engine in. Can't seem to align the shaft, trying to get the angles right, stop it from skewing round, etc. Crappy afternoon with no success.
Any tips?
Thanks, Nick

By the shaft do you mean the prop shaft or the shaft that fits into the gearbox from the engine?

shaft that sits there smirking at us while we try to coax the fkng clutch onto it!!

Have you centred up the clutch plate properly?

Fairly sure the clutch side of it is spot-on - it just seems to be a prob of manoeuvering the whole engine to the nearest 1/2 inch and at just the right angle to slide in.

Make sure that clutch is centralised properly - sometimes its an idea to loosen the pressure plate off just a little (so the clutch plate can slightly move if forced, but holds its position), then connect up the engine & box, carefully then split the box & engine again, making sure to simply pull the engine block back straight (i.e. not at an angle). Then tighten down the pressure plate, and repair the two.

One of those jobs though, you just find you keep at it and at it, then eventually they slot together - after doing nothing different than you've been doing for the last goodness knows how long!

Try putting it in gear with the handbrake on,this stops the spigot shaft from turning, then when you try to put the engine in turn the crankshaft via the front pulley and it should line up better.

Use a clutch aligning tool then it should slip straight in with a wiggle and with the starter motor out turn the flywheel with a screwdriver

Might help to turn the crank a bit with a spanner as you slide it in. Otherwise just keep jiggling. One person jiggle the engine the other wiggle the gearbox up and down as required. It'll eventually just pop into place and you'll wonde rwhat all the fuss was about.

I've done this the other way - gearbox onto engine - and it helped so I cant see why it wont work the other way.
Place a short plank between the gearbox and the crossmember running front to back. Drop the back of the engine lightly on the plank, wiggle until it's in line then slide the engine backwards. You now only have to lift/drop/wiggle the front of the engine to get alignment.

Thanks all - will get down to it next week (and report back!)
Nick

I did clutch alignment tool and then rotated engine with starting handle - sucka popped right in then...

Try this:

[nomedia="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QzgNp4pG6Bo"]YouTube - land rover tools....... clutch fitting and alignment part1[/nomedia]

Wahey! The engine's in!
We had the clutch up too high, which buggrd the angles, plus the engine mountings (then still on) were skewing the engine round on the approach. Moving the crane strap so we could turn the engine over probably helped as well
Now to buy and fit the parts we angle-ground and knocked off!
Thanks once again for all help: by trying out the suggestions, we got there in the end.
Nick