Removing V4 Engine from a III

The factory advises, and I strongly endorse,  that the engine and transmission be removed as an integral unit and separated outside the engine bay.  This is not to say that you can't pull the engine by itself but it is very difficult because of the steep exit angle and limited clearance.

Removing a power unit is not a task for a rank beginner but it is also not as daunting as it might appear.  The key is having the right information and the right tools.  

The only specialized tools that I use are a mobile engine crane and a load leveler. If you do not have an engine crane, they can be rented.  Part of the extraction requires the power unit to be pulled forward which is difficult if you have employed a stationary lift implement.  The load leveler is not strictly required but it does make it a lot easier to change the "angle of attack" during the extraction.

1. Disconnect the ground cable from the battery
2. Remove the hatch and bonnet (see related procedure)
3. Drain the coolant.  Remove the radiator cap (cool engine please), open the bleed nipple on the heater, and open the drain cock on the radiator.
4. Remove the three coolant hoses from the radiator.  I prefer to disconnect the lower hose at the radiator, the upper hose at the t-stat housing and the filler line at the radiator
5. Remove the radiator.  There are two upper retaining bolts and two lower. The upper and lower bolts are not the same.  Support the radiator as it is being unbolted.
6. Remove the fan belt and the fan. Caution: the edges of the fan blades are sharp.
7. Remove the air cleaner.  Cover the carburetor throat so that no contaminants can enter the engine.
8. Disconnect all hoses and cable connections from the engine. Disconnect these coolant hoses: the heater feed line from the t-stat housing (from metal pipe at rear of engine); and the heater return line (from metal pipe at rear of engine). Disconnect the fuel line from the input (bottom) of the fuel pump (plug the line). Disconnect the following electrical cables: the ground strap (at the block); the voltage regulator cable (at  the alternator); the alternator charge cable (at the alternator); the coil high tension cable (at the distributor); the points ground cable (at the coil); the battery cable from the starter and from the securing strap on the tranny; and the start cable from the starter solenoid
9. Remove the alternator.
10. Disconnect the side support from the left side of the engine.  Remove the two bolts that secure it to the engine. Remove the cushion/rod by unscrewing it (from outside). At this point the support  bracket and arm should be hanging from the strap on the coolant pipe and not connected to the car.
11. Disconnect the throttle.  Disconnect the throttle arm from the carburetor. Unbolt the support stand and remove it and the throttle shaft. All that should remain is the articulated arm from the passenger compartment and the vertical push rod.
12. Remove the nuts securing the left and right engine support brackets from the engine mounts (work from above)
13. Disconnect the speedometer drive cable (from the transmission) and the freewheel pull arm (from the transmission)
14. Remove the clutch slave cylinder from the transmission.  Leave the hydraulic line connected and hang the slave up and out of the way.
15. Remove the floor mat and wall board panels.  Remove the shifter cover.  On early cars -72 this will require removing the shift knob and rubber boot.  On later cars, which have a two piece cover this is not necessary.  Remove the hold down clamps from the cover (just the front cover on late cars)
16. Remove the right pedal plate.  Remove the bolt securing the rear transmission to the rear engine mount.  Engage second or forth gear with the shifter (this will position the external shaft in a "retracted" position making for easier removal).  Remove the taper pin which connects the shift mechanism (inside the car) with the shifter shaft (protruding in from outside the car). The correct taper pin is the one closest to the fire wall.
17. Loosen the clamps securing the rubber boots to the inner drivers (on the transaxle)
18. Remove the 4 bolts that secure the steering rack to the firewall.  Move the steering rack clear of it mount points and slide it up.  It will not move very much on the left side of the car (because of the steering column hookup)
19. Jack the car up. Place the jack in the middle of the front  cross member, and put jack stands under the jack supports on the front left and right rockers. It is also a good idea to chock the rear wheels.  The car needs only to be high enough in the air to allow the front wheels to turn freely.
20. Disconnect the header pipes from the cylinder heads. Drop the exhaust downward. It is important to get the header pipes clear of the top portion of the engine (especially so on the MSS exhaust)
21. Attach a lift chain with to the left and right cylinder heads (on the top side of the exhaust port).  You can secure the chain directly to the heads with 10 mm bolts and washers.  Make the chain snug against the head.  Make sure that the chain does not hit or pinch anything.
22. Lift the engine 2 inches.  It should be clear of the motor mount studs.
23. Free the rear mount by pulling the engine forward.  This will often not work.  If it is stuck, working from inside the car, thread the bolt back through the mount into the transmission "nipple" (not all the way).  Then smack it smartly with a hammer.  Don't go overboard, the transmission case is made of Aluminum and can be easily stripped or cracked.  Two people working in harmony, one pulling outside and the other working inside can usually free the transmission in no time.  Working by yourself may take a bit longer.
24. Pull the boot back on the ride side driver.  Rotate the right tire to align the "T" headed drive shaft vertically.  Push the engine as far left as possible. Pull the right drive shaft free. Be careful not to upset the end caps on the T head, there are lots of tiny roller bearings inside (although it seems a right of passage to knock a cap off and drop the bearings).  Do the mirror of this procedure to the left driver.
25. Lift the engine.  It will have a natural tendency to hang down in the back (good).   You will have to lift it quite high, as the oil pan must clear the top of the front box frame.  Once the pan is clear, you can continue to lift and pull the engine forward out of the engine bay.  Be careful not to hit the remaining elements of the throttle linkage or the expansion tank. NB.  Many Sonett owners have modified the front box frame by making the top edge removable.  This does make pulling the engine a bit easier and it really helps when re-installing the engine.  Some of my cars have been modified and some have not.   The picture below shows this step in it full glory (the front box has not been modified on this car - Baja Red #2)