Two things, I'm female, and I have never messed with an engine hoist. I've done brakes, helped with drive shaft, pulled/reinstalled water pump (someone else did the belts), retrofit AC, but not the really big stuff...

My younger son and I are trying to access the bolts surrounding the oil pan on his 245. Obviously, we need to remove SOMETHING or make room between the cross member and the oil pan. I honestly think we can do the repair ourselves, yet, I don't know squat about lifting or supporting an engine. I saw on BB about using 4x4, wedges, chain, and creating a lifting mechanism with long bolt through the 4x4. We might try this route, as there is a good bit of solid wood (leftover from deck construction) in the dry space under the house.

I need to know the details of where to place chain to lift engine or support engine if I were to drop cross member. Where to place the lumber for proper support, etc. Will things line back up easily after we replace gasket and install pan, or will there be some adjustment necessary to reattach cross member, etc? Also, if you know of a link which describes the process of supporting/lifting an engine using the wood beams, I'd like to look at the info.

Aside from taking it to a shop, what do you Gurus recommend?