How do YOU mount an engine to a stand?

[ElGuappo]

So there are pretty much 2 ways to do this, from the bellhousing side or from the engine mount holes.

I have heard people say that mounting it via the bellhousing bolts will deform the motor over time (I don't buy that), but rarely see a motor mounted from its side.

So how many of you do each, and why?

[mooseheadm5]

I'd have to be really drunk to try to mount an engine stand...

[tsmall07]

I mount from the bell housing bolt holes because that's the way I was always taught to do it. I've never seen an engine stand that was designed to mount an engine from the side. (doesn't mean they don't exist)

[wkohler]

I have done it both ways. Volvo engines and Fiat engines from the bellhousing, and I did an M30 on it's side. Ray in Phoenix has had an M30 mounted from the bellhousing for a long time and it seems solid, so big deal.

[BDK]

from the bellhousing...

I got a good HD engine stand from Northern Tool,
it has 3 sets of wheels on it which helps going over garage lips and stuff plus it is foldable.
It has a removable head which is why I really got it.
the head rotates and and easily adjusts to different engines.
I have had several M30/S38's on it and it never sags,
I never bought into the stretching block theory either...

[David Hunt]

I did it from the bell housing, but was not happy with it. Looking at it, seems like it would be better balanced mounted on the side, with more of the engine further inside the wheels, that is, CG of engine nearer center of balance of engine stand. (cheapo Harbor Freight version)

[landspeed]

Some of BMW's special stands mount the engine from the side mounts, but I have yet to do it myself.

I have heard pro engine builders say they NEVER mount engines on a stand due to deformation, but I can't argue since many of them build race winning motors.

[Mike W.]

Lets see, I had 130K on the first E12 M30 I rebuilt when I upgraded to a 3.3 in it, and 170K on the current E28 engine and both of them, along with others, were hung by the bellhousing when I rebuilt them. I have found Goetze rings tend to wear much more than OE rings, but I haven't found any problems from the way the engine was mounted on the engine stand. And I'm a home guy, I've had engines on stands for a year while I puttered along. Granted you have to be careful as you build it, the CG changes significantly as you go from bare block to short block to long block, but none of that affects anything besides the possibility of dumping it on it's side if you aren't careful when you rotate it. And no, I've never done it, but I have noticed it getting tippy.

[a]

I can see where an aluminum block might sag, but not a cast iron block. Says the hack who worked the last one on a wooden cradle.

[Xenocide]

When we were rebuilding the 13b wankel engine we didn't have an engine stand in the garage. We realized that there's a rim around the output shaft (could be the other side, can't remember) which fits perfectly into a large coffee can.
Worked like a charm.

I've always mounted em from the bellhousing bolts, I'd never heard of a block sagging I can't imagine it happening on an iron block though...

[Adam W in MN]

I mounted mine on the bellhousing side and I also worried (despite assurances from many experts who said it wasn't a big deal). To calm my fears, I wedged a 2x4 under the far end of the block on the floor when I was not working on it to try to relieve some stress of the weight.

[landspeed]

I'd be more concerned about the mount/stand failing under the weight of an iron block than the block itself sagging.