An engine crane (also referred as engine hoist) is a common repair tool used in vehicle repair shops to remove or install gasoline or diesel engines in small and crowded vehicle engine compartments. It uses a heavy cantilevered support structure to hold the engine in mid-air so that the mechanic can carefully connect or disconnect fragile hoses and wires on the engine to the frame of the vehicle.
Engine cranes are typically mounted on large casters so that an engine can be lifted straight up out of an engine compartment and then rolled away from the immobile vehicle frame.
Most engine cranes are equipped with a telescopic boom which can be extended to reach engine blocks located further into the engine compartment. At the end of the boom there is a grab hook where lifting chains, slings or a load leveler can be attached for lifting purposes.
The engine crane is commonly used in combination with the engine stand so that the removed engine can be rotated in midair to provide access to underside surfaces of the engine.