dieselnutjob

I will have a look at that later. Thanks!
Today I removed the entire exhaust.  It took me about 5 hours.
Now I have entire exhaust from the exhaust manifolds all the way to very strange back boxes off and in individual parts.
These things take some time when you are on your back under the car on axle stands and you don't want to break anything.  You can't just pop down to PartCo and buy a new exhaust for an early 604.
I can now see the engine mount bolts; hooray.

I spent a couple of hours trying to drop the rack and failed

the rack is right at the bottom of this photo.
the power steering ram is sandwiched between the rack and the cross member
you can see one of the bolts that holds the rack onto the cross member in the photo, and above that is much longer bolt that attaches the ram to the cross member by going all the way through it
That long bolt can't come out because it hits the rack, and the nut is underneath all those pipes.
I think that's why Peugeot say to drop the whole cross member.  However the engine is sitting on it and getting to the engine mount bolts looks pretty difficult.  You can hardly see them let alone get tools on them.

Today I didn't make as much progress as hoped.
I got the brake booster after a bit of a fight.  This clip pinged off and I spent an hour looking for it but it's gone.

I think I would like a garage floor made of magnetised steel sheet so that when something falls it doesn't bounce but just "sticks" where it falls.
Still, there is a lot more room without it

The power steering pump is actually underneath the battery tray, which is welded to the shell.
 

so there is not way that the engine will left up with that attached to the engine.
It came off okay

The power steering pipes are all attached to things with 17mm nuts and they are all really tight.  I haven't succeeded in undoing any of them.

so ordered some "flare nut spanners" off Amazon prime. 
I also had a look at the rack/engine interference situation.  There are two lugs on the bottom of the engine for attaching to the transmission and they hang down lower that the top of the rack, and basically I think that the engine will only come back 2cm before hitting the rack.

One thing that surprised me is that so far none of the nuts and bolts have given me any hassle.  The only thing seized was a hose clamp which snapped rather than undoing.  Maybe the spirit of Keith Herbert is interceding for me from above.
Seriously my 16 year old Jag causes me more hassle with rusted up stuff than this 46 year old Pug.  With the Jag I have started a policy that as far as possible any bolt removed is tossed and replaced with a new one.  Given how well the originals have lasted on the 604 I think I would be better off putting the original ones back.

I have taken a week off work.
Ordered this last week and hung it from my 80x80mm square tube.
I modified it by removing the chain at the top and putting a pulley wheel.

The wire is pulled by a fence puller which will see half the weight of the engine due the above mentioned pulley.

got the bonnet off

I struggled a bit with the fan shroud because the bottom screw just span, so I removed the fan instead.  Once I got the rad out I realised why:-

it's designed just to snap in and out which I couldn't see from where I was
So at this point I finished for the day.

A colleague (or rather an employee for a supplier) offered me a 1 ton chain winch so after dinner I popped over to his place to pick it up and it turns out that his neighbour is a serial Citroen licker

yes it is a little tight but I am absolutely loving it.
I haven't really had a proper weather proof enclosed space to work in before, and being able to just leave stuff where it is to have a break or even come back to it the next day is such a relief.  The access road that the garage is on is now secure (there are security gates across all the entrances) so I don't have to worry that someone is going to nick my tools if I leave it open whilst I go away for 1/2 hour.
In comparison four years ago I changed the turbo on the Jag on my front drive and I just hate working like that.  Every time I needed a tool that I hadn't anticipated I have to go through the house to get it and being a busy road I just couldn't leave things for more than a few minutes.  There was also the soul destroying feeling of a rain shower starting.

yes it is a little tight but I am absolutely loving it.
I haven't really had a proper weather proof enclosed space to work in before, and being able to just leave stuff where it is to have a break or even come back to it the next day is such a relief.  The access road that the garage is on is now secure (there are security gates across all the entrances) so I don't have to worry that someone is going to nick my tools if I leave it open whilst I go away for 1/2 hour.
In comparison four years ago I changed the turbo on the Jag on my front drive and I just hate working like that.  Every time I needed a tool that I hadn't anticipated I have to go through the house to get it and being a busy road I just couldn't leave things for more than a few minutes.  There was also the soul destroying feeling of a rain shower starting.

One of the harder parts was getting the starter motor off.
Once you see these photos it's obvious, but when it's on the car it's very difficult to figure out because you just cannot see the bolts.
The official Peugeot manual was no help, neither was the Renault 30 nor Volvo 740 / 760 Haynes manuals.
However the Volvo 260 Haynes manual (number 400) had a beautiful photo of the starter motor which really helped.
The struggle was figuring out how the forward end (near the oil filter) is attached.
It's held on by the two slots that you can clearly see once it's off

which is located onto the block with the two bolts shown here

 
I didn't do much yesterday.
This morning I just put all of the bolts into the right holes and made sure that all of the holes had a bolt.
I know that this engine will be out for a while and I know that in a few weeks time I won't remember where everything is or where it goes.

and from today
The cross member bolts were (I think) M12 fine but I found some long 10mm coach bolts lying around so dropped it 2cm

I think it was necessary. You can see that the lug on the block only just clears, and this is with the engine as high as it will go with the transmission attached

coolant pipes on the back of the engine are much easier once the engine and transmission are separated a bit

it started to come out
 

then I noticed that the engine was starting to twist and so I went round the other side to have a look

its out!

if you look at the middle of this photo there is a pipe snapped off

that's from the inlet manifold to the automatic vacuum capsule.
Either I snapped it lifting the engine out, or it was already broken off which might explain why this engine never ran right.
You will also notice that the bell housing is bone dry. I think that the rear main old seal is/was actually fine.  The front of the engine is soaked in oil though.

Photos from yesterday
I thought that the manifold nuts would be impossible.
They just laughed at a ring spanner.
However I was able to got a blowtorch on them and with a combination of 3/8" extensions and UJs, or a 1/2" if I got lucky they all came off.  It was just a case of finding gaps like this

exhaust off

One of the harder parts was getting the starter motor off.
Once you see these photos it's obvious, but when it's on the car it's very difficult to figure out because you just cannot see the bolts.
The official Peugeot manual was no help, neither was the Renault 30 nor Volvo 740 / 760 Haynes manuals.
However the Volvo 260 Haynes manual (number 400) had a beautiful photo of the starter motor which really helped.
The struggle was figuring out how the forward end (near the oil filter) is attached.
It's held on by the two slots that you can clearly see once it's off

which is located onto the block with the two bolts shown here

 
I didn't do much yesterday.
This morning I just put all of the bolts into the right holes and made sure that all of the holes had a bolt.
I know that this engine will be out for a while and I know that in a few weeks time I won't remember where everything is or where it goes.

and from today
The cross member bolts were (I think) M12 fine but I found some long 10mm coach bolts lying around so dropped it 2cm

I think it was necessary. You can see that the lug on the block only just clears, and this is with the engine as high as it will go with the transmission attached

coolant pipes on the back of the engine are much easier once the engine and transmission are separated a bit

it started to come out
 

then I noticed that the engine was starting to twist and so I went round the other side to have a look

its out!

if you look at the middle of this photo there is a pipe snapped off

that's from the inlet manifold to the automatic vacuum capsule.
Either I snapped it lifting the engine out, or it was already broken off which might explain why this engine never ran right.
You will also notice that the bell housing is bone dry. I think that the rear main old seal is/was actually fine.  The front of the engine is soaked in oil though.

and from today
The cross member bolts were (I think) M12 fine but I found some long 10mm coach bolts lying around so dropped it 2cm

I think it was necessary. You can see that the lug on the block only just clears, and this is with the engine as high as it will go with the transmission attached

coolant pipes on the back of the engine are much easier once the engine and transmission are separated a bit

it started to come out
 

then I noticed that the engine was starting to twist and so I went round the other side to have a look

its out!

if you look at the middle of this photo there is a pipe snapped off

that's from the inlet manifold to the automatic vacuum capsule.
Either I snapped it lifting the engine out, or it was already broken off which might explain why this engine never ran right.
You will also notice that the bell housing is bone dry. I think that the rear main old seal is/was actually fine.  The front of the engine is soaked in oil though.

and from today
The cross member bolts were (I think) M12 fine but I found some long 10mm coach bolts lying around so dropped it 2cm

I think it was necessary. You can see that the lug on the block only just clears, and this is with the engine as high as it will go with the transmission attached

coolant pipes on the back of the engine are much easier once the engine and transmission are separated a bit

it started to come out
 

then I noticed that the engine was starting to twist and so I went round the other side to have a look

its out!

if you look at the middle of this photo there is a pipe snapped off

that's from the inlet manifold to the automatic vacuum capsule.
Either I snapped it lifting the engine out, or it was already broken off which might explain why this engine never ran right.
You will also notice that the bell housing is bone dry. I think that the rear main old seal is/was actually fine.  The front of the engine is soaked in oil though.

I will have a look at that later. Thanks!
Today I removed the entire exhaust.  It took me about 5 hours.
Now I have entire exhaust from the exhaust manifolds all the way to very strange back boxes off and in individual parts.
These things take some time when you are on your back under the car on axle stands and you don't want to break anything.  You can't just pop down to PartCo and buy a new exhaust for an early 604.
I can now see the engine mount bolts; hooray.

Photos from yesterday
I thought that the manifold nuts would be impossible.
They just laughed at a ring spanner.
However I was able to got a blowtorch on them and with a combination of 3/8" extensions and UJs, or a 1/2" if I got lucky they all came off.  It was just a case of finding gaps like this

exhaust off

I need to get a wire wheel on there before I can answer that.  I know from experience the rust is always 100 time worse than it first appears.
It's a brilliant, brilliant tool. I love it.  I am using a DeWalt 1/2" hammer driver thing for the big stuff, and the Milwaukee for everything else.  The only problem is that in some really tight spots (and there are plenty on a 604) it's too big to get in there.
The DeWalt LED torch is crap.  The detents on the swivel head are too weak and it's like a drunk mate who just falls over all the time when you ask him for help.

I will have a look at that later. Thanks!
Today I removed the entire exhaust.  It took me about 5 hours.
Now I have entire exhaust from the exhaust manifolds all the way to very strange back boxes off and in individual parts.
These things take some time when you are on your back under the car on axle stands and you don't want to break anything.  You can't just pop down to PartCo and buy a new exhaust for an early 604.
I can now see the engine mount bolts; hooray.

I have taken a week off work.
Ordered this last week and hung it from my 80x80mm square tube.
I modified it by removing the chain at the top and putting a pulley wheel.

The wire is pulled by a fence puller which will see half the weight of the engine due the above mentioned pulley.

got the bonnet off

I struggled a bit with the fan shroud because the bottom screw just span, so I removed the fan instead.  Once I got the rad out I realised why:-

it's designed just to snap in and out which I couldn't see from where I was
So at this point I finished for the day.

A colleague (or rather an employee for a supplier) offered me a 1 ton chain winch so after dinner I popped over to his place to pick it up and it turns out that his neighbour is a serial Citroen licker

I have taken a week off work.
Ordered this last week and hung it from my 80x80mm square tube.
I modified it by removing the chain at the top and putting a pulley wheel.

The wire is pulled by a fence puller which will see half the weight of the engine due the above mentioned pulley.

got the bonnet off

I struggled a bit with the fan shroud because the bottom screw just span, so I removed the fan instead.  Once I got the rad out I realised why:-

it's designed just to snap in and out which I couldn't see from where I was
So at this point I finished for the day.

A colleague (or rather an employee for a supplier) offered me a 1 ton chain winch so after dinner I popped over to his place to pick it up and it turns out that his neighbour is a serial Citroen licker

I have made very little progress this year so far.
However today I cleared out the last of my rubbish from the garden which means a deal done with SWMBO.  Also work has been insane since lockdown but I have decided to just start booking in leave in the calendar anyway.
This Thursday I have booked a day's leave and a mate to come teach me how to weld.
This evening I jacked up the back of the car.  I am short of storage space so the easiest place to put my new axle stands is under the car.

Things that I am planning to achieve this summer:-
finish off the garage door
pull the engine out
weld up anything needing welding in the engine bay
Paint the engine bay
 

Hello Rob.  I forgot to reply to your post when I read it.  Thank you for posting.
This week I got the front valance and two wings back from a friend that runs a bodywork / resto business in the Midlands.
The valance and left wing were new old stock but covered in surface rust and so he got them soda blasted and painted them in two pack primer.
Keith's front wing wasn't so good (though better then mine).  Superficially it looked OK but once stripped it had had some holes plated over and filled.  My friend Chris removed all of that, cut back to clean metal and shaped and welded in new metal, this one is also now in two pack primer.
He also painted the insides with a coat of stone chip.
He told me that I need to paint the insides in their final colour though because twin pack primer doesn't actually seal the panel.  For that it needs a layer of lacquer.
So I was looking for pics of 604s in various factory colours and came across this Dutch link https://www.octanemagazine.nl/de-604gti-van-opa/
Gorgeous isn't it?

I will have a look at that later. Thanks!
Today I removed the entire exhaust.  It took me about 5 hours.
Now I have entire exhaust from the exhaust manifolds all the way to very strange back boxes off and in individual parts.
These things take some time when you are on your back under the car on axle stands and you don't want to break anything.  You can't just pop down to PartCo and buy a new exhaust for an early 604.
I can now see the engine mount bolts; hooray.

I spent a couple of hours trying to drop the rack and failed

the rack is right at the bottom of this photo.
the power steering ram is sandwiched between the rack and the cross member
you can see one of the bolts that holds the rack onto the cross member in the photo, and above that is much longer bolt that attaches the ram to the cross member by going all the way through it
That long bolt can't come out because it hits the rack, and the nut is underneath all those pipes.
I think that's why Peugeot say to drop the whole cross member.  However the engine is sitting on it and getting to the engine mount bolts looks pretty difficult.  You can hardly see them let alone get tools on them.

Today I didn't make as much progress as hoped.
I got the brake booster after a bit of a fight.  This clip pinged off and I spent an hour looking for it but it's gone.

I think I would like a garage floor made of magnetised steel sheet so that when something falls it doesn't bounce but just "sticks" where it falls.
Still, there is a lot more room without it

The power steering pump is actually underneath the battery tray, which is welded to the shell.
 

so there is not way that the engine will left up with that attached to the engine.
It came off okay

The power steering pipes are all attached to things with 17mm nuts and they are all really tight.  I haven't succeeded in undoing any of them.

so ordered some "flare nut spanners" off Amazon prime. 
I also had a look at the rack/engine interference situation.  There are two lugs on the bottom of the engine for attaching to the transmission and they hang down lower that the top of the rack, and basically I think that the engine will only come back 2cm before hitting the rack.