TonyGotSkilz

iTrader: (6)

Ok, i'm going to be doing an engine swap for an engine with half the mileage of mine (72K) because mine is pretty much dead (my fault, long story don't ask). Now i have the haynes manuel and i was planning on getting the chilton's also before i start the swap (weekend of the 28th of june probably). Now i've noticed that in the haynes manuel they say to drop the engine out of the bay to remove it? That seems really stupid to me and way harder + it doesn't seem possible without a lift. So i'm planning on renting a cherry picker and lifting the engine out. Is this possible (i'm pretty sure it is) and isn't it easier? Anyone else done an engine swap themselves and have any insite on it? Anything i should know besides what i asked? Will it be hard to sink the new engine back up with the tranny? stuff like that?

Jeff92se

iTrader: (82)

What happened? Related to that old repair problems you were posting about?

TonyGotSkilz

iTrader: (6)

Well basically my timing is Off (cam timing i believe) My car putters like a motorcycle now, get about 10 miles to get gallon and has hardly any pickup whatsoever. Its barely driveable. Whatever the problem is i believe it has something to do with my timing chain (cause originally it had gotten VERY loose), or maybe something thats a result of my car overheating serveral times when i had the overheating problem (which is actually fixed now).

Jeff92se

iTrader: (82)

I bet the tensioner broke or got loose and your chain skipped a tooth. Problem is what spoket got jumped(which head) and if you bent any valves. I'd do some compression checks to see if you warped your heads on the overheat. You can get your oil analyzed @ blackstone labs to see if you are leaking coolant into the oil(warped head/blown headgasket)
But yeah, since VQ30s are like a dime a dozen and cheap as hell, I'd probably just put another used one and chuck the old one. Diagnostics and replair will cost more than another used engine.

Jeff92se

iTrader: (82)

And check the 3-gen stickies for how to get the motor out. It has VQ30 pics.

TonyGotSkilz

iTrader: (6)

cool sounds good, yeah i've already got a great price on another engine (actually a whole parts car) so i'm definitely gonna got that route escpecially since it has half the miles of mine, and mine's always been a gas guzzler since i've gotten it. Never got more than 300 to a tank unless it was pure none stop highway like on a long trip then i'd get 375-400. So new engine should work better in general hopefully

rcracer1973

i just replaced my engine and it was kinda tight but a lot easier to lift it out cause you have to put the engine and tranny on a creeper or something to slide it from under the car plus getting the car high enough to slide the engine out any ways unless you have acsess to a car lift and a tranny jack. but lift it out it was easier the hardest part is getting enough angle tranny down engine higher to slide past the engine/tranny mount. other than that easy

rcracer1973

oh yeah mine is a 96 5spd

Maxx Knight

I suggest getting a nissan manual from the dealer or the CD they sell on e-bay. Haynes and chilton are excellent for leaving important steps out.

MrGone

iTrader: (30)

lift car, drop motor, its easier and doesnt require an engine hoist (Sh*ty mustang errrr)


MrGone

TonyGotSkilz

iTrader: (6)

I just realized i can't spell or read in the title its supposed to be Engine swap "LIFT" (not life obviously) up or drop out. Also how do you get the engine out from under the car mr gone? do you have a lift or something? Cause i sure don't. UP and out seems way easier, the only problems i forsee is getting the tranny to sink back up with the new engine (i'm auto) and messing with the ac unit. Did you have to do anything special to the ac unit rcracer1973? Besides the lifting up part does the swap get hard anywhere? Any shortcuts you know of? And how long did it take you to do?

rcracer1973

na just take the a/c compressor off the engine so you dont have to recharge the system and also tkae off the power steering pump for the same reason. but other than that just drop the engine and tranny together a lot easier than trieing to seperate and realighn in the bay that way you can also detail clean the bay without the engine in the way also if you need cv axles perfect time you have to take out anyway

Scruit

Why not remove the tranny (you're gonna have to do that anyways) out the bottom, then lift the engine out the top?

I swapped the 3.0V6 on my old Taurus by doing that - disconnected and removed the tranny, then pulled the engine out the top, even though the haynes manual said to disconnect the subframe and lift the car off the engine.

If U have an auto you prolly don't even need to remove the tranny because the engine doesn't need any clearance beyond the bellhousing - but if it's a stick then you'll need to drop the tranny out.

plurco

iTrader: (1)

I could not find it could you post a link?

TonyGotSkilz

iTrader: (6)

yeah i have an auto, i'm thinkin i'm gonna leave the tranny in cause then i won't have to mess with removing it from the cv axles. one less step. i'm gonna unlink the tranny and lift out the engine then lift the new engine back in and link the tranny back up. Sound like plan? Hope it doesn't take me to hard, i'm just worried this is gonna be too much for me.

mayhemI30

why dont you just lift the car up and un bolt the whole engine cradle assmbly?(engine, tranny, front suspension, steering) then just set the new motor onto the cradle and put it back in.

Slickismax

iTrader: (4)

Wow...it isn't that hard of a job actually. I've done this with my friend when he had some high water/CAI...ummm...misfortune. Anyways, It took maybe a day and a half. His was 5spd though, so we had to drop the tranny, then pull the motor. It still only took 6 or 7 hours tops...the main prob. was that the new motor was an auto and his was 5-spd. Took alot of "precise dremeling" to get the flywheel onto the auto crank. Just make sure to get a matching engine. Or since your auto, just get a 5-spd front clip and get some more enjoyment out of DIY work!

rcracer1973

dude the motor i put in 96 was out of an auto and didn't have do any extra work jst unbolt the flex plate and put on the clutch asembly really easy

GTRMAX99

I pulled both engine and tranny out of the top at the same time. It's a tight squeeze and you really have to pay attention so nothing get's banged up, but it will come out. My biggest piece of advice: Label! Label!Label!

Scruit

YOU STILL MUST REMOVE THE PASSENGER DRIVAXLE IF YOU ARE SEPERATING THE ENGINE AND TRANNY because the axle's intermediate carrie bolts onto the engine!

+1 on the labelling.

To lift the engine and tranny out at the same time you're gonna have to really tilt the reanny down to clear the engine mount on the D/S frame rail.

Because the input shaft of the manual is recessed into the pilot bearing on the crank by about 4-6" the engine will not lift up with the tranny in place. But an auto simply have the T/C bolted to the flex plate, and it's unbolted the engine will lift right up (cheack clarance on the P/S engine mount, but it should go.

The D/S driveaxle is easy to remove, but the P/S can be a pain if it's siezed a the intermediate carrier behind the Power Steering pump. The topmost of the three bolts was only available to me once I removed the inline subframe and y-pipe. Even them I had to leave the P/S axle in place wile I pulled the tranny and beat on the splined end with a hammer and metal bar (being careful not to damage the splines) to push it out of the carrier for easier tranny installation later.

TonyGotSkilz

iTrader: (6)

Ok .... ummm i have no idea what you just said and i doubt i will till i actually try it... This is the Full senario. My cars an auto. The Engine i'm swapping in if currently in a parts car used for a 5 speed swap. It was a 5 speed but now it has no tranny. I'm gonna be taking my engine out can putting the parts car engine in. Can i leave my tranny in the engine bay, lift the motor out, and bolt the new motor up to the tranny? Is that possible, or probable? If not what do i have to do, in a lil simpler terms.

Scruit

You will have to remove the passenger driveaxle to remove the engine, because the axle is mounted to the engine on the passenger side. That should be easy and quick to remove. Another option is to unbolt the intermediate carrier from the engine - that may allow you to remove the engine without removing that driveshaft

You'll need to support the tranny with a jack after you disconnect it from the engine. I specifically say 'jack' because you'll have to jack it up/lower it down a little to help it mate with the engine.

if you are taking the engine from a 5-spd then you must remoce the clutch components and flywheel, and transfer the flex-plate (flywheel for an auto tranny) from your old engine to the new one.

You will have to remove the two drivebelts and unbolt the A/C compressor and power steering pump and leave those connected and in the car (you don't want to crack open the A/C if you can avoid it).

The most important thing is to be patient, methodical, and label everything you remove/disconnect. I use a little battery-powered label maker and label electrical connections. Any bolts that you remove you shoul either half-install back in their original locations so you rmember where they go, or put in a labelled baggie.

I did an engine swap in anout 12 hours across 3 days in the parking lot of my old apartment complex. 4 hours to strip the engine down so it could be pulled on day 1, then got two guys to help me actually swp the engines on day 2, then anouther 4 hours on day 3 hooking everything back up.

TonyGotSkilz

iTrader: (6)

wow this is seeming like way more work then i expected. This is gonna suck, i was really hoping for a one day fix but it looks like i'm not gonna have that much luck. Oh Well.

rcracer1973

yeah for the first time it will seem like alot of work but all in all it really is fairly simple but have alot a patience and label the worst part is the electrcal system all the plugs and little stuff but go buy the book so you dont forget to disconnect or reconnect something

rcracer1973

yeah for the first time it will seem like alot of work but all in all it really is fairly simple but have alot a patience and label the worst part is the electrcal system all the plugs and little stuff but go buy the book so you dont forget to disconnect or reconnect something

CMax03

iTrader: (3)

**** lift it out! But if you can lift the car off the drivetrain then do it. I did my 3rd gen the old school way (lift it out). You can lift it and install it easier with the hood removed that's my preferred method, it's quicker. Just pilot drill your hood mounts to align everything when your going back together!