Well, the plan for the day was to get the engine and transmission out of the car. If I could get that done I would have gotten as far as I wanted to this weekend.

Started at 9AM, had both out of the car by 1PM. Then transported the new engine from my house to my dad's, took a few parts off each engine, and called it a day, and I'm flat exhausted.

Pics: http://www.ericj.org/maxima/img/engine_swap/

Pictures from the first days work start with a '1', second day's work start with a '2'.

The only real snag I hit was with the supercharger. I couldn't figure out how to get the side engine mount removed with the SC still on there...so I had to spend 40 minutes or so taking the blower off the engine. Once that was done getting the engine out was a piece of cake.

Now this upcoming week I have to get everything moved from the old engine to the new, fill my mounts with poly, get my flywheel resurfaced, do lots of cleaning and repair/reboot my axles.

 

glad its going good

 

 

Man I wish I could have room like that in my garage and another car to do the work you are doing. I envy you.

Are you planning on re-doing anything else since you got the whole engine out? Like maybe re-do the headgasket to lower the compression or anything else engine related?

Dixit

 

Its all because of my father. That's his garage, and I'm driving his truck (he also has a company vehicle) while I'm doing this. My 1.5 car garage at my house wouldn't cut it.

No, just maintenance related stuff. With the SC the stock engine should be more than enough. Once I'm more comfortable with the swap, I may do something, but not right now.

 

Its actualy harder to find time and a place to do these things. I work at a shop so for all I car I could yank the whole motor out, build the damn thing and fab a T4/60-1 in there and swap out the tranny all in 2weeks time. I have more then all the tools necessary to do all this but the problem being is I CAN NOT tie up the hoist that long.
We have cars freqently in and out of there as fast as possible. If it wasnt my place I wouldnt give a damn but if I have a hoist tied up for 2 weeks that means I have to take in that many less cars every day meaning less $$$ flow. In terms if I sit here and do the math, in order for me to do all of these things its gonna cost me less then $10K BUT due to less $ coming in well its basically gonna add up to be a $30K upgrade due to the fact im booking less. Why do you guys think I havnt done much to the car
Let us know how it all goes...

 

Jesus ejj, don't you know that you're suppose to get a pic of you standing inside the empty engine bay with a big ****-eatin grin?

Seriously, sounds like everything is going good. Hope you get everything buttoned up shortly.


Dave

 

My brother, who stopped by to see how it was going, wanted me to get in there for that stupid picture...I declined.

 

Awesome pics. And about the in the engine back, i think you should do it. I would stand in there if i could.

 

I've been in there to clean and stuff...but the last thing I need is a picture of myself.

 

I would of started dancing in that engine bay. Hammer Time!!!!!!!!!!1

 

HitMan,

Can you do the work without tying up a hoist? Pull the engine then put the car's suspension back together and roll it off the hoist?

I have a detached 3.5 car garage at the back of my house dedicated to working on cars. I can realistically work on two cars at a time in terms of space, and because I'm not an actual shop I'm constantly having to stop and wit for parts/tools etc. My max in is the workshop right now just got it's tranny back in (after I had the input shaft machined to correct seal surface damage I did while cutting off the failed input bearing)

My problem isn't space - it's tools and parts. Once the max is fixed I'm gonna rebuild the my truck's engine and tranny (already rebuilt the T/C). It's nice to be able to tie up the workshop real eastate for a couple of months with no worries (expect the friends that always ask me to fix their cars for them. A/C, suspension, engine work, all the time! I should open up as a business so I'd at least make money doing this!)

 

Good work, Eric. Doing an engine swap is a rite of passage out of boyhood into the world of men. From now you can hold your head up and say to anyone, "Yeah, I can do an engine swap. <sniff>"

 

glad its progressing smoothly.

 

Good pictures to document the event Is there any reason your intake manifold and valve covers are black
-hype

 

Better than the nasty-grimey-color that they where.

I painted them.

 

Looks like you've got this working well.. sorry it had to be this way, but maybe it will work out best in the long run

 

Thanks!


Added some pictures of todays work. Got the valve covers on and sealed, the lower intake manifold on, the wiring harness for the knock sensor moved over, fuel rail moved over, SC parts (standoff bolts, drainback plate) moved, motor mounts poly filled and the alternator installed on the new motor.

http://www.ericj.org/maxima/img/engine_swap

Right now my plan is:

Tomorrow: Flywheel resurfaced (FleetPride!), flywheel/clutch install and suspension clean up (camber plates, bearings)
Wednesday: Axle work
Thursday: Cleaning/Misc work
Friday: Nothing!
Saturday: Engine and tranny in. Start to re-assemble everything around it.
Sunday: Finish her up.

To this point, I'm right on schedule.

 

More pics added. Day 4: Got the flywheel resurfaced, installed, clutch installed and the TO bearing on the tranny. Tried to swap the pully on the SC, but the head of the hex bolt stripped, so I have to hunt one down. May not get to the pully swap during all this.

The spacer for the auto tranny was a *****! It wouldn't come out with the pilot bearing puller, because there was no good edge for the puller to grab. It just couldn't get a bite. We ended up drilling 3 holes in the spacer, and basically folding it over itself. After about an hour, we got it out.

 

EJJ, is it just me or does none of the pictures come up? I can get to your directory but no pics work, not even the day 1 and 2 ones.

Dixit

 

Works for me, both at home and work. What does it tell you?

Can you access them by the full path? (http://www.ericj.org/maxima/img/engi...ction_disk.jpg)

Can you see this:


Strange...

 

Works now. Must have been down for that moment. Man I wish I could be there watching/helping/learning while you are doing this. Ive always wanted to do this.

Dixit

 

Its a learning experience for sure. I've never quite attempted something like this. I did the SC install myself, but that was pretty simple.

Quite honestly, the swap hasn't been complicated yet. Just need the right tools/equiptment/circumstances (garage, another car).

I've learned a ton!

I've got my dad lending a hand, but he hasn't done major engine work since the late 60's early 70's, and 75% of that was motorcycles. We're having to bridge the technology gap between what we know.

 

Still I give you mad props for doing this. I still cant see myself attempting this because I think there might be too many issues I might run into. But you seem to be showing me that really aint the case. But your right, it comes down to having the right tools and having another car to keep rolling to the autostore to get those tools when you dont have it. I right now dont have another car. I got a crotchrocket though, which wont really help.

Dixit

 

Ejj, Why are the damping springs on your clutch blue? I just got a new clutch from Nissan and mine was not blue...

 

Ejj, Why are the damping springs on your clutch blue? I just got a new clutch from Nissan and mine was not blue...

Also, do the little rubber bushing on the subframe-to-frame blolt holes have a slit in them? Mine all do and I wondered if that's normal or if they're all busted.

 

Its not a Nissan clutch. Its an ACT clutch.

I think they do. I don't have a good picture of them, but I can check tonight.


Update:

Wednesday I took the boot off the inner CV on the passenger axle. When trying to pull that axle I had seperated the CV. Had to clean the CV, and I'm going to re-assemble it this weekend.

I also had stripped the head of the SC pully bolt Tuesday. Wednesday we also got that out with an EZ-out.

Yesterday my Dad took the axles to a machine shop and got the threads on the end re-worked. They had seen better days, and for $20 they're good as new now. He also picked up a new bolt for the SC pully.

Last night I got the pully on the SC changed (3.33") and re-assembled the SC. Thanks to MardiGrasMax's tip about putting the side engine mount bolt in backwards, I decided to install the SC on the engine to save me a lot of time later.

Tonight (decided not to take the night off) I'm going to try and get the engine, and depending on how long that takes, maybe the tranny back in the car as well. My dad is going to get the threads on one of my struts re-worked as well today, as they had been rubbing the strut mount (pics coming...ran out of batteries) and wouldn't allow the strut nut to get all the way down.

Then, this weekend, I just need to hook everything up! Sounds easy, huh?

Updated pictures: http://www.ericj.org/maxima/img/engine_swap/

 

Yet another update:

Got the engine and transmission in tonight, along with the crossmember. This means that I just have to get everything hooked up and put back together this weekend. Also go the PS pump bolted on as I was putting the engine back in.

Getting the engine in was a pain. Getting it angled and at just the right height so the mounts could be done was a b!tch. Getting the transmission on required lowing the engine almost as far as it would go (on the jack).

Update pics again: http://www.ericj.org/maxima/img/engine_swap/

Scruit: Yes, the boots on the crossmember do have splits in them. I didn't get a picture though.

 

Eric: Did you try putting things in from the bottom rather than coming in from the top? Everyone I've ever heard of working on our engine went from underneath
-hype

 

No, for two reasons.

1, didn't have the car high enough, nor could I get it high enough.

2, with the SC on there I would have the clearence to come up through the bottom.

Who's done it from underneath? Everyone I've heard from did it from the top...

 

WOW.. good to know it's going well..

You've got brass *****... but it seems your brain matches them.. you did some plannign and took the time to do it right.


I am learning something from all of this..

Thanks for posting it

 

very impressed on everything that has been done... just one quick question... i'm fixing to fill my motor mounts w/ poly but just the ones on the crossmember... did you have to take the mounts out of the metal bracket that it attaches to on the crossmember or did you just leave them in there, poped them, and then filled them w/ the poly?

thanks and good luck!

mike

 

I am very impressed. Your making me feel guilty for not doing the tranny rebuild myself. Kudos!

 

I thought I remembered Mardigras dropping the engine from the bottom, but I could be wrong. Now that I think of it my friend pulled the engine from the bottom because he was using a lift I have been told it would be easier to go from the bottom, so I guess you'd just have to get the car really high.

You'll want to remove the mounts from the crossmember.
-hype

 

i unbolted the mounts from the crossmember, but what i'm specifically asking is do you have to push the rubber motor mount out from the metal bracket that actually attaches to the crossmember to properly fill them w/ poly?

thank for the help so far hype

mike

 

This that's bad? In 7 hours today I removed the BW1356 Transfer Case, C6 Transmission and 302 engine from my '87 fullsize Bronco. I only stoppd because I didn't have bolts long enough to hold the engine on the engine stand.

The transfer case is being rebuild due to a oil pump failure (and subsequent failure of the 2-4 selector arm and synchro). The C6 is getting a drain plug in the pan, filter swap and new Park/Neutral switch (as long as I don't find anything scary in the pan I'll leave the tranny alone). The engine is gonna have eevry single gasket replaced, and the heads rebuild (can't port/polish because it has a MAP sensor, not MAF, so the computer wouldn't be able to compensate for the greater airflow and it'd lean out) plus if I find any scariness at the crank then I'l do a full rebuild - but if the crank/bore look good then I'll leave it at that.