Quick engine change

[DuRWooD]

So I have very limited time budgeted to change my engine out this Tuesday. I'm hoping to get it done in 4 or 5 hours max.

Having never pulled the engine in a BF, my question is, is there enough clearance to leave the transmission in place and just pull the engine out? I don't want to wreck my diff/axle seals, or do I want to spill any of my expensive gear oil.

Am I just going to be wasting time trying it this way, or will it work? The new engine I have is good to go, just going to transfer my alternator, clutch and flywheel onto it when it's out.

Just FYI, this will be in my GT.

[jay]

You won't hurt the axle seals if you're careful and you can always drain into a clean pan ut yeah there should be room to do it with the gbox in place. Whether that makes the job go any faster, I dunno.

[DuRWooD]

I've just always changed the axle seals, I guess it's only an extra 10 minutes to do that. I'm more concerned with fiddling with the axles to get them out. It does look like there is room to leave the gear box in, I just don't know if it will prove to be a PITA.

5 hours is probably plenty of time either way if everything goes smoothly.

[DuRWooD]

Well, didn't go quite as planned. A buddy came over, we worked on his Probe and got drunk. Started work on the 323 around 9 PM, gave up around 11.

Having a really hard time getting the engine to pull apart from the transmission, it's about 1 cm apart all the way around, and I can't seem to get it to go any further. I'm sure I was just a little drunk and frustrated though.

[Ace]

you sure all the bolts were out? lol Personally I'd just pull them both at the same time though

[DuRWooD]

Yeah, they're all out. There is a 1 cm gap the whole way around. I didn't try too long as my buddy had to go. That and I was a bit drunk, and didn't want to damage anything being stupid.

[nerd racing]

try pushing the clutch pedal.

also sometimes there are a few 10mm bolts connecting the backing plate to the bell housing of the trans that are easy to miss.

[DuRWooD]

try pushing the clutch pedal.

also sometimes there are a few 10mm bolts connecting the backing plate to the bell housing of the trans that are easy to miss.

Sweet, thanks. I don't think I got the backing plate bolts. That is probably it. It's too far separated for the clutch pedal to help at all.

[DeeAOne]

Sounds to me like the input shaft for the trans was still inside the clutch, so you couldn't lift the motor up.

[nickz]

way easier removing them in one piece i say,gts a breeze, gtx a more of a pain in the arse.should'nt hurt the seals,but losing good oil is always a drag,i always end up using new stuff cause none of my pans are clean enuff.

[DuRWooD]

Well, the new engine is in. Never again will I change an engine without pulling the transmission. I ended up losing all my new gear oil anyway, not even into a pan

It was stuck, as I mentioned before, I forgot to unbolt the f'ing jack shaft from the back of the block, and pulled it out of the transmission slightly, walked into the garage today to find a big puddle of gear oil on the concrete.

For anyone considering changing their engine this way, I suggest you don't. To get it to clear, I had to remove the alternator and associated bracketry, power steering pump and bracketry, radiator, and the outer crankshaft pulley.

I also spent over an hour trying to get the transmission input shaft to properly seat in the clutch, what a PITA, that would have taken less than a minute out of the car.

Oh well, live and learn. Didn't hook anything else up, as I'm sore and have a headache, I'd say I have about 2 hours work left to do tomorrow.

[DuRWooD]

Also, I estimated 5 hours for the job total. I'm at about 5 now, with 2 hours left. Probably would have made the 5 hour goal taking the transmission out.

[azgtx]

That is why I go out the bottom and lift it in from the bottom..all one piece...no headaches. Only takes a couple hours.

[crazycanadian]

Sounds like good times... Live and learn... Its not hard to pull motor and transmission out of the 323s from the top, but I have found it really really easy if you drop them out the bottom... Motor, trans all still bolted together to the sub frame...

[monoxidechild]

yea. leaving the trans in makes it ALOT more work. and more work when re-installing it. pull it all as one unit, and save yourself a ton of time.