DX engine replacement

Hi,

Sorry for the long post but I'm just about to undertake my first engine swap :roll: and could use some advice.

I've had a search and gathered some great info (e.g. J. Seaman's excellent timing guide) but have a few questions.

1. Is there a sticky/guide/faq for replacing a dx engine (like for like swap)?

2. If taking the engine & box out from under the car (seems the easier route from what I've read) what's the best place on the body to attach the crane?

3. Is it easier to undo the drive shafts at the hub or the diff (or both)?

4. Where's the easiest place to break the exhaust? I'm guessing where the downpipe meets the middle section?

5. Will I need any new bits? So far I've got inlet and exhaust gaskets, timing belt and tensioner (for the new motor) & coolant.

6. Any gotchas to lookout for?

Thanks for your patience!

Disconnected everything from the top last night so should be out by tonight.

Is it easiest to remove the drive shafts at the hub or the diff?

What's the best place to attach the hoist to the body?

Cheers

Is there anybody…… out there.

In answer to my own questions I've discovered:

The offside drive shaft has to be removed completely unless you first remove the downpipe (it gets trapped between the chassis and the block when you lower the engine otherwise). The shorter nearside drive shaft can be left attached to the hub and tied out the way.

My exhaust separated easily where the downpipe meets the middle section but I imagine it's different for every car. I had to remove the arb to allow the downpipe/manifold to drop but it came off nice 'n' easy. I didn't want to touch the 6 nuts on the manifold flange to downpipe connection as the studs looked prime for snapping. I've removed an inlet manifold before and it was a pita so I didn't want to go that route either.

Haven't lifted the car over the engine yet but I'll probably attach the hoist either round the chassis legs or to the bumper mounts??

Interesting, wouldn't have thought of lifting the engine over the car.

I actaully found it easiest to completely remove the driveshafts, separate the engine and gearbox, take the gearbox out the bottom, and the engine out the top. did it all in one piece once and it was a real PIA.
I'd also suggest seperating the exhaust from the manifold - can be done with a couple of long extension bars put together.

If you are lfitn the car - I'd say that the chassis legs would be the best point because that is where the engine mounts are.

Out of interest, why are you swapping the engine out?

glad to see there was a quick responce to you questions mate  

anyway, i've always taken the exhaust mani of the head (is a 4 branch) and drop the rest off the rubbers which in turn lifts the mani up and out of the way (if the ARB is still bolted up)

as for getting the engine out once dropped, i've found disconnecting the front and rear mounts, then taking the g'box off the engine and dragging them out through the passenger w/arch (with wheel off obviously) :wink: you'll probably end up laying the engine on its back… but this is where i would have advised draining the oil out before dropping the engine (if you havent already done that) otherwise it could get pretty messy!! i've been there so i'm not gonna laugh    

hope this helps any, thats if you havent already done it  :roll:

enjoy! nice to see you taking it on yourself!! (p.s. its gets easier with experience!)   :y:

Growers said

Hi,

Sorry for the long post but I'm just about to undertake my first engine swap :roll: and could use some advice.

I've had a search and gathered some great info (e.g. J. Seaman's excellent timing guide) but have a few questions.

1. Is there a sticky/guide/faq for replacing a dx engine (like for like swap)?

2. If taking the engine & box out from under the car (seems the easier route from what I've read) what's the best place on the body to attach the crane?

3. Is it easier to undo the drive shafts at the hub or the diff (or both)?

4. Where's the easiest place to break the exhaust? I'm guessing where the downpipe meets the middle section?

5. Will I need any new bits? So far I've got inlet and exhaust gaskets, timing belt and tensioner (for the new motor) & coolant.

6. Any gotchas to lookout for?

Thanks for your patience!

1. Yes - in the Haynes manual
2. Its not easier, due to the difficulties in lifting the car that high.
3. Diff (I'm sure this question had already been asked elsewhere tho?)
4. Disconnect both manifold-downpipe and downpipe-mid section
5. Rear engine mount is always a fav to go. Obviously if you're splitting engine and box, take a good look at the clutch too. And, worth cleaning out and repacking CVJs. You could change the coolant too
6. make sure the engine/trans have the same locating plugs in, as before. If you fit a new engine with a peg, onto the box and that hole already has a peg too…they won't go back on.

There's a tip for undoing driveshaft nuts, I can seek out an explanatory pic if needs be. But basically, you put the car on axle stands, use a trolley jack to stop one of the wheels, and put the car in/out of gear to allow you to turn the other wheel (that ur undoing the shaft from) or to lock it as needs be. Its M8 12 spline tool.

Thanks for the replies  :y:

The old motor was leaking oil out of just about every seal - think the compression rings have worn, it has done about 160K.

Once I'd removed the o/s drive shaft the engine & box came out under the front of the car very easily. It helps that the hoist I've borrowed from a mate is pretty big.

Next problem, someone has rounded the inside of one of the inlet manifold allen bolts on the replacement engine

There's a 2mm gap between the head of the bolt and the manifold so the bolt must have undone a little and then stuck in the manifold hole which seems odd? I can rotate the manifold up and down so the bolt is winding out of the head ok. The only solution I can think of is grind the manifold to bits and 'unwind' the bit with the stuck bolt. Anyone got a better idea?

And I thought this would be the easy bit!!

So where did you lift the car from???

I tied a rope round each of the bumper mounts.

I'd have done the oil breather in the rocker cover and the oil pump pickup gause.  Nine out of ten times that cures them.

When I do a DX I usually lift the car up and send the lump out the bottom too - much easier.  Especially if you get an old bread trolley from somewhere to drop the engine and box onto!

I checked the breather/rocker cover on the old engine which was fine but wasn't aware of the oil pump pick-up gauze - interesting. TBH it was p1ssing out oil though - I ended up with a DIY catch tank to stop the air filter clogging up.

Managed to get the inlet manifold off the new motor (and the 2 injector hats I noticed on top of the inlet valves!), in the process of swapping the gearboxes over now (the original box was a good 'un so I'll use it with the replacement motor and keep the 'new' box as a spare). Can the pegs be moved if they don't match-up?