How to drop engine and trans?

[Elite]

yeah lower the car using the engine lift points onto a engine dolly, then raise chassis off the car slide engine from under it and out of the way.

in some of my build threads I show how I do it. would rather drop an NSX engine than a civic LOL

I've never used that approach to lowering the car, there are many ways to go about all of this obviously. I used two low profile jacks and lowered/raised the car that way(two people minimum). Now that I think of it, I don't remember how I transferred the chassis from the jacks to the jack stands, but I managed it somehow. :smile: Also, I followed the raising and lowering with jack stands on the other jack points for safety.

i meant disconnecting hoses and such.

Yes, everything that needs to be disconnected to separate the motor from the chassis.

Regarding wiring harness, you can either leave the harness with the motor and disconnect it from the ecu and engine bay fuse box, or can disconnect everything from the motor and have it go with the chassis.

 

[shawn110975]

sorry I forgot to say lower the car using the lift points on the engine, then lower onto the engine dolly, then rais car using the shock tower holes, your engine lifts hooks fit inside perfectly

then rais car as far as you can to clear the top of the engine. then lower car back onto floor jacks.

 

[Lamini]

They say a picture paints a thousand words. Hows 30fps? We can make this a shorter thread if someone turns on a video camera or 3 on their next engine removal. If Shawn can drop an engine in ~1hr, how long would it take for two, or more?

Like Tysama, i would love the experience myself.:biggrin:

 

[junior40er]

Sorry to bring this back from the dead. Anyone ever take a video or pics of what comes off on bottom regarding suspension and frane?

 

[MexiRicer]

Sorry to bring this back from the dead. Anyone ever take a video or pics of what comes off on bottom regarding suspension and frane?

When are you dropping your motor?

 

[Mac Attack]

Sorry to bring this back from the dead. Anyone ever take a video or pics of what comes off on bottom regarding suspension and frane?

You'll do fine if you just follow the SM steps!

Did it in my garage with jackstands and a hoist. If you're doing it that way you'll just need to make a low-profile dolly for the rear subframe to slide out when the body is lifted off with the hoist.

The second pic shows you what you'll drop. You just have to imagine an engine and transmission nestled in there....

Before doing mine I was concerned what the estimated weight would be for the entire rear subframe with the engine and transmission included (and the rear of the car for that matter). The hoist set on the 1/2 ton boom length handled the removal and installation just fine.

BTW - I would do it again with the hoist as opposed to one of those new car lifts that swings an arc as it raises and lowers. As you remove/install the engine, there's not a lot of room between the valve covers and the chassis. Unless you bring the car up or down straight, you'll be constantly fiddling with centering the subframe to avoid valve cover damage or scraping the paint in your engine bay. The hoist swings a bit of an arc, but I would imagine it's a lot better control than one of those motorcycle type lift types you can get cheap these days.

Good luck!

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[junior40er]

When are you dropping your motor?

no time soon, just good info to know.

You'll do fine if you just follow the SM steps!

Did it in my garage with jackstands and a hoist. If you're doing it that way you'll just need to make a low-profile dolly for the rear subframe to slide out when the body is lifted off with the hoist.

The second pic shows you what you'll drop. You just have to imagine an engine and transmission nestled in there....

Before doing mine I was concerned what the estimated weight would be for the entire rear subframe with the engine and transmission included (and the rear of the car for that matter). The hoist set on the 1/2 ton boom length handled the removal and installation just fine.

BTW - I would do it again with the hoist as opposed to one of those new car lifts that swings an arc as it raises and lowers. As you remove/install the engine, there's not a lot of room between the valve covers and the chassis. Unless you bring the car up or down straight, you'll be constantly fiddling with centering the subframe to avoid valve cover damage or scraping the paint in your engine bay. The hoist swings a bit of an arc, but I would imagine it's a lot better control than one of those motorcycle type lift types you can get cheap these days.

Good luck!

View attachment 157280

View attachment 157281

thank you. It would be nice to drop my own engine in the future since Coz isn't always available and he is far. I have never taken my car to autowave or Niguel so I don't have experience with those guys. Since the incident years back with Robert I only let Coz do the work or myself.

 

[Honcho]

Bringing this one back up too. I've notice many people mentioning you need to disconnect the A/C lines before dropping the subframe. But, the A/C line bolts are completely blocked by the front beam and are inaccessible from the top of the engine. Do I need to remove the front beam first, disconnect the A/C, re-install the front beam and THEN drop the subframe? That seems like the only way to do it, but no one has ever stated this in all these years of engine removal threads!
[MENTION=12356]Mac Attack[/MENTION]?

 

[Mac Attack]

[MENTION=18194]Honcho[/MENTION]
Sorry, can't help. I had already ditched the A/C many years prior to dropping the engine.

Does the SM talk about it? I found it pretty comprehensive from beginning to end.

 

[cmc140]

I remove the front beam, unbolt the compressor, and tie it out of the way.
Then I re-install the front beam for placement on the engine dolly. There is no need to remove lines and open the AC system.

 

[Honcho]

[MENTION=18194]Honcho[/MENTION]
Sorry, can't help. I had already ditched the A/C many years prior to dropping the engine.

Does the SM talk about it? I found it pretty comprehensive from beginning to end.

You are the man, Dave. I checked the SM and there it is- page 5-24, step 36: "Remove the front beam. Remove the A/C compressor, then reinstall the front beam and retorque the two nuts to the front beam." Guess I should have RTFM. Looks like I'm pulling the front beam tonight.

I remove the front beam, unbolt the compressor, and tie it out of the way.
Then I re-install the front beam for placement on the engine dolly. There is no need to remove lines and open the AC system.

Thanks Chris. My A/C system is already open- I'm replacing the condensers, evap and compressor, so I will break the lines to the compressor (less to be hanging in the engine bay during paint). Otherwise, I totally agree with you.

 

[goldNSX]

If the A/C is supposed to be not opened lower the subframe (engine/gearbox combo) about 5-10''. Now it's possible to reach the 4 bolts of the A/C compressor, even with the front beam still in place. So no need to remove it. That's only necessary if you forget to reattach the A/C comp AFTER you've bolted the subframe to the chassis again. So don't forget to reattach it (at 5-10'') when mounting the subframe again.

Also pay attention while uninstalling the front beam. It's not a good idea to do so if the left and right engine mounts already have been removed.