Engine bay modification for ease of future engine/tranny removal and accessibility?

[AWD-FYI]

I'm about to pull my transmission and possibly engine for the third time in so many years. It's something I look forward to doing; I find it entertaining.

This time will be for a tranny rebuild and timing belt. I was just wondering what sort of modifications people are doing to simplify the engine removal process?

I have already replaced the 16g "U" shaped water return line with a flexible one and plan to do the oil return pipe this time round.

Any other ideas?

P.S. I'll be gettibg to my mods list soon. thanks.

 

[spoonman]

Remote mounted battery would clean engine bay and give you more room to work.

 

[rrussell]

Remote mounted battery would clean engine bay and give you more room to work.

It's nice to not have the battery in the way.

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[fwspin]

Definitely relocate battery. I also saw somewhere someone that relocated engine bay fuse box.

 

[BUCK]

Moving some P/S stuff up on the wheel well is a small help.

 

[turbosax2]

Having no a/c and emissions helps a bit too.

 

[jessesgsx]

Getting rid of emmisions stuff can make it a bit easier. Make sure you dont need them down the road for smog tests in your state.

 

[bowtiebuba350]

The small battery that is offers by jmfab is a great help

 

[AWD-FYI]

YES, getting rid of the AC compressor was a HUGE help the first engine pull. I'd definitely recommend Air Conditioning removal to any one that plan to track there car, or plan to pull their engine from time to time!

Not to mention how heavy the compressor is, and how much of a pain it is to get bolted back up to the back of the engine block. You can't exactly leave the compressor attached to the engine while its pulled out with out detaching the AC lines and dumping free-on all over the place (illegal).

Removing AC and installing flexible turbo return lines are probably the two biggest helps in my opinion when removing the engine or exhaust manifold/turbo!!

I'd also add, having the proper socket/wobbly or crows foot to aid in removing that one bi*** of a bolt thats always a PITA holding your aftermarket downpipe to your O2 housing; and lots of anti seize for the install.

-PB Blaster is always a must.

-Good engine hoist mounting point can come in handy! I think I'll spend some time this go round, and design some nice attachment points that are maybe removable. I had to use a moving strap last time and put to much pressure across my turbo before I realised what was happening. I'd like to avoid that this time. I have a "helper bar", that attaches to the engine hoist and allows me to lower one end of the engine (worth every penny!), but it only helps from left to right, not so much front to back.

Any mounting point designs floating around out there?

 

[turbosax2]

Any mounting point designs floating around out there?

What about the stock mounting points?

 

[AWD-FYI]

Was that supposed to be funny?

As far as I can tell, when it comes to the 6bt. engine, there is really only one engine mount that was well designed for mount to. There is of coarse the throttle body brace that has a convenient hole through it that can be used (if you still have that piece), and any one that has installed a Dejon IC pipe kit will have found it difficult to retain that brace and still install their throttle body elbow.

Other than that, We're left with the driver side engine mount bolts; which work great, but we can make them work better with something similar to the exhaust mounting plate.

I'd like to have a four point mounting system to simplify the hardest part of the engine install; the wiggling and cussing of engine mounts to line up right.

As for the transmission side???? You really only left with one attachment location, at the frame mount; and thats where chains or straps come in handy.

 

[turbosax2]

No, my comment was not meant to be funny. In this link, Mike used just the two stock mounting points to put his engine in.

http://www.dsmtuners.com/forums/cyl...60127-my-2g-6-bolt-build-7.html#post151235339

 

[andy4g63]

Very simple:
Remove AC
Relocate alternator in back of the motor
Remove power steering
Relocate battery/either in the trunk,or you can get smaller battery mine is OptimaRT and put it on the tunnel,that is over the rack and pinion.Fits very nyce,you just need to make a little bracket./
Get a forward facing oil filter or relocate the filter somewhere.
Install slim fan.
My upper IC piping is one piece/i can take it out in 1 min/

 

[Spoolin98]

Was that supposed to be funny?

As far as I can tell, when it comes to the 6bt. engine, there is really only one engine mount that was well designed for mount to. There is of coarse the throttle body brace that has a convenient hole through it that can be used (if you still have that piece), and any one that has installed a Dejon IC pipe kit will have found it difficult to retain that brace and still install their throttle body elbow.

Other than that, We're left with the driver side engine mount bolts; which work great, but we can make them work better with something similar to the exhaust mounting plate.

I'd like to have a four point mounting system to simplify the hardest part of the engine install; the wiggling and cussing of engine mounts to line up right.

As for the transmission side???? You really only left with one attachment location, at the frame mount; and thats where chains or straps come in handy.

Both the exhaust manifold mount and the throttle body mount work perfectly for pulling and installing a motor.
If you have a dejon uicp, just reinstall your stock elbow, bolts, and tb brace for pulling the motor.
I think your making pulling/installing the motor WAY harder than what it really is. You def. dont need 4 mounting points...
Get a link chain and put one end through the exhuast lift hole and secure it with a bolt, 2washers (one on nut side and one on bolt side) and nut. Then do the same with throttle body brace, place the hoist on the chain so that when you lift the motor it makes the tranny side hang lower (as low as possible, adjust the chain length if needed).
If you have two friends it makes things alot easier, one pushes down on the tranny and one pulls up on the timing motor mount, while you lower the motor in. If you get the motor to the point where the tranny is facing almost straight down, the motor will drop right in and line up perfectly.
I installed my 6 bolt in 10 minutes with 2 friends using this method.

 

[Spoolin98]

No, my comment was not meant to be funny. In this link, Mike used just the two stock mounting points to put his engine in.

http://www.dsmtuners.com/forums/cyl...60127-my-2g-6-bolt-build-7.html#post151235339

Eric, I completely forgot that I had pictures of the motor on the hoist in my thread, good find!
AWD-FYI, page 9 in the link Eric provided will show you exactly what I mean. Its simple that way.

 

[AWD-FYI]

I honestly though you were making a joke... I've seen people pull engines using one mounting point, but thats not the point of this thread.

 

[Spoolin98]

I honestly though you were making a joke... I've seen people pull engines using one mounting point, but thats not the point of this thread.

I understand the point of this thread..
Your talking about 4 mounting points and what not, Im just showing you that its not needed. The stock mounting points are easy enough.

Take it or leave it, I really dont care.