How hard is our engines to replace?

[chavez408]

this will be my first swap? And i do not have the money for shops to do it for me, since most of them are quoting me over $1k. My question is, how hard is it? what would i need? im already reading up on other websites, for more information. but i would like some answers from ya guys.
anybody that wants to give me a hand

 

[RacethisTSI]

its quite simple.. my motors been out of my 2g 7 times now, and my 1g twice.

heres a link to the vfaq... http://www.vfaq.com/index-main.html

the first time was a little tricky but you really just need to unplug or unhook and conections to the motor and thats it. make sure to keep everything neat. the best way i found to do it was to take little plastic zip lock bags to keep all the bolt you take off in, then label the bags and your good to go. good luck, just take your time and youll get it

 

[spinninfwdlaser]

The way I look at is everyone starts somewhere. I started by pulling a Dodge Omni engine, then a Nissan 240sx engine, and then a helping with a mercedes engine.

 

[eldiabloz13]

Well. Its easier if you have all the stuff. So if you need something GO OUT AND GET IT. It will help you in the long run. A problem im seeing to have is. I labeled all the bolts and now cant read my hand writing and forget what i meant by the short hand i used sometimes. Not to mention the machine shop is taking forever on my engine so now im sitting on the fact of do i need .20 over rings and pistons and so on.

Take your time
Label well
Remember everything (or atleast as much as you can)
Take pics if you need.
Get the parts you need (ie. Tools,literal parts, lifts)
Check all your work. Most problems people have are ones of overlooking there install.
Have fun and dont see it as a PITA. It just makes you angry and seems to take longer if you get pissed all the time.

 

[1g_tsi_awd]

Take lots of pictures... It will help you with your first time... Buy all the tools you need, you won't regret it... it is a good learning experience.

 

[MilwaukeeGSX]

its really pretty easy... the thing i found a little tricky was removing the half shafts from the tranny. Also instead of baggies we used some harbor freight small plastic storage bins,,, they are a lot easier.

its basically just wiring fuel lines and rubber hoses...

TOOLS TOOLS TOOLS TOOLS TOOLS.
invest in a pickle fork. lift, stand, and maybe an electric impact wrench (regular old breaker bar does just fine)

 

[Elvenhome21]

make sure you got 10mm, 12, 14, 17 and 1 1/4 sockets 12 and 14 you need deep and shallow, and a wrench for both. as long as you pull the trans off first the engine comes out real quick

 

[Shaggy_357]

I'll go ahead and repeat some of the stuff above:
label well (saved MY ass several times)

Get all the tools necessary ahead of time (that includes spare parts if you can afford them i.e. water pump gasket, RTV, belts, etc. basically anything you might screw up the first time. Saves a lot of time if you live more than one block from the nearest parts store)

I would also suggest the picture idea, just remember to label the pictures once they're on your comp if you can.

Last but not least, head to the local farmer's market and pick up a nice plump chicken to sacrifice over the valve cover. (You can use the left over bones as divining tools to ask the Gods whats wrong with the car now)

Have fun and Good Luck!



Eric

 

[THE REAL DEAL]

it's not that hard. it's just little things you might run into that can be a pain. like the short pin on a the crank of a manual tranny motor that the auto tranny doesn't have. that little bastard set me back a whole day. took almost a week with my friend and i trying to fit the swap in between school and work. i guess it can be easy or hard depending on what kind of tools you have. lining up the tranny and the motor was a pain because all we had was a engine hoist and a tire holding everything up.

 

[DSMJim]

First time pulling the motor out of my car took me 6 hours from openeing the hood to having the engine sitting on the floor. It's not hard work just have to take care, mark things your not sure of and keep at it. The hardest parts were taking the suspension apart. I broke one bolt in the suspension and getting one axel out was a pain in the ass. After that was out I took off the transfer case and strapped up the shaft. Then messed under the hood with the rest of the wiring and bolts holding in the engine. Voila it came out in one piece engine tranny, intake manifold exhaust mani and turbo. Just took off the downpipe to clear dropping the motor.

It was easier than I thought it would be.

 

[Zack Huffman]

Jim, did you the drop the engine and raise the vehicle off of it with a lift or pull it out from the top with a cherrypicker?

What has everyone found to be the easiest way?

I'm also going to be starting my first DSM swap soon, not to a 6 bolt, but hopefully to a hybrid 2.4L 7 bolt.

 

[DSMLaser90]

Quick question, just got a 1G tsi awd AUTOMATIC, cool convertin to standard this weekend, i was told "cause was automatic" that i need to change the ecu, because the ecu that is in it is setup for the 390cc!

 

[THE REAL DEAL]

so you're converting to a 5 speed tranny but are you changing the turbo and injectors? if you're just swapping the tranny then no, you don't need an ecu.

 

[DSMLaser90]

will i be able to use the auto transfer case or is that not happening with the 5 speed, just up the turbo to a 14b and to 450cc

 

[Quasimondo]

Other tips:

- Get a leveler for the hoist, it makes pulling and installing the engine much easier with it, since you can tilt the engine/trans as needed to get it out of the engine bay.
- Sometimes the ziploc bag you use to keep your nuts and bolts gets greasy and the writing can be smudged. As a backup, get small manilla tags and write on the tag the same thing you wrote on the bag.
- If you're disassembling your engine as well, use two boxes, one box keeps the bolts and parts you took off to remove the engine, the other box keeps all the bolts and parts you took off during disassembly.
- Things can get messy in the driveway pulling an engine. Make sure you have a tarp underneath your car.