[lumpylarry]

It's worth a try. I've always taken the pipe off.
But I would leave the O2 connectors in place and unscrew the sensors from the pipe.
I'm interested to see if it will fit though.

 

[Max]

I do have the the sensors soaking on PB Blaster.

I've given thought to pulling them while still connected, but the resultant winding up of the harness leads might prove troublesome, no?

I have even thought towards cutting and splicing the leads to facilitate removal, leaving the sensors and connectors untouched!

 

[ForenzaLover]

Yes, those studs are tack welded to the flange from the factory. I have no idea why. Perhaps to make it less prone to spinning when installing or removing. I broke 3 out of 6 on mine when doing the rear main seal. This probably could not have been avoided but that's fine. I have a new resonator and cross over pipe and the car just sounds so beautiful. I've been delivering mail every day now and I'm finally not embarrassed to drive around!! I need a new muffler soon because a hanger arm on mine broke and it hits the diff on bumps.

Your best best is just to unplug the connectors and then plug them back in. The pipe then simply drops from the manifold and resonator at that point. If you're not replacing the sensors then you need to put them where they belong. To remove mine I had to stand on the pipe while removing them.

You'll need to drop the diff for sure on the front. To lower the propshaft completely you'll need to drop that pipe. If you break something it's no big deal as its easy to deal with out of the car. I believe the steering rack can stay installed or at least lowered via removal of the four bolts, leaving the tie rids attached. Diff carrier removal is easy. Two mounting through bolts and nuts, four propshaft nuts and bolts, you'll want to remove the mount itself on the crossmember, and then the two large 17mm bolts holding the brackets.

 

[Max]

I hear ya'. I'm going to remove and anti-seize my O2's now, just in case. I did replace one of them some time back.

Hmmmm! "Y"pipe and front prop shaft clearance. :huh:
Makes sense, thus probably a pipe must-go sitch. I'll confirm when removing the old engine.

 

[ForenzaLover]

Am I thinking the sway bar also had to be lowered? I know I did. Perhaps it was the sway bar instead of the y pipe.

 

[Max]

I'll figure it out eventually and report back.

 

[Max]

Good news!

Both donor engine downstream O2 sensors unscrewed without issue. I left them plugged in too and the approximate 5" long wiring harness leads twisted nicely around themselves without much strain.

 

[Max]

Fast forward several months...I'm committed now!

The clutch quit on me yesterday on the way to work at 302,520 miles.

Doesn't disengage. Hydraulic end checks fine to include slave movement, but the clutch lever appears compromised. Bent, broken or the pivot ball area busted out probably. It's deep whatever went south. No noises though.

New actuating arm on hand but ordered the Ball / Mount to be on the safe side. All new clutch components standing by of course.

Methodical engine transplant in-progress. Maybe done by X-Mas.

 

[ninja99]

when I put my 99 vitara 2.5 engine back in it wouldn't slide onto manual trans unless I took the lower exhaust pipe off. I tried for a day to get it and it wouldn't quite go the last 2 inches but after I removed the lower pipe it went right in. pb blaster works well getting the nuts off and also worked great on the 02 sensors I had saved from my bad engine. I used a box end wrench on the 02 sensors cause the sensor socket I had just wasn't strong enough to do it. I used a floor jack under the front of trans to help them line up. it is a tight fitting engine in that bay.

 

[Max]

Yep. I've already test loosened the fasteners on the donor engine exhaust pipe and O2's.

Yanked the air box, rad, coolant hoses, fan, belts and pwr steering pump resevoir in an hour and a half today.

Not looking forward to the axle drop and under vehicle stuff.

 

[aquanaut20]

The clutch quit on me yesterday on the way to work at 302,520 miles.

My heart and good wishes go out to you..

Post a pic of the bad unit..

.. Philip

 

[ngrome]

Damn, now this is where the big boys play. Why not wait til the 300K engine croaks or see if you can run that puppy to 500K or even a millions miles ? You said there weren't any issues, right?

Not to highjack your thread, but if a Y-pipe is totally rusted or manifold bolts totally fused on an engine, can they still be removed and replaced, or time to get a new engine as well?

Nevermind, I didn't see that the clutch quit on you too, good luck Max!

 

[Max]

if a Y-pipe is totally rusted or manifold bolts totally fused on an engine, can they still be removed and replaced, or time to get a new engine as well?

Replacement "Y" pipes are after-market fare.

It's a chore to replace them in general though. PB Blaster liberally applied several times over days, heat, drill, Dremel, pneumatic tool w/carbide burr and some shock and awe thrown in for good measure. Some or all of that in combination.

Those are all potential tooling needs depending on what fastener breaks and where. (and an abundance of patience)

 

[Green_Hornet]

Or cut the pipes out with a sawzall knowing you're gonna replace them anyway. You do have it on a lift, right? Patience and time are almost always cheaper if you have the time!

 

[ninja99]

for the under vehicle stuff my best friend was an electric impact gun. can't believe how good these are. much better then my air gun. everything came off with this. i unbolted the driver side of the front dif and let it just hang down a bit but i did tie it there with a chunk of rope. my 1 truck it held on it's own but the other one the axle pulled out of the dif so i recommend roping it to be safe. just the front dif is in the way. steering rack and everything else has clearance. why take more off then you need to.

 

[Max]

i unbolted the driver side of the front dif and let it just hang down a bit but i did tie it there with a chunk of rope.

I'll look closer at this in the upcoming week. Thanks.

Leaving the steering rack intact sounds promising. Were you a 4 or V-6?
The manual indicates steering input shaft disconnecting though, that I have to look at.

 

[beagle..t]

it says you have to, to pull it but you don't need to to put back in, I didn't have to when I did the swap and easy to take exhaust manifolds off

 

[Max]

it says you have to, to pull it but you don't need to to put back in, I didn't have to when I did the swap and easy to take exhaust manifolds off

I don't understand what you are saying.

Some sentence structure would help too.

 

[lumpylarry]

Steering rack can stay.
I've even left the diff in many times.
Just unbolt the shaft and 2 mounts.
It will slide forward and hang from the axles giving enough oil pan clearance to move the engine forward and up.

Have you taken the diff out yet?
There's a trick before you start unbolting stuff.

 

[beagle..t]

to pull the motor out the FSM says you have to drop the front diff to remove the motor. but to put it back in you don't have to unbolt(remove) front diff. I didn't unbolt (remove front diff when I installed a 2.7 in my 2002. its is easier to just unbolt exhaust manifolds because there isn't enough room with steering shaft to put back in its very tight with the exhaust manifolds on