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.

 

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.

 

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.

 

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.

 

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

 

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!

 

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)

 

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!

 

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.

 

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.

 

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

 

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.

 

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.

 

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

 

The front diff is still untouched.

You're saying disconnect the prop shaft and both diff assembly mounts, then slide the entire diff assembly forward and let it hang from the axles. Correct?
Leave the axles attached then?

Column to rack steering shaft stays in place too?

What's this trick Larry?

It sounds crazy to attempt to remove the exhaust manifolds Beagle. :huh:
Engine clearance appears OK and I've read nothing suggesting their removal.

 

removing exhaust manifolds makes it easier to get motor back in, it was for me but I had no help

 

I've never taken off manifolds or steer shaft.
You doing this on a hoist or the ground?
That would determine if I'd suggest pulling the diff right out..

 

ground with cherry picker

 

And for the radiator, don't fight with the lower rad hose.
Just unbolt the pipe at T-stat housing.
2 bolt that hold fuel line and one at the bottom
It all come up together.

 

In that case I wouldn't completely remove the diff.
Just do like you described above. Obviously the little rubber feed hose needs to come off too

If you do want to remove completely,
Step 1. Pop the passenger cv out of the diff and tie a rag or something in the gap so it can't pop back in. If you move anything else or if it pops back in, you never get apart without breaking the circlip.
Don't know they do this, it's the only car I've seen this happen to,
But I just learned that if you do it first it comes out so easy.

Once that's done, then I would unbolt the drivers side axle, prop shaft and mounts.
Then grab the diff and slide off the passenger shaft.
Note, both axle stay in the car.

 

I think I'm with you Larry.

 

mine were also the 2.5 that i removed from 2 vehicles and i used a cherry picker. just keep the hook on the cherry picker as close to manifold as you can cause i had barely enough room with it fully up to swing engine over rad support. even with that i had to tilt engine by hand to get it over cradle and i had let 1/2 the air out of the front tires too. i had unbolted dif from the driver side but it may have hung down enough to clear oil pan like the other poster had said. just tie it up just in case the pas side axle comes out. if you didn't drain it, it will be all over the place at this time. i had 1 pas axle that stayed in and 1 that came out as it was hanging. don't forget to remove that piece on the driver side rear near firewall for the exhaust sensor cause it will hit top lip on firewall if you don't when you lift engine to clear the mount bolts. can't remember the name of it now but i believe you (Max) had told me about it before when i was removing my engines. it has the plunger in it to aid on cold start ups. i unbolted the drive shaft from rear of front dif so that way it doesn't pull out of the transfer case and puke oil all over the place when you pull dif ahead for clearance from pan.

 

Thanks.

 

Hit a snag...

Trying to remove the last (top two) bellhousing bolts. I can get to the one closest to the starter, but the other has no clean access.

Extensions and ratchet just spring. Only 3/8" drive, which doesn't help. A 1/2" drive set-up would offer a better chance.

Dropping the tail end of the trans to tilt the whole mess should allow for a LONG clear shot to them, but I'm taking a different approach from the engine bay. I removed the throttle-body / EGR portion of the intake at the back as the engine will not be used again anyway. Just need to remove the crossover coolant pipe section and then I should be able to get a box-end 17MM on the last two bolts from above and the ability to get a cheater pipe on the wrench. Better than laying flat on your back with minimal body clearance and little mechanical tool advantage.

All this in order to have the trans remain in place. Pulling the whole package may be easier. Don't know yet for sure.

Taking a Holiday trip to see the kids. See you in a week.

 

Yea. I bought a 4 foot 1/2" extension from snap-on just for that job. (Big$$$)
That with a wobble socket did the trick.
Happy holidays and merry Christmas!!

 

Yup and same to you and the rest of the members too Larry!