I'm working on my first DSM. It's a '97 RS which had a waterpump mishap which led to a broken timing belt, bent valves, dropped intake valve and a piston with a vent hole.

In diagnosing the problem, I pulled the head, and then pulled the accessories, and the pistons. The largest piece I removed was the bare block with the crank. The transmission is still in place.

Here's the question: How much can I reassemble and still wedge the engine back into place? Would it work to have the complete long block assembled and leave off the exhaust manifold and the crank pulley?

I've never done it myself, but from what i've seen with on other posts, that seems like what a lot of people do.

search for engine swap, there's a ton of posts discussing the different ways to pull the motor and reinstall.

I installed the head, set timing, installed valve cover, intake, and alternator, along with associated pulleys and belts, then installed in the car and hooked up the rest of the crap.

I just put mine in with a hoist. If you have one I would recommend putting the entire engine together, including head, block, intake manifold, alternator, and trans. Anything you can get on before it goes in. Angle the trans down some so you can slide that down and in first. It takes at least two people and and a jack stand on the floor to help push it where it needs pushed. The passenger side motor mount should be bolted in first. That way you have everything go in at once.

Thanks for the replies.

The transmission is already in place. I'm sure it would be easier to do as a unit with the engine bolted to trans.

I was just wondering if it was physically possible to squeeze in with the trans. in the car. It was a tight fit just getting the block out by itself but I hadn't removed the radiator at that point either.

It sounds like it would be possible. Should I put the crank pulley on first or wait until it's in place?

Me and a buddy just did his motor and we put everything on before we dropped it in. The ony thing we left off was the mount that goes on top of the trans because it got in the way when we were pulling it out. So yeah its defineitly possible like ^^ said just angle the trans down on the way in and just manouver it around as you need.

Not to thread jack but I was wondering If you pull out the motor. Is the clutch on the transmission or on the block? As of right now im planing on pulling out the motor piece by piece. Only because lack of space and tools :( so Ill let you know how that goes with putting it back together

The clutch is on the block. If your pulling it out piece by piece the easiest way in my opinion to to unbolt the clutch from the flexplate. You can do so if you take off the cover on the bottom of the trans, then the clutch will sit in the bellhousing and you will have alot less of a hassle getting the block out. :thumbsup

Originally posted by JiL
Thanks for the replies. The transmission is already in place. I'm sure it would be easier to do as a unit with the engine bolted to trans. I was just wondering if it was physically possible to squeeze in with the trans. in the car. It was a tight fit just getting the block out by itself but I hadn't removed the radiator at that point either. It sounds like it would be possible. Should I put the crank pulley on first or wait until it's in place?

put everything on the engine but the crank pulley and the clutch. put the clutch in the trans and let it sit. drop the whole thing in with a hoist, it's a little tight but it can be done. if you have the crank pulley in it's much harder to fit the whole engine in.

pulling the tranny and dropping everything in at the same time is easier.

lifting the car and then dropping it onto the engine/tranny assembly is the absolute easiest way, but most of us don't have lifts available to us.

Or you can assembly the engine and trans together, use the cherry picker to lift up the front of the car, slide assembled engine under and raise it while you lower the car down. Bolt it engine mounts as necessary.


But to answer you original question, minimally the crank and Bedplate has to be together to be even considered for drop in. Everything else can be done with the block in the mounts.

Just a thought.

It's alive!

I dropped in the assembled long block yesterday sans exhaust, crank pulley, front timing cover and motor mount bracket, and it slipped right in. The trick was to lower it forward of where it needed to be and then moving back after it was at the right height.