So i finally got my motor back from my buddy and I'm in the process of dropping the motor back in. I already attached the transmission. I pulled it from the top and i wanted to drop it in fromt he top, but it wasn't an easy task. I know billman takes the tranny off and drops it in and pulls it out, but what do you guys think about sliding the motor under the car and then jacking the car down over the motor.

my car was about 2 1/2 feet off the ground when we tried to drop it in. I dropped the motor in with a leveler straight down to get the tranny in first. then when we had the tranny in the shifter would get in the way or either the valve cover would hit the firewall or the oil pan would hit the cross bar..... no matter what we did we couldn't get it to go in.... very very frustrating... tried for a good 3 hours to get it in and we couldn't do it.

I want to know what the easiest way possible is to drop the motor or lift the motor up into the car.

I'll try to lift the car up as high as possible this weekend and try it that way, but if theres a better way of doing this let me know. thanks

 

Remove the tranny. The only way I've seen the engine/tranny come out as a combo was cutting the frame brace off. I doubt you want to do that with your car so I'd remove the trans.

 

I have parted out 38 S2000 and the way I do it is drop the front subframe and engine and Tran. together. But I'm not reinstalling them either. I did do my car twice this same way when I removed and reinstalled engine and Tran. and I had no problem with it. To me it takes as much time to install engine then the Tran. as installing as a unit with the subframe. Reason I do it this way no hoist or lift needed and I can do it by myself only thing needed 4 jack stands and a floor jack.
Good Luck

 

Yeah at this point im going to drop in the motor separate from the trans. I wont bolt up the engine to the motor mounts until i get the trans attached tho so i'll have it hovering with the engine hoist. The top two bolts on the trans is a bitch to get on so thats why i wanted to drop it in together.... at this point i'm willing to do anything to get it in.

 

^ what he said

i took the motor and trans out through the bottom out of my totaled berlina and installed it in my shell through the botom.

just gotta drop the subframe

 

So the subframe needs to be dropped. Can the install still be done without taking off the motor mounts? (FWIW, I have Innovative aftermarket mounts) The reason I'm asking is my FR manifold and turbo (which are safety-wired together) cover one of the motor mount's bolts and I have no access without taking off the turbo and manifold. I am hoping to get it all in there in one piece with the motor and tranny.

Thanks in advance for any info!

Paul




EDIT: ALSO where do you attach the hoist if I'm using the it to lift the car? As I understand you need to raise it quite a bit..