removing engine from auto box any thing i need to know???

[slideways]

As the title suggests i am about to unbolt the engine to have it sent away to be top hat linerd, do i have to be carefull of anything or is it just a case of unbolt and lift out?
thanks in advance
Rich

[Trooper2]

Yes, there are alot of things you need to know....

HTH.

[nevyn]

Hi

It is definitely a 2 man job
I have done this on my P38 and getting it out is not too difficult
you do have to be careful that once it is free of the gearbox it does not swing back.
if the drive shaft hits the wrong place you can break the gearbox oil pump which is integrated in the drive socket of the gearbox.

you have the choice of unbolting the torque converter while the engine is in the car or leaving it on the engine
it is a heavy unit and is only held onto the engine with a thin plate called a flex plate.
If the flex plate is broken (common problem) it may not support the weight of the torque converter as you lift the engine out. if this falls it will shatter!
It is a fiddle but it is possible to remove the bolts holding the torque converter to the flywheel while it is in the car you will need to support it in the bell housing while you remove the engine but it makes the whole lot a bit lighter and smaller to maneuver.

it can be very tricky to get the engine out unless you have removed the shielding on the exhaust and I had to remove the manifold on one side to get it out the engine bay

the sump also can catch on the stuff at the front i had to loosen and move the oil coolers aside just to make the clearance

Take the bonnet off!

apart from that it is relatively straight forward
putting it back is a little more tricky
you have to line the engine up perfectly with the spline socket on the gearbox or it will not seat properly and if you force it you will again risk breaking the gearbox oil pump.

I wish you all the best of luck

Nevyn

[slideways]

nevyn said:

Hi

It is definitely a 2 man job
I have done this on my P38 and getting it out is not too difficult
you do have to be careful that once it is free of the gearbox it does not swing back.
if the drive shaft hits the wrong place you can break the gearbox oil pump which is integrated in the drive socket of the gearbox.

you have the choice of unbolting the torque converter while the engine is in the car or leaving it on the engine
it is a heavy unit and is only held onto the engine with a thin plate called a flex plate.
If the flex plate is broken (common problem) it may not support the weight of the torque converter as you lift the engine out. if this falls it will shatter!
It is a fiddle but it is possible to remove the bolts holding the torque converter to the flywheel while it is in the car you will need to support it in the bell housing while you remove the engine but it makes the whole lot a bit lighter and smaller to maneuver.

it can be very tricky to get the engine out unless you have removed the shielding on the exhaust and I had to remove the manifold on one side to get it out the engine bay

the sump also can catch on the stuff at the front i had to loosen and move the oil coolers aside just to make the clearance

Take the bonnet off!

apart from that it is relatively straight forward
putting it back is a little more tricky
you have to line the engine up perfectly with the spline socket on the gearbox or it will not seat properly and if you force it you will again risk breaking the gearbox oil pump.

I wish you all the best of luck

Nevyn

Thanks Nevyn,
i managed to get the engine out today on my own,and managed not to break anything.
The flex plate was ok so the torque converter came out with the engine, quite easy really thanks for your advice.
Rich

[oakdale]

Do not refit the engine the way you removed it, as the transmission can be easily damaged that way.
The torque coverter should be fitted to the transmission first.

[eliot]

oakdale said:

Do not refit the engine the way you removed it, as the transmission can be easily damaged that way.
The torque coverter should be fitted to the transmission first.

Indeed.

[oakdale]

Removing the engine with the torque converter still attached isn't a good idea either, unless you like having a couple of litres of transmission fluid on the garage floor.

[slideways]

thanks for the advice guys i will attempt it that way round on the refit
Rich

[slideways]

the engine is ready to go back in now, so armed with the advice given previously putting the torque converter on first, is there a set measurement for the converter in the housing before the engine is bolted back on and what is the best tool to use to tighten the converter/ flexplate bolts in situ
Thanks
Rich

[Steve_D]

Don't know the measurement but it should be easy to measure. Measure how far the flex plate is from the back of the engine face. Check that the TC is a little further than that dimension back into the 'box bell housing. Smear a little grease on the spigot in the middle of the TC.

Fit the engine and bolt up.

Move the flywheel until a large hole is at the bottom. Rotate the TC until one of the four fixing bosses lines up. Take a socket (not long series) and pack out the inside with rag or kitchen roll so that the bolt head sits in the end of the socket without going down inside. Use bluetac to hold the bolt in the socket. Fit the first bolt through the hole, flexplate and into the TC. Screw it home but leave it a few threads from tight. Turn the flywheel round to the next hole etc. etc. I find it easy to move the flywheel with a 13mm spanner on the bolts on the front face of the flywheel.
Finally tighten them all. If you use the socket and ratchet as you tighten the flywheel will turn until the socket is jammed against the sump edge which gives a nice purchase for the final tighten.

If you are going wading then make sure you seal the cover with silicon when you refit it.

Steve