engine swap advice

dbguync

New Member
Joined
Nov 12, 2006
Location
Salisbury
OK guys (ladies), I'm doing my first engine swap tommorrow. Replacing my 258 with one that actually runs lol. I've got the entire front clip of the jeep off, everything disconnected and labeled, and I'm replacing the clutch while its out. Anything I should keep in mind before I start?
Thanks in advance
 
Sounds like you are off to a good start. Keep an eye on all wiring when puttin engine back in as you don't want to pinch anything. Other than that you should be up and runnin' before you know it! Good luck.
 
Main thing is to take your time & not get frustrated if you hit a snag.

Good luck!!
 
He hit a few snags, but I think he is getting it worked out.
How is it coming Dennis?
 
It;s in there. Still have a few snags though. Hope to work them out soon. Nothing is bolted up yet. Working on that pesky pilot bearing alignment thing. I'm gonna try your trick with the bolts today Chris
 
Mine was a pain until I did that. Make sure you get them long enough. You need to get it together in time for New Year's at Brown.:driver:
 
Ok uglyjeepoffroad and the rest of you more knowledgable than me. Here is the problem. I took Chris's advice and have two long bolts through the block where the guide pins are straight into the tranny. I have it lined up and together to within an inch. It is so straight I can spin the guide bolts by hand. But the D@@m thing will not go all the way together. I dont want to force it by tightening the bolts. What could i have missed? The pilot bearing is exactly like the on that came out. I used the clutch alignment tool and it slid out easily when I got it all bolted up. Is it supposed to be that tight? Or should it just slide right together? Oh yeah. The tranny shaft is in the pressure plate beacause if i turn the motor by hand with it in gear, its wants to go forward
Thanks
 
Ahhh, no. Didnt think of that. I would hate to have to rent a hoist again and take it apart, but the thought crossed my mind
 
yea that pilot is important. hopefully you have the right one. an engine swap that is easy, just doesn't seem feasable. keep working, don't give up.
 
You might also try spinning the trans output shaft while the trans is in gear. This will in turn spin theinput shaft to line up the splines on the clutch disk and trans input shaft. Hope this is it cause I'd hate for you to have to rent a hoist again. Good luck.
 
OK, I've tried everything mentioned and a few things I should'nt do. Damn thing is still not going together. I have both drive shafts out so now I'm going to drop the tranny out and take a look to be sure i have everyting in correctly. My question is,,, what could i have done wrong? There is not a whole lot of the jeep still together at this point. Any advice is greatly appreciated. Not to mention some help if anyone is really bored LOL
 
If everything is lining up, I would try spinning the shaft like mentioned above. You also may try jacking the tranny up a little, or tilting the engine. Make sure you have the same amount of space all the way around the bellhousing. If it is binding at all, it will be a bitch to get in. If you can wiggle it, just a little bit, it should drop into place. You don't have you engine mounts tightened down, do you?
If so, loosen them, or take off the bolts and try it.
 
no, the engine mounts are loose, everything is loose for that matter. I've wggiled the tail shft, kicked it, called it names i cant repeated here,,, it just isnt going in. the space is equal,, yada yada, i'm either just missing somethimg or i have totally screwed it up. I dont know Chris. Its like my heep dont love me no more LOLi
 
If the engine is in, I don't think you need the hoist. Pull the tranny back out, pull off the clutch PP Flywheel, and check the pilot bearing to see if it fits on the tranny shaft. Ya don't have to pull it out of the crank, use a dial caliper and measure them both. it's a close tolerance and should be a tight fit. When installing it, two people is nice. three even better. One to run the jack, one to push/rock/spin output, one to eyeball and give directions. It's tight, and has to go in straight according to how the engine is tilted. I usually run some straps to keep the engine from rocking back and forth, if it's stable, then you only have to worry about moving the tranny.
Good luck
 
Or go to the store and pick up another replacement bearing and see if it matches the old one. Then return it, or take the old on in if you can get it out.
I am slammed this week at home, or I would run by and take a look at it for you.
 
IT RUNS

Thats right, I actually fired it up today. I ended up pulling the tranny out with the help of a motorcycle jack and a nieghbor. Pulled everything apart and couldnt find anything wrong with the clutch install, including that pilot bearing. I was telling uglyjeepoffroad today that I "thought" it may have been the new slave cylinder was under pressure when I tried it the first time. This time I had the lines off of it. And we pushed a little harder lol. Any way, this was my first engine swap, clutch replacement, Tranny drop and install. I did it 98% by myself and today it started. I'm feeling pretty DANG good right now. Now i just have to bleed the clutch and drive it. Thanks for all the advice guys.
 
hows that thing runnin......hopefully it is what you expected. congrats on gettin it done on your own. i always end up with no help and have to do most of it on my own. makes you feel a little better knowing that you did it all by youself. some times a little help would make things alot easier though.
 
Its runnign good Nathan, sounds solid. I'm hoping to take it out on the road tomorrow. I still have a few minor things to do. Including replaceing the front u joints that self destructed when i took them out. Better here in the yard than on the trail. Thanks again.
 
Sounds like the half day off was pretty productive...

Good job with the swap.
 
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