What smalls do I need to swap a new longblock?

Time to remove the front diff then haha

 

I bought the leveler at O'Reilly Auto Supply. Do you have one of them?

 

Are you messing with me? Is there seriously a need to remove the front diff? I can see the engine mounts, I should be able to get to them without diff removal right?

 

I meant to remove the pistons from the crank through the oil pan to be able to turn the crank.

if you want to remove the whole thing you're going to be in for a tough time w/o at least a load leveler.

The engine itself is such a tight squeeze I don't think I could have done it with the (5speed) trans connected. I'm guessing the transfer case may have to at least be removed.

 

Going off of what CS_AR said, I think I can pull the engine out separate from the transmission, but leaving the torque converter mated to the flex plate (because I can't currently rotate the crank). This would be ideal. After the engine is out I can remove the oil pan on an engine stand, remove the broken pieces, then rotate the crank so I can remove the flex plate.

Does this seem reasonable? That would be an acceptable amount of labor. I mean, i have to accept whatever it takes, but I'd be happy with what I described.

 

Oh my bad - wasn’t following since I only have 5 speeds. Yeah I dropped the engine in with the clutch installed - I’m guessing it would be about the same.

 

I remember seeing this guy drop in his engine with the new clutch already installed.

https://www.tacomaworld.com/threads/2000-tacoma-3-4l-motor-swap-completed.357752/page-2#post-9746516

 

Yeah I had to (for reasons) drop in my engine 3-4 times and it fit no problem with headers and the clutch - the clutch and flywheel leveled the weight better even. The only thing I had to remove temporarily was the y pipe which I bolted on before the engine was bolted to the motor mount perches once it cleared the hood cowl.

 

if you are going to attempt to leave the torque convertor on the flex plate be careful on removal and ONLY pull it straight out, no angle pulls, no jerking it around. The snout of the torque convertor sits inside the trans oil pump and stator shaft and you don't need to add a trans repair to this project. If this is the route, take the radiator out and remove as much from the front of the motor to make it as short as possible.

On the 4X4 3.4's there is a crease in the motors oil pan and with the motor/trans lifted there is just enough room to slide a 3/8 extension and universal socket to get to the torque convertor bolts.

 

That's the last word. I remember having all parts of the engine mounts removed so I could keep the engine straight with the trans while separating it. No radiator.

 

Yeah radiator should be out anyway.

 

I have the day off from work so the engine comes out today!

I've got chains rigged up to bolts on the engine and I'm planning on using a wooden platform on a jack to support the transmission. Seem reasonable? I'm going to need to roll the truck a little bit after the engine comes out so I'll need to figure out how to support the transmission with the truck rolling. It's not immediately clear where I might be able to use straps to support it after the engine comes out. Ideas?

Also, I'm going to ship off the injectors today to be serviced. I noticed a logo I'm not familiar with. Are these decent injectors? I thought it said Arrow but now it looks closer to Arrom? I can't find an online reference to either name.



Thanks!

 

Dont forget the Big-E-Smalls

 

I just can't seem to get this engine out. I feel broken.

The transmission is pretty well stuck to the engine. I've certainly removed all the bolts, but it still won't budge much. I can see it separate a little bit most of the way around, but only a tiny bit, like 2 fingernail thicknesses.

Everybody says to be sure the transmission is level with the engine but honestly I have no idea if they are level. It's really hard to tell. I've built up a 2x6 platform under the transmission pan to allow it to rest on, it's on a jack.

The engine I've anchored in 4 places, on a load leveler, on a cherry picker. When I lift the engine up I try to support the transmission with the platform I built. I pull and jerk on the now floating engine but I'm getting nowhere. I only have a SLIGHT gap between the two.

What am I missing?

 

That's the right part. They should have a testing lot number under the part number as shown in the picture. I will need to check the ones I just pulled for the number 31 that appears on the pintle cap.

When I received some counterfeit injectors, they did not have a testing lot number like an (OEM or Intermotor) or the number 31 on the pintle cap. A refurbished OEM injector will have the manufacturers testing lot number stamped on the side like the picture. So far, I have not seen pintle caps from a refurbish kit with the number 31 like the one in the picture.

 

I remember being in that spot. Then I started tightening the chain on the transmission to lift it. It looks like I had a slight tilt going between left and right. I recall raising the hoist and pulling the engine forward as I shook it. Once it broke loose, it started sliding forward. That was an animated moment of adjusting the stabilizer chain and trying to keep the engine at the right angle while moving it forward to clear the bell housing. I had to have the truck rolled outside because the hoist boom was extended too high to clear my open overhead garage door. Rolling it outside was one of those last-minute things. Since I couldn't mount the engine with the torque converter and flexplate on my engine stand, I had to work fast and remove the torque converter and flexplate while the motor was on the hoist.

Need another member to chime in on this. I'm sure I went about this very differently than others here.

I already had the support bar from supporting/suspending engines while removing transmissions with a transverse-mounted V6 engine. So I found another use for it. I actually used the support bar for a longer duration than the hoist. I like to get the engine hoist out of the way as soon as possible.

I rolled the truck in and out of the garage a couple of times with the transmission suspended by the support bar.

 

CS_AR I really appreciate your input on this thread. I hope one day I can also contribute. By the way, through trial and error googling and asking people around my house, I determined the fuel injector says "Arram" which is apparently another name for Denso.

I should get one of those bars. If it helps me at all, it will be worth it. Looking at the picture, did you run a chain under the transmission? Or did you anchor to bolt holes?

I always need to acknowledge that I could totally be making an error. In the morning I am definitely going to look over the bell housing for the 10th time to be sure I am not missing any fasteners. I took out the 6 main bell housing bolts, the starter and bolts, removed the 2 flippy clamps for the transmission cooler lines. I can SEE the joint slightly widen when I shake the engine, even laying under the truck and reaching up to the front pulley and gently lifting I see the gap widen. If there is a fastener I missed, it is not a well tightened bolt but possibly something else?

I did remove the bracket for the steel cable that runs from the transmission to the throttle body. I'm really pretty sure it's not a fastener or cable but I should check again.

 

Get a bunch of penetrating oil to squirt between the block and the trans and a pry bar. Did you watch the video I linked where they removed the auto trans? If you haven’t loosened the trans from the cross member do that also so you can wiggle the engine and the trans more. The trans is hung up on the dowel pins if you’ve undone the bell housing bolts and the inspection plate bolts. You’ll possibly have to pry pretty hard on the engine and trans firmly and gently within reason to get them to separate - it took a friend and me a good hour or so. You can start the process by tapping a big flat paint scraper in between the engine and the trans and moving to wider wedges. Lube may help though. Vibration is your best friend too.

 

Actually, I didn't run a chain around the bottom of the transmission. There are two bolt holes on the back of the bell housing that I used to mount two steel brackets for mounting to the chain. I used bolts that I had already removed to go into those holes for the brackets.

Stores like Lowes or a Tractor Supply should have steel that can be cut, drilled and shaped into curved brackets. The brackets I used were leftover brackets that support a 4th gen Nissan Maxima V6 intake plenum. They just happened to be the right length and shape so I used them.

You are helping future members by bringing issues to this thread. People will be able to search and find this discussion. For so much my swap I just had to "wing it" and improvise on the fly.

How are you separating the exhaust? At the Y-pipe top or where it connects to the CAT? I hope you are not binding on some part of the exhaust.

 

^^^^^^ Great suggestions.