Dropping the engine

[bazar01]

I am about ready to drop the engine on the S2 to replace rod bearings, oil pan gasket and timing belts and seals.
So far I have done the following.
1. Dropped the exhaust and tranny
2. Disconnected the TT from bellhousing
3. Removed the starter
4. Removed the fans and radiator
5. Removed the AFM and connector
This weekend, I have to do the following
6. Remove the steering shaft
7. Remove the A/C compressor and move it out of the way
8. Disconnect the heater hoses
9. Remove the power steering pump and hoses
10. Disconnect the tie-rod ends and sway bar
11. Disconnect the ball joint from strut
12. Disconnect brake booster hose
13. Disconnect the vapor canister hoses
14. Disconnect the throttle cable and cruise cable
15. Disconnect the engine ground
16. Disconnect the fuel lines
17. Disconnect the ref sensor connector
18. remove the distributor cap and rotor

Then I can start lowering the engine.
What is the best way to remove the engine wiring harness without damaging it?
Thanks.

[krystar]

i just disconnected the harness and moved it over to the side.

you're dropping the engine right? not lifting it out.

[bazar01]

Yes I am dropping it.

Do I have to unplug it from the DME under the dash and pull the harness and DME plug out of the firewall?

Thanks.

[krystar]

i certainly didn't. are you replacing the harness or something? you don't have to remove it to pull the engine out.

[944 Ecology]

If you are removing the engine and have not removed the dme harness from the engine, you will have to disconnect the harness from the dme and snake it out through the hole in the firewall.

That said, you really don't need to remove the engine to do the rod bearings, oil pan gasket and timing belts and front engine seals... Sure seems like you're doing a lot of extra work for no additional gain.

[krystar]

benchpressing the crank back into the spot while putting the the conrod bolts in place....while under the car. if u had a lift yea, but i can't see myself doing that in my garage.


rest of the things can definitely be done with engine in car. oil pan bolts might need some clever wrench angles, but can be done.

[944 Ecology]

Originally Posted by krystar

benchpressing the crank back into the spot while putting the the conrod bolts in place....while under the car. if u had a lift yea, but i can't see myself doing that in my garage.


rest of the things can definitely be done with engine in car. oil pan bolts might need some clever wrench angles, but can be done.

Seems to me that you're confusing replacing the main bearings (which involves removing the crankshaft) with replacing the connecting rod bearings, which should be done with the crankshaft already in place.

[bazar01]

Originally Posted by 944 Ecology

If you are removing the engine and have not removed the dme harness from the engine, you will have to disconnect the harness from the dme and snake it out through the hole in the firewall.

That said, you really don't need to remove the engine to do the rod bearings, oil pan gasket and timing belts and front engine seals... Sure seems like you're doing a lot of extra work for no additional gain.

Sorry for not mentioning, but I also have to repair the stripped bell housing threaded hole above the starter. So the engine needs to come out. I will just oversize the bolt to the next size.

So the DME plug will fit in the firewall hole? I have not seen the hole yet and just wondering.

I do have the Maxjax lift so dropping the engine is no big deal.

[bazar01]

Originally Posted by krystar

benchpressing the crank back into the spot while putting the the conrod bolts in place....while under the car. if u had a lift yea, but i can't see myself doing that in my garage.


rest of the things can definitely be done with engine in car. oil pan bolts might need some clever wrench angles, but can be done.

Yes I have the lift, maybe I am justifying the engine drop because of the lift.
Seriously, I have to repair a stripped bell housing threaded hole.

[944 Ecology]

Yep, it will fit through the hole. The trick is to first pull the smaller harnesses (two as I recall) through (actually, it helps to have a friend inside pushing it out) before trying to push the largest one out.

[bazar01]

Thank you George,
Thank you krystar for the help.

I'll try to snake the harness and plug thru the firewall hole sometime this week and hopefully drop the engine this weekend.

[krystar]

Originally Posted by 944 Ecology

Seems to me that you're confusing replacing the main bearings (which involves removing the crankshaft) with replacing the connecting rod bearings, which should be done with the crankshaft already in place.

ah yea. yer right hehe. i forgot i also checked my main bearings when i had it out. things just blur in. i remember what i did, not why i did heh

[nynor]

Originally Posted by bazar01

Yes I have the lift, maybe I am justifying the engine drop because of the lift.
Seriously, I have to repair a stripped bell housing threaded hole.

that is awesome! i need one!

[mikepellegrini]

+1

That is so, so cool! I want one and I want it now!

[bazar01]

Thanks guys. I am not getting any younger. It's getting harder and harder working with jack stands.
I figure, if I love doing this, I have to be able to do it a little longer when I am past 60 eight years from now.
Best tool I bought. It only came out this year. Perfect for low ceiling garage.

[slow944s]

If you don't mind telling; what did that set you back??

[Schumi]

I dropped my engine with the harness just unplugged from everything and laying out of the way. After the engine was out I pulled DME plug through the hole in the firewall and took the harness out of the car to do some repair on it and re-wrap it. It was very easy to pull through. Getting it back in however, and getting the rubber seal back in may prove to be a bit more difficult.

[bazar01]

Originally Posted by Schumi

I dropped my engine with the harness just unplugged from everything and laying out of the way. After the engine was out I pulled DME plug through the hole in the firewall and took the harness out of the car to do some repair on it and re-wrap it. It was very easy to pull through. Getting it back in however, and getting the rubber seal back in may prove to be a bit more difficult.

Is it easier that way than pulling the DME plug and snaking it thru the firewall?
That's a lot of unplugging components. Injectors, sensors, etc.
But, it looks like the engine is so close to the firewall so pulling the plug and harness thru the firewall looks a little challenging. I will look into your suggestion.
Thanks.

[krystar]

honestly, the sensors are pretty obvious ones

oil pressure, 2 coolant temps, fuel injector clips, TB position, AFM, ISV, Aux Idle actuator, starter, alternator, o2 sensor, speed + ref sensor......and that's probably about it...there might be one or two that i missed

[Schumi]

Originally Posted by bazar01

Is it easier that way than pulling the DME plug and snaking it thru the firewall?
That's a lot of unplugging components. Injectors, sensors, etc.
But, it looks like the engine is so close to the firewall so pulling the plug and harness thru the firewall looks a little challenging. I will look into your suggestion.
Thanks.

I had the entire intake system off the car when I dropped the motor. Everything was unplugged in the engine bay. I put the harness up in the smugglers-area on the drivers side while I dropped the motor. After that, I pulled the DME plug through the firewall into the engine bay to take the harness off. In your case, if you don't need to work on the harness, you can just leave it in the car.

Unplugging everything wasn't very difficult. Then again, I was stripping everything down, and spending my weekends working on the car so I wasn't worried about how long it would take me to do anything. I had had the intake system off the car for a while and that allowed easy access to a lot of things, and made the motor drop a LOT easier. In my case I was jacking the car up with the rear wheels on the ground and pulling the motor out the motor out the front, so every bit of clearance was needed. In your case, maybe not so much.


Now that the engine is fully re-assembled, it will probably be more difficult to get back in. I haven't gotten to it yet, it's sitting, waiting. Potentially in a few weeks it will be back in.