Removing the hood is a two-person job, as one person will have to lift each end. Screw the bolts back into the hood to avoid losing them once they are removed. Place the hood someplace safe, with cloth pads at each point it may come into the contact with the ground to avoid damaging the paint.
The fluids drained from your vehicle cannot be re-used in the new engine. Drain engine oil and coolant into separate containers for later recycling. You can bring oil and coolant to many auto parts stores to be recycled for free. If not used correctly, starting fluid can cause damage to the engine. [3] X Expert Source Jason ShackelfordAuto Technician Expert Interview. 11 June 2019.
Expect coolant lines to drip or pour coolant as they are disconnected, so place a container beneath each as you disconnect them. Refer to your vehicle’s service manual to ensure you have located and disconnected all necessary coolant lines. Remember that removing the exhaust bolts can be extremely difficult. Spray the bolts with WD40 and use a breaker bar to remove them, but be careful not to break the bolts.
Refer to a service manual specific to your vehicle’s year, make and model to ensure you disconnect all of the appropriate connections. Older, carbureted motors may have fairly few wired connections to contend with, while brand new cars often have many electrical connections.
Be very careful not to strip the bolts that connect the transmission to the engine block, as it will be very difficult to drill and tap out bolts with broken heads. Do not remove the bolts one at a time. Instead, loosen each of them a bit at a time until they are all hand loose before removing them.
If you intend to lower the engine out of the bottom of the vehicle, you will likely need to remove a cross member and place an engine jack beneath the engine. With the motor mount bolts removed, the engine will now be supported by the cherry picker or engine jack.
Have a friend jack the engine up using the cherry picker, as you carefully guide the engine to ensure it doesn’t begin to swing dangerously. Allowing the engine to swing around could cause damage to the engine or your vehicle and can easily injure you. Be extremely careful not to get a finger or hand pinched between a swinging engine and the engine bay, as most engines weigh hundreds of pounds.
Donor engines can sometimes be extremely easy to install, especially if both your vehicle and the donor vehicle are at your garage. Crate motors are the most expensive, but offer the highest level of reliability. Rebuilt and refurbished motors tend to cost slightly less, but are still considered quite reliable.
If the new engine is missing any accessory components like power steering, it may be easier to remove it from the old engine and install it on the new one before it is placed into the engine bay. Engine blocks often have engine codes cast into them. If you locate the engine code, refer it to your vehicle’s service manual to ensure it is the proper engine for the vehicle.
The engine may want to twist in the chains as it is lowered by a cherry picker, so be careful to keep the engine aligned properly. Do not release all of the tension in the cherry picker once the engine is in place. If you lower the vehicle down over the engine, take great care to ensure it is lined up properly to avoid doing damage to the body of the vehicle or the engine.
Before connecting the new motor mounts, inspect them for damage. If the rubber bushings are cracked or damaged, you should replace them before installing the new engine. Reduce the pressure on the cherry picker slowly to ensure the motor mounts will support the weight of the engine.
Refer to your vehicle’s service manual to find out the specific torque specifications required for the bolts connecting your transmission to the engine. You may need to use a torque wrench to ensure you place the proper force into tightening these bolts.
New model vehicles have far more wiring to contend with. Failing to connect the wiring harness properly can prevent the engine from running, make it run poorly, or affect the interior operations of the vehicle such as the gauge’s operation.
This is likely the most time consuming step in the process, as there are a number of connections to address. Clearances should not be an issue with a replacement motor when running the connections.
There should be at least one vacuum line connecting to your intake from the cylinder head, but some vehicles may have others. There should be no open nipples or nozzles on the intake anywhere once installed.
If any of the hose clamps used on the coolant lines seem unusable, you can purchase replacement ones at most auto parts stores.
If you see an issue, it may be daunting to take things back apart to address it, but starting the engine with something connected poorly or incorrectly can cause serious damage to your new engine. You may want to ask a friend to look things over as well, in case they notice something you’ve missed.
With everything connected and the fluids refilled, the vehicle should be ready to run. Turn the car over without letting it start a few times (by turning the key as though you want to start it, and then back quickly) to prime the fuel pump and being pumping oil through the engine before starting it for the first time.
Properly breaking in a motor can prolong its life and ensure it performs properly. Do not drive the vehicle aggressively until after you’ve broken it in for 500-700 miles.
