Best way to swap an mtx

[1993MTXSHO]

Hey guys Im goign to be swapping my mtx out with a new tranny this weekend since my old one blew. I have solid MM and ALSFB to go in as well. Whats the best way to do this in my driveway? I have a jack, 4 jack stands 2 ramps and an engine hoist. Is dropping the subframe and taking it out the bottom the best way to do it, or should I pull the engine and tranny out as a unit and do it that way?

 

[SASHO91]

What subframe bushings are in the car NOW?

I only ask because if the ALSFB are in, you may need to swap out to a soft bushing for the swap. Atleast the way i do it....
I go out the drivers side, by dropping the 3 of the 4 subframe points, both driver, front passenger. As well as unbolting both motor mounts, and the left rack nut. When i do this i have GenIII bushings in there, but if you have stock worn ones, that will do.(and probably be better)....

And you need to support the motor too.. i use a couple piece's of angle iron stacked, and have it run across the strut towers, with a few straps on the intake.

I do pull the crossover tube, cause the DIS might rub against something.
I do pull the battery.

cant really think of too much else. I mean the rest is just the suspension/axles/shifter..

here is a pic of it in the middle stage....

With this procedure, i have got a trans swap down to 5hrs out/in... and if your carful enough with the subframe, you wont need an alighnment.... if you drop the subframe off the car however, you will... but either way its still a good idea to get it done after wards. But FWIW, i never had a problem with the align. after wards with the procedure i use.



If you really want to get to know the car, drop the subframe completly.... just make sure that your motor is supported more so than i stated(as the motor is still resting on the subframe slightly with my procedure)

I would give yourself a weekend to do it, and have a couple buddies come over. It really helps when your on your back, trying to man handle that tranny. even though its only 100lbsish. its still an akward shape...

EDIT: That last line just doesnt sound right....

 

[1993MTXSHO]

haha, ok, I have stock sfb but am putting in alsfb, and I have an engine hoist to hold the motor up. Ill probably drop the whole subframe then so get the bushings in and to undercoat the subframe. Maybe if im lucky I can do this on one day starting at 7 or 8 am. As of now Im not sure if il have anyone help though

Edit: my alignment is out already and the car needs one so im not worried about that part

 

[dantheman68]

i wouldnt use the engine hoist... its hydroulic(sp) and can fail... which isnt good... here's waht i did...

its a 2x6 with a 1000lb engine ratchet that goes under the motor on the oilpan (thanks to my neighbor ) and and a metal pole with a chain holding the motor up, (you really dont need that big of a ratchet, but since i had it i used it) i also changed my rod bearings with this setup, although i took the ratchet off and threaded a bolt through a chainlink that was on the 2x6 so that i could take the ratchet off of the oilpan (you can see it in the picture)(in other words) that ratchet and chain combo held the motor up like a 19 year old DD with a pushup bra... really nice

 

[1993MTXSHO]

I going to use the hoist but support it underneith incase it fails, seems like dropping the subframe is the best way to go.


Edit: You guys think I can do this in a day? say I spend about 8 hours on it, iv never done it before and my mechanic changed the clutch 3k miles ago so everything was off so I shouldn't run into any stuck bolts or something. I asked him to do it again since its cold again (clutch was changed last winter) and he said id prefer nto to, try to find somewhere else to do it or do it yourself lol

 

[dantheman68]

you can absolutely do it yourself, great learning experience and it helps you to learn your car better, but i wouldnt bank on one day... something will go not as planned, you will probably break atleast one manifold stud (not as easy to find quickly as one would think) and as far as getting the tranny back up... youll probably need another set of hands... and then theres the always 20 minutes of rage that youll need when you break a bolt off somewhere or cant get at a certain one (like the top tranny bolts) yeah id say atleast 2 days...

 

[Yamaha V6]

Get the clutch swap video if you can, it's a great 1st timer tool.

 

[thecrew2999]

i dont know if its just me but i perfer to take the engine out since hes doing the mm and subframe bushing, its just easier.i honestly think its easiest to have the engine out and change the trans then it is to drop a subframe halfway and go from there .

if he was changing a clutch i would say thats not bad but hes doing some other stuff also

i dont know it might be easier for him the way you guys say but personally it was quickest for me when i took everything out and dropped it back in. olny took me a few hours and i did it all by myself.

 

[1993MTXSHO]

clutch video is a good idea, and I had my Y pipe off like 1500 miles ago and didn't break any studs then so im assuming I wont break any now *knocking on wood*

 

[1993MTXSHO]

i dont know if its just me but i perfer to take the engine out since hes doing the mm and subframe bushing, its just easier.i honestly think its easiest to have the engine out and change the trans then it is to drop a subframe halfway and go from there .

if he was changing a clutch i would say thats not bad but hes doing some other stuff also

i dont know it might be easier for him the way you guys say but personally it was quickest for me when i took everything out and dropped it back in. olny took me a few hours and i did it all by myself.

actually matt I think im liking not having to be pushing a trans back up there, taking the engine out might be easier... if you end up coming by this weekend maybe we can get it done. this weekend at my house is 50-60 degrees Saturday and Sunday so it should be nice. My dad will be around to help too, cant hurt to have an extra set of hands, between the 3 of use we should get it done in a day

 

[SASHO91]

i dont know if its just me but i perfer to take the engine out since hes doing the mm and subframe bushing, its just easier.
.

WHAT???? That just stupid....
You can do those with the Motor and the Trans still in the car.... it wouldnt be hard to do it with the subframe dropped, or the out-through-the-driver side way.....

i honestly think its easiest to have the engine out and change the trans then it is to drop a subframe halfway and go from there .

.

Have fun pulling motors....
you do relize that there is 2x times more stuff to pull apart when pulling the motor/trans, then just pulling the trans..... all the P/S lines, A/C lines.... let alone the wiring harness....

Have you ever swapped a tranny/did a clutch job by jut pulling the trans????

I have, and i can say that pulling the trans only is the easier way. Your putting yourself through alot more work than needed....

 

[1993MTXSHO]

WHAT???? That just stupid....
You can do those with the Motor and the Trans still in the car.... it wouldnt be hard to do it with the subframe dropped, or the out-through-the-driver side way.....




Have fun pulling motors....
you do relize that there is 2x times more stuff to pull apart when pulling the motor/trans, then just pulling the trans..... all the P/S lines, A/C lines.... let alone the wiring harness....

Have you ever swapped a tranny/did a clutch job by jut pulling the trans????

I have, and i can say that pulling the trans only is the easier way. Your putting yourself through alot more work than needed....

ok down comes the subframe

 

[dantheman68]

WHAT???? That just stupid....
You can do those with the Motor and the Trans still in the car.... it wouldnt be hard to do it with the subframe dropped, or the out-through-the-driver side way.....




Have fun pulling motors....
you do relize that there is 2x times more stuff to pull apart when pulling the motor/trans, then just pulling the trans..... all the P/S lines, A/C lines.... let alone the wiring harness....

Have you ever swapped a tranny/did a clutch job by jut pulling the trans????

I have, and i can say that pulling the trans only is the easier way. Your putting yourself through alot more work than needed....

yeah i completely agree... plus it makes more sense to drop the bottom out if youre doing ALSFB because the subframe has to be dropped anyways... oh man...

 

[Mike93]

In thecrew2999's defense I almost have to agree with him...it's really not all that difficult to pulm the egine. I can confidently say I could pull a motor/trans as fast as removing the trans from the bottom. Plus, I'm not laying on my back all afternoon...

the subframe bushings would be a different story however...

 

[1993MTXSHO]

If I had another reason to pull the engine i might but I have no reason to unhook all that crap. If someone wanted to help aka matt and he wanted to do it that way id do it that way, but like stated I think since the sfb are going in i should go from the bottom.

 

[SASHO91]

what im getting at is, when you pull the engine you have ALOT more things to worry about. Not just breaking, but everything.... Again, the A/C lines(if equip'd), P/S lines, Oil, Coolant,etc..... and then the risk of something breaking is even higher.

I'll agree to disagree.... you do it your way, i'll do it mine.

 

[thecrew2999]

yeah in all honesty it is easier to pull it for me at least,
when i did my 3.2 atx to mtx swap i pulled the engine even tho i really didnt have to and i was standing half the time working on the trans and the olny time i had to take the subframe down was when i had to put the mtx subframe on and it was much easier cuz i didnt have to worry about anything falling on me.
i could get where the engine sat pull the subframe up and get it all aligned and proped up with bricks and other stuff then i just got down on the ground once to put the bolts in which was a total of 10.

4 subframe, 2 PS rack, 2 motor mounts and 2 trans mount bolts. i think total time i spent on the ground was maybe half an hour.

and i can say it taken me 8 hours total combined for this to get done

 

[SASHO91]

Just FYI, i can do it in under 5.

 

[1993MTXSHO]

anyone have some step by step instructions on how to drop the sub frame and change the trans out and such, or does the chiltons give decent instructions i havent looked at it yet?