Swapping engine and trans. Advice please

[1993BlackSHO]

I posted last week on here about having problems with my MTX. Well I changed the fluid and it only helped slightly. The old fluid was nasty. Well the motor and trans have 200k on them, so I just picked up a motor and trans from a 95 with 50k on them.

The guy I got them from said he got the car in CT from a specialty SHO shop and the motor was built. Still trying to find out what all the engine mods were. Well his 16 yr old son totaled the car, so I picked up the combo for $560 from ebay.

Now to the question. What is the easiest way to pull both out? I know I can drop the whole cradle and pull it out the bottom in one peice. But do you guys think that is the best way. I am getting started tonight so any advice you have and good wishes are apreciated.

 

[1993BlackSHO]

Well lucky for me, my next door neighbor owns an auto repair shop and I was talking to him last night about it. I'm gonna take the car over to his shop this weekend and he is going to help me do the swap. And he has a lift. That should make things go much smoother. Hopefully I will be tearing up the roads by next week.

And if anybody wants a motor with 200k on it that still runs good as far as I can tell. Probably needs a valve adjustment. And a 5sp that needs a little work, let me know. Im in northern MD.

 

[sho_sc]

Well lucky for me, my next door neighbor owns an auto repair shop and I was talking to him last night about it. I'm gonna take the car over to his shop this weekend and he is going to help me do the swap. And he has a lift. That should make things go much smoother. Hopefully I will be tearing up the roads by next week.

And if anybody wants a motor with 200k on it that still runs good as far as I can tell. Probably needs a valve adjustment. And a 5sp that needs a little work, let me know. Im in northern MD.

I've talked to many mechanics who had never worked on a SHO that decided to tackled either a clutch job or an engine swap and they swear they will never work on one again.

I don't believe a lift will help much. I have pulled the engine many of times and "my way" is to support the engine from the bay, pull the subframe, seperate the tranny, and then drop the engine out the bottom. Of course, I work by myself with hand tools.

 

[Mike93]

If he has a lift the job will be cake...leave the engine and trans on the subframe, along with the struts and brakes...then lift the car up and leave everything else on the ground. This could all be done in a few hours...

 

[93rev2sev]

If he has a lift the job will be cake...leave the engine and trans on the subframe, along with the struts and brakes...then lift the car up and leave everything else on the ground. This could all be done in a few hours...

Maybe as little as 2 hours....

Mostly disconnecting harnesses and noting their purpose and location.

your 1993 engine harness is slightly different than the donor 95 harness. I would recommend swapping your OLD harness to the new engine.

This will add a substantial amount of time. Mainly because you will see how nasty your old harness is and you may want to strip off all the old looming and retape/loom everything. This will add protection for the wires and alert you to any problems in the harness.

 

[HootUSMC]

I've talked to many mechanics who had never worked on a SHO that decided to tackled either a clutch job or an engine swap and they swear they will never work on one again.

Amen to that! When I did my tranny swap with a mechanic friend he said the same thing and he never finished the job and no more friendship, he just gave up. Good luck

 

[Mike93]

Amen to that! When I did my tranny swap with a mechanic friend he said the same thing and he never finished the job and no more friendship, he just gave up. Good luck

I've never understood this mentality...in all honesty the SHO isn't that difficult to work on. Anyone who calls themselves a mechanic should be able to find there way around in there...I mean if I can preform engine and transmission swaps in my garage with some sweet Craftsman tools and an engine hoist, and a professional mechanic with a lift and more specialty tools has issues then you may want to find a different mechanic!!!

 

[CanadianSHO]

Can't be nearly as frustrating to work on as a GM Quad 4 ** in a Berreta GTZ

 

[sho_sc]

I've never understood this mentality...in all honesty the SHO isn't that difficult to work on. Anyone who calls themselves a mechanic should be able to find there way around in there...I mean if I can preform engine and transmission swaps in my garage with some sweet Craftsman tools and an engine hoist, and a professional mechanic with a lift and more specialty tools has issues then you may want to find a different mechanic!!!

I actually think why it is an issue is "most" mechanics look at the time it takes to do something in the "labor" manual and normally 1/2s it, but charges you the full time. With the SHO, it takes almost the full time. Plus, when the need a part, Ford just tells them "sorry". Also the term, "specialty tools" means that it is for 1 or 2 cars. Unless you work on SHOs, you don't have them.

 

[URLACHER54]

i wish there was someone in maryland that could help me with my swap, because i dont know what im gonna do.

 

[SHOtime2511]

Can't be nearly as frustrating to work on as a GM Quad 4 ** in a Berreta GTZ

whats the matter? you don't like pulling the engine to change water pumps?:laugh_ti:

 

[1993BlackSHO]

Maybe as little as 2 hours....

Mostly disconnecting harnesses and noting their purpose and location.

your 1993 engine harness is slightly different than the donor 95 harness. I would recommend swapping your OLD harness to the new engine.

This will add a substantial amount of time. Mainly because you will see how nasty your old harness is and you may want to strip off all the old looming and retape/loom everything. This will add protection for the wires and alert you to any problems in the harness.

Thanks for the tip. Would have been a lot harder to find out that the harness is not the same once I got the engine in the car. Hoping to get it done in one day and be out tearing up the roads.

 

[1993BlackSHO]

i wish there was someone in maryland that could help me with my swap, because i dont know what im gonna do.

Well once I get done with mine, Im not really too far from you. If you got stuck I could probably swing by.

 

[CanadianSHO]

whats the matter? you don't like pulling the engine to change water pumps?:laugh_ti:

That and when the starter goes the entire intake must come off.

Can't pull the head without pulling the motor since there's no room to remove the timing chain cover in the car.

Surely the SHO isn't all that?

 

[Phoenix]

That and when the starter goes the entire intake must come off.

Can't pull the head without pulling the motor since there's no room to remove the timing chain cover in the car.

Surely the SHO isn't all that?

If pulling the intake to do the plugs isn't something too much for ya , then yea it's better then the quad 4.

PS you can do the plugs without pulling the intake but it's actually harder.

 

[Mike93]

If pulling the intake to do the plugs isn't something too much for ya , then yea it's better then the quad 4.

PS you can do the plugs without pulling the intake but it's actually harder.

I disagree, unless you're saying pulling plugs after the intake is removed, but removing the intake isn't necessary. With a deep well 5/8" socket and a 3/8" extension you can easily get at the rear. To remove just stick a magnet down there to pull the plugs up...to install take a screwdriver with a small rubber tube snugged onto the end and with the spark plug on the other end, twist it snug then finish up with the socket. I can do this procedure on my 3.2 MTX...and ATX is much easier since the engine sits farther forward and allows for more room on the rear bank.

 

[SHOtime2511]

That and when the starter goes the entire intake must come off.

Can't pull the head without pulling the motor since there's no room to remove the timing chain cover in the car.

Surely the SHO isn't all that?

na your right,Quad 4's are the worst thing ive ever worked on.

I disagree, unless you're saying pulling plugs after the intake is removed, but removing the intake isn't necessary. With a deep well 5/8" socket and a 3/8" extension you can easily get at the rear. To remove just stick a magnet down there to pull the plugs up...to install take a screwdriver with a small rubber tube snugged onto the end and with the spark plug on the other end, twist it snug then finish up with the socket. I can do this procedure on my 3.2 MTX...and ATX is much easier since the engine sits farther forward and allows for more room on the rear bank.

agreed,plugs can be changed on a MTX car with the intake on without too many cuss words.i usually use at least one swivel(SP).