Engine crossmember

[AndyG]

I am in the middle of a 5 speed swap and i am having trouble getting the tranny in. Ive read that you can unbolt the engine crossmember and drop the engine down about three inches. I cant seem to find any info about dropping it... do you have to take off any hoses or lines off the engine? or do you just unbolt and lower it?

[Sileighty_85]

unbolt the lower control arms, Tension rods and sway bar.

[boyou2]

I turn the gearbox about 180° (shifter heads down), pull the main shaft into the clutch, and turn it again, to align geabox's hole with engine holes, and that's it

it take appro. 5mn with a friend.

[AndyG]

i tried to rotate it but it still wouldnt get past the firewall.

[locoluna825]

Why would you go through unbolting the crossmember, when you could just loosen two motor mounts and tilt the engine back. By raising it with a jack ever so slightly from the front. Thats how I cleared the fire wall. and several right ups for 5 speed swaps and clutch replacements do the exact same thing.

[AndyG]

Why would you go through unbolting the crossmember, when you could just loosen two motor mounts and tilt the engine back. By raising it with a jack ever so slightly from the front. Thats how I cleared the fire wall. and several right ups for 5 speed swaps and clutch replacements do the exact same thing.

Thats exactly what i did but the shaft will not go into the hole it is about a half an inch too low before the bell housing hits the firewall. and i just changed the motor mounts so they are super stiff... the motor barely tilts back.

[Nachtmensch]

I always have the starter hole pointing down on the trans when installing. Never had a problem when the trans was oriented that way. Maybe try a jack on the bottom of the oil pan to tilt it a little. Just don't push too much on the pan.

[didderson]

unbolt the motor mounts man lol. Not all the way, just enough so the nuts sit real loose and you can then swivel the motor on the mounts. Put a 2x4 on your jack and carefully jack up the front of the engine (usually I do this on the oil pan bolting surface).
Trans will be much easier to get in.

[pacotaco345]

Thats exactly what i did but the shaft will not go into the hole it is about a half an inch too low before the bell housing hits the firewall. and i just changed the motor mounts so they are super stiff... the motor barely tilts back.

It shouldn't matter how stiff your motor mounts are, if you loosen them first then it should tilt back fine. Remember, when working on a 20 year old car.. brute force/balls/creativity are often needed. Also is your clutch aligned properly? because if it isn't the tranny will never slide in no matter how much space you have.

[AndyG]

ya the clutch is aligned right.. and i tried it with the started bump facing down. it just keeps hitting the firewall. and my mounts are all the way loose...like the nut is on the last thread of the bolt. i have no idea why it wont go in...

[pacotaco345]

ya the clutch is aligned right.. and i tried it with the started bump facing down. it just keeps hitting the firewall. and my mounts are all the way loose...like the nut is on the last thread of the bolt. i have no idea why it wont go in...

Do you have it rotated 90* or 180* when you're trying to stab it? The starter hump should be in the bottom left, not just the bottom. Also are you just using yourself or are you using a jack or something to rest it on. My 16 year-old 135 pound ass was able to get it up in there at the time when I did my swap but I was using a jack and then just using myself to pivot the tranny around.

[AndyG]

Do you have it rotated 90* or 180* when you're trying to stab it? The starter hump should be in the bottom left, not just the bottom. Also are you just using yourself or are you using a jack or something to rest it on. My 16 year-old 135 pound ass was able to get it up in there at the time when I did my swap but I was using a jack and then just using myself to pivot the tranny around.

i tried 90 and 180... i have the middle on a jack and the rear tied to a rope through the shift hole. what angle did you use to stab it? like did you keep the tranny level?

[boyou2]

Thats exactly what i did but the shaft will not go into the hole it is about a half an inch too low before the bell housing hits the firewall. and i just changed the motor mounts so they are super stiff... the motor barely tilts back.

ok, so unbolt engine mounts to the maximum, and use a wood part, and put it between the oil pan, and the crossemember, so the engine will take a certain angle.

and then, you can put the shaft into the clutch.

[pacotaco345]

i tried 90 and 180... i have the middle on a jack and the rear tied to a rope through the shift hole. what angle did you use to stab it? like did you keep the tranny level?

Hmm.. my advice would just be to keep wrestling it around until it finally goes in. There's no set angle that it needs to be stabbed at, but with that said it takes time. When I was trying to get it in I was at it for a good half hour without stop, as soon as you stop you lose everything, its not like you pick up where you left off. BTW this is tranny swap advice not sex advice...

[90hatchie]

heres a question no one has asked yet

did you removed the auto pilot bushing out of the crank and put in a manual one?

[bb4_96]

^haha beat me to it

[pacotaco345]

Ohhhhhhh yeah... haha what they said

[AndyG]

yeah i removed the auto pilot bushing.. my problem is not even being able to get it past the firewall and into the hole. ill just keep trying. i have wreseled it for almost 5 hours....

[yeti303]

yeah i removed the auto pilot bushing.. my problem is not even being able to get it past the firewall and into the hole. ill just keep trying. i have wreseled it for almost 5 hours....

why dont u just hammer the tranny tunnel up a little by the firewall?
its a 240 not a lexus make it work dude !

[drift freaq]

why dont u just hammer the tranny tunnel up a little by the firewall?
its a 240 not a lexus make it work dude !

ghetto fab time eh.LOL

Seriously you do not need to take a hammer to your car to get the transmission in. If you have to resort to doing that you should not be working on cars period.

[Darren]

Sounds like it would have been faster just to pull the motor, mate up the trans and then put the entire thing back in :P

[AndyG]

Sounds like it would have been faster just to pull the motor, mate up the trans and then put the entire thing back in :P

ya seriously

[boyou2]

Sounds like it would have been faster just to pull the motor, mate up the trans and then put the entire thing back in :P


that's what i'm doing when i put multiple disc systems.....