Engine/transmission replacement- this should be fun

[FiST to death]

Hi all, not sure if this belongs in the Engine Performance Upgrades section or not, but I am replacing my engine and transmission (and anything else that looks like it needs it while I'm at it) in a few weeks and I figured I'd ask if anybody has pulled their own engine out and if I should be on the lookout for anything while I'm in there. I have 145k miles on my 2014, and the transmission went kablooey (likely input shaft bearing judging by the noise it was making). When I checked the forums to see if anybody was selling a used trans instead of rebuilding mine, someone was selling an entire drivetrain out of a 22k mile 2015 (along with a crapload of other parts) and I couldn't resist. I figure mine was due for the coolant change and the timing belt replacement anyway, this is a good time to swap the whole shebang out for one with 120k fewer miles on it! My plan is to remove the hood, headlights, radiator and cowl, evacuate the AC system, unplug/disconnect everything and pull it out the top as one assembly. I'm guessing I can pull it with the downpipe attached and just disconnect the catback section. I have spares of everything now, and I'll swap my performance parts over to the new one while they're both out of the car. That's going to mean pulling the transmission off the engine and swapping over the flywheel and clutch, so I'll order new flywheel bolts and axle seals today (they're cheap, I don't want to do this again if I can avoid it). Anything else I should be looking at replacing while I've got it all apart? I'm hoping my V3 intercooler from @ron@whoosh might be here by then, but that's not the end all to install later. I have the new colder pregapped plugs to throw in the new engine, plus I'll swap over my upgraded mounts, CAI, etc. to the new one. I'll assess whether my existing radiator or the one I got from the other car is in better shape, same with axles (the CV joints on the newer one are bent kinda awkwardly to get them in the shipping crate, so I don't feel super confident about them). Overall, it *looks* like one of the simpler swaps I've seen, but if anybody would know about any hidden issues it would be this group.

Thanks!

John

 

[FiST to death]

Forgot, I also have the colder thermostat to pop in while I'm at it. Debating replacing the radiator hoses since they seem fine, thoughts? Anybody had one fail, or are they generally pretty stout?

 

[Rocketst]

Seems like you pretty much got everything man. I'd personally get the flywheel machined to verify flatness but it's more a personal thing.... To be honest with you, I'd replace the flywheel and clutch instead of moving them over since it's a bitch to get the transmission back out.

Sent from my moto z4 using Tapatalk

 

[FiST to death]

Seems like you pretty much got everything man. I'd personally get the flywheel machined to verify flatness but it's more a personal thing.... To be honest with you, I'd replace the flywheel and clutch instead of moving them over since it's a bitch to get the transmission back out.

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Nah, they're maybe 150 miles old- lol. A friend who used to have a FiST assured me the noise was the throwout bearing and it was still on the original clutch anyway, so I pulled the trans and replaced with a Fidanza flywheel and an OEM clutch/pressure plate/slave. Sometimes I hate being right. lol

 

[Philld_with_donuts]

I haven't pulled the engine and trans yet, but I often pull the entire radiator / core support whenever I need to do most anything under the hood. Would make pulling the engine/trans very easy.

This might be in your plans already, but after pulling the headlights, pull the front bumper and you'll see 4 bolts holding the entire core support/bumper beam/intercooler in place.
With that out of the way, you'll have access to everything you need.

 

[FiST to death]

I haven't pulled the engine and trans yet, but I often pull the entire radiator / core support whenever I need to do most anything under the hood. Would make pulling the engine/trans very easy.

That's not a bad idea, my townhouse garage has a pretty low ceiling and not having to hoist everything UP and out would probably make it a lot easier.

 

[FiST to death]

I went ahead and ordered the Mishimoto radiator hoses, some additional motor mount inserts and the upper mount upgraded bolt, a downpipe gasket, and a flange gasket from @ron@whoosh to be on the safe side. I'd rather replace the hoses now for the hundred bucks or so while everything is out than have one blow in a year or two. Probably won't be an easier time to put mount stiffening inserts in than now, right? lol

 

[flbchbm]

Anything else I should be looking at replacing while I've got it all apart?
Thanks!
John

LSD...

 

[Philld_with_donuts]

I went ahead and ordered the Mishimoto radiator hoses, some additional motor mount inserts and the upper mount upgraded bolt, a downpipe gasket, and a flange gasket from @ron@whoosh to be on the safe side. I'd rather replace the hoses now for the hundred bucks or so while everything is out than have one blow in a year or two. Probably won't be an easier time to put mount stiffening inserts in than now, right? lol

There are certainly a lot of jobs that are easier with the motor out! If those Mishimoto hoses are silicone, just note that one side effect of running silicone rad hoses on a daily driver (any car really) is they do have a tendency to "sweat", and you may need to monitor coolant levels every so often, and may get a slight coolant smell in the vehicle at times.

It's been about 50/50 for me in the past on whether or not it happens with silicone hoses, and depends a lot on the particular formulation or silicone that is used and amount of condensation that develops in the coolant circuit in your region.
I just put the whoosh hoses in my car last night, so I'll let you know if they "perspire".

Mounts are a great choice. And I'd inspect the "dog bone" / "lower trans mount" / "rotation resistor"... whatever it's called, mount on the bottom of the trans. Those seem to have a tendency to wear out, and I just did mine with the whoosh mount last night after my Cobb one failed. Took less than 5 minutes to install.

If you really wanna get wild, I second the LSD comment. No easier time... but make sure to do the homework on that one, because there are lots of small auxiliary parts like one time use bolts, shims, bearing installers, etc. you will need if you go down that road. (And many aren't in stock at Ford or other retailers right now.)

 

[Philld_with_donuts]

If you happen to think of it, I'd really appreciate if you can post up a photo or link of what spots / mounts you lift from when you pull everything out.
I'm planning a big overhaul at the end of this season and was curious where to lift these motors/transmissions from!

 

[FiST to death]

Mounts are a great choice. And I'd inspect the "dog bone" / "lower trans mount" / "rotation resistor"... whatever it's called, mount on the bottom of the trans. Those seem to have a tendency to wear out, and I just did mine with the whoosh mount last night after my Cobb one failed. Took less than 5 minutes to install.

I actually threw the Whoosh RMM on last time, so that's already in there.

 

[Rysiin]

What engine did you go with?

 

[FiST to death]

What engine did you go with?

Just a lower mileage stock engine, nothing special.

 

[scooter123]

I would suggest replacing te radiator with a Mountune 3 pass while your doing this. Once you have it installed and start driving your car you'll understand why. You'll never have issues with hot soak and you will actually see an improvement in your gas mileage due to the engine running at it's ideal temperature. BTW, did not expect the improvement in mileage I saw after installing the Mountune in my FiST but I'm average 2-3 mpg better in city driving.

 

[FiST to death]

Finally got the engine and transmission (and subframe and wheels and rack and suspension and... and... lol) home from work, planning to pull the transmission off the 'new' engine tomorrow and check compression, pull the clutch and flywheel, replace the axle seals, check everything else... this is weird for me, I've never pulled a perfectly good engine before just to replace it with the same thing with a lot fewer miles. Lol... I figure I had to do the timing belt, serpentine belt, coolant, etc anyway real soon, I may as well put the 22k mile engine in instead while i'm doing the transmission.

 

[Philld_with_donuts]

Finally got the engine and transmission (and subframe and wheels and rack and suspension and... and... lol) home from work, planning to pull the transmission off the 'new' engine tomorrow and check compression, pull the clutch and flywheel, replace the axle seals, check everything else... this is weird for me, I've never pulled a perfectly good engine before just to replace it with the same thing with a lot fewer miles. Lol... I figure I had to do the timing belt, serpentine belt, coolant, etc anyway real soon, I may as well put the 22k mile engine in instead while i'm doing the transmission.

Would you mind giving a little close up for where you grabbed onto to lift it out?
Did going out the front work well for you? Looks like you cleared the ceiling!

 

[FiST to death]

Would you mind giving a little close up for where you grabbed onto to lift it out?
Did going out the front work well for you? Looks like you cleared the ceiling!

That's actually the 'new' one, I just finally got to borrow the work van and get it home- I don't have pics, but that one is held by the left and right mount bolts. I just fabbed some angle steel into brackets at work (just drilled a half inch hole on each side of the angle) and stuck high strength carriage bolts through the vertical hole in the bracket so it can't slide off. When I do go to pull the old one I'll check my ceiling clearance with the arm shortened and the chain as short as I can get it (the pic shows it as long as it goes so I could get it out of the van, my driveway is sloped so it was a pain getting it high enough to drive out from under it). If I can, I'll just go straight out the top, if not I'll do as you suggested and pull the front apart. I'll probably jack it up and hold the assembly with jack stands to get the mounts off and put on the brackets to lift it, then do the reverse putting the 'new' one in. I hate working in a single car townhouse garage, I barely have space to get the jack under the car to put it on stands, much less ceiling height and room in front. Next house is definitely going to need a better garage, but @DRVIPER711 gets to buy that one- it's her turn.

 

[FiST to death]

Also, now that it isn't diagonally on a pallet in the back of a van, I can probably find a better lift point. lol... I'll update with whatever I come up with.

 

[Rocketst]

Pretty sure you could find an eye bolt to fit somewhere on the other site. Wondering if the stainless steel shift cable brackets are considered load bearing cuz if so you could put a tow strap under those. Me personally, I used an eye bolt in the exhaust manifold holes and believe there was a grab location at the front of the engine as well. I also had the engine hoist adjuster (thing you can change the pitch of the engine with) so I had a lot more control on the angles and how the engines weight was distributed.

Sent from my moto z4 using Tapatalk

 

[M-Sport fan]

That's actually the 'new' one, I just finally got to borrow the work van and get it home- I don't have pics, but that one is held by the left and right mount bolts. I just fabbed some angle steel into brackets at work (just drilled a half inch hole on each side of the angle) and stuck high strength carriage bolts through the vertical hole in the bracket so it can't slide off. When I do go to pull the old one I'll check my ceiling clearance with the arm shortened and the chain as short as I can get it (the pic shows it as long as it goes so I could get it out of the van, my driveway is sloped so it was a pain getting it high enough to drive out from under it). If I can, I'll just go straight out the top, if not I'll do as you suggested and pull the front apart. I'll probably jack it up and hold the assembly with jack stands to get the mounts off and put on the brackets to lift it, then do the reverse putting the 'new' one in. I hate working in a single car townhouse garage, I barely have space to get the jack under the car to put it on stands, much less ceiling height and room in front. Next house is definitely going to need a better garage, but @DRVIPER711 gets to buy that one- it's her turn.

Consider yourself quite LUCKY to even have a garage at all to work in, and a HOA which does not fine you for doing that!!