Swapping engines

[KevinH1990]

While celebrating the 25th anniversary of my car's production data (aka it's birthday) I calculated that it's $48,000 cost in 1999 would be over $92,000 in today's dollars. It sounds like your total investment in your car including the replacement engine is about $10,000. While you are banging your knuckles and possibly saying "bad words" tell yourself that your sweat equity is worth $82,000.

I changed the spark plugs and spark plug tubes in my car yesterday. Since I had the rear wheels off, I decided to bleed the brakes. I will be finishing that task today. I hope that I never have to replace an engine, but I will be watching and learning.

[LoneWolfGal]

The new engine will be here Wednesday. it weighs 570 lbs,, according to the seller, and it was shipped sturdily covered and strapped to a pallet. Good thing the diamond plate-steel engine dolly I bought from Amazon is rated at 1000 lbs. Even so, It's gonna be a bear to wrestle around. (I'm sure master-swapper Grant will attest to that.) Fortunately, I have a couple of strong lads I can press into service. I wanted to have the new engine in hand before I started unhooking the old one. I'm the slowest mechanic on the planet, so the swap is likely to be a lengthy process. If it becomes a winter project I might have to fire up my Mr. Heater 75 - 125,000 BTU torpedo heater. (Yes, the area I'll be working in is well ventilated.)

[Gilles]

IMHO, if you disconnect the drive shafts from the tranny, and unbolt the gearbox mounts (to lower the complete assembly), it would be way easier than trying to install the engine with the tranny still attached into the car.
Good luck, and looking forward to your pictures! :-)

[LoneWolfGal]

Originally Posted by Gilles

IMHO, if you disconnect the drive shafts from the tranny, and unbolt the gearbox mounts (to lower the complete assembly), it would be way easier than trying to install the engine with the tranny still attached into the car.
Good luck, and looking forward to your pictures! :-)

Sounds logical. Anyone else care to chime in on this question?

[spinjockey]

Originally Posted by LoneWolfGal

Sounds logical. Anyone else care to chime in on this question?

Yes dropping the whole unit is the way to go. It ensures that you can properly torque all of the bolts in the bell housing. You can leave the slave cylinder attached to the line in the car.

[JFP in PA]

Originally Posted by LoneWolfGal

Sounds logical. Anyone else care to chime in on this question?

Dropping it as an assembly is both easier and much faster.

[LoneWolfGal]

Originally Posted by JFP in PA

Dropping it as an assembly is both easier and much faster.

Thanks, JFP. The more I work on my 986, the more I'm realizing that my experience working on conventional engines is often not applicable to Porsches. It's humbling. Luckily, more experienced folks are around to set me straight.

[LoneWolfGal]

Finally! And it's a heavy mother, I kid you not.

[LoneWolfGal]

I spent the entire day yesterday with my nose pressed against the window, waiting. But 6 pm came and went with no engine forthcoming. What kind of cruel hoax was this? A quick check of tracking revealed that the delivery date had been changed to the 19th. No stranger to disappointment, I merely shrugged. But if TForce Freight lets me down again, there's gonna be big trouble.