You do sound like you are between the proverbial rock and a hard place. We wish you well on the change. If we weren't so far away, some of us would be there shortly to help do the swap quickly. Do take some pics so we can share the experience with you, sort of. You are one tough hombre to be tackling this.

 

Thank you for your word Mark. This has been a very discouraging process, but I refuse to just call it quits just yet.

I still vote for a FTE fishing trip. A little bit of fishing, and then from wrenching all while in the beautiful state of Alaska.

 

Big Bump.

Game day is fast approaching.

I am amid my night shift right now (Its 3:44am) and done with all my work. Thought I would take the time to get a list going of things I will need. I am still waiting on finding a place to work on the truck but at this point my engine is arriving Friday night and I intend to put it in the back of my truck for the time being. I figure several sheets of plywood and the engine lift will allow me to get the engine out of his truck and into the back of mine.


Still no shop but I have a couple people working on connections for me.

It occured to me the other day, all of the engine swaps I have ever done on multiple vehicles were always on manuals. What is involved in seperating a auto from the engine?


More to the point, I am going to start a list of things to buy when I am in Wasilla this Friday. Hoping to have you guys look over it and help me get most of the stuff on the first try.

- Engine lift [Check]
- Torque Wrench
- Straps to keep auto trans up when engine is out. [Check]

- Floor jack [Check]

- 10 to 15 empty gallon jugs for coolant and what ever oil is left.
- Oil catch cans [Check]

- New oil filter
- Oil 4 gal
- Oil filter wrench
- Metal fuel line removal tool
- 8mm socket, deep & shallow for various nuts to help remove the core support
- 15 mm torque converter nuts, 21mm (Engine mount size?), 19mm for bellhousing, 24mm to turn engine over. Should I buy the wrenches for these as well?
I have various tools but I need to go through them and see what is left.


Talk to me folks!

 

The engine I am picking up is going to include the original turbo, injectors and everything else. What do you guys think I could get selling off the turbo and injectors? What about the old engine? It does have a quarter sized hole in the side of the oil pan, but might have good parts left on it.

 

How many miles are on it?

 

150,000 ish.

 

I don't want to sound like I'm talking down to you, but this sounds like you are prepping for a lot of problems to occur.
You have so many things working against you that I don't think you are going to be liking the end result.
I've been there, trying to install an engine in my car, under a tree, and never getting it running.
Mostly I was a very inexperienced teenager biting off more than I could chew.
.
Would it be out of budget to find a shop in Anchorage and pay a professional to swap the engine over?

 

I would say $400 for the injectors and maybe $250ish for the turbo. Just a guess.

 

Thanks. That would be nice.

The guy wanted 2500 for the engine (another 300 to drive it 5 hours north to me) to bring the motor up to me and then wanted to keep some of the accessories without lowering the price. So I told him to give me every single thing on it and I would sell it off to reduce my out of pocket.

 

One VERY important thing to keep in mind.......

A manual transmission-equipped truck does not require the crankshaft to be turned to remove the engine. An automatic DOES. If the engine chucked a rod, it is VERY SAFE to assume that the crank is not going to be able to be turned at all. If it will turn, it will not go very far in either direction due to shrapnel stopping progress. If the crank doesn't turn, the torque converter nuts will not be accessable. You WILL NOT be able to get the engine to come out with the torque converter on the back without at least jacking up the cab a good 5-6 inches since the clearance between the oil pan and crossmember allows for ZERO forward movement of the engine without being lifted at least 4 inches.....and the transmission case will be against the floorboard tunnel long before that height is reached.

 

Hell of a good catch Cody!! I hadn't thought of that till I started reading your post. But here's a question... How would he be able to separate the 2 even out of the truck? Cause you've still got to turn it to remove the t/c bolts, right?

 

No, the T/C stays on the crank, and the input shaft stays with the tranny.

You're sure to dork the tranny's front seal in the process, but it allows separation.

But you HAVE to pull both out as a unit, first.

I don't see this entire thing happening until he gets it towed to a shop (or hanger).

If I were in his shoes, I'd be finding me a friendly airport manager. However, the manager has likely BTDT and may not want any part of it again.

And like he says, Talkeetna is a hole-in-the-wall. A place where busses exchange tourist passengers with the railroad.

Pop

 

Thanks for pointing that out Cody. The engine should turn over. The engine was still running when I shut it off and cranked over just fine when I turned it over for ****s and giggles a couple weeks ago.


So in this case what will the procedure be in separating the two? Do I need to unbolt the transmission case from the engine and then once they are slightly separated reach in and get the torque converter bolts?

 

No. You can get under there, take off the 3 (10mm) bolts that hold the tin inspection cover on, then take off one torque converter-to-flexplate nut at a time while rotating through all 6 nuts (60 degrees apart). Then take out the six bellhousing bolts and the motor mount nuts...then come up and forward with the engine....you'll still have to jack the transmission up to where it contacts the transmission tunnel.

 

Did you check this place? Maybe they will rent you a bay or something. I just googled it.


Mile 2 AutomotiveAddress:‎
Talkeetna Spur Rd
Talkeetna, AK 99676
(907) 733-2362