Engine swap into rolling shell?

[Cheap6]

Knowing me it would take a week lol. Can you lift out the motor with the gearbox still bolted onto it, and just angle it so it comes straight out? Or do you have to unbolt the gearbox first? Could someone write up a quick explaination of whats involved, what to disconnect first, what to look out for etc? That would be greatly appreciated.

It is actually much easier to take motor and box out together, with an auto trans. car, because of the auto. cooler lines.

Some simple tips, reminding that there is more than one way to do it:

Disconnect the battery first thing.

Leave the coolant hoses connected, with the clamps undone, until you have finished working under the car, unless you enjoy showering in coolant.

The radiator fan and hoses can be left attached to the radiator and removed as an assembly.

You can avoid having to drain the trans completely by using a spare (wrecker or a discard from driveshaft workshop) front tailshaft yoke to plug the back of the trans.

Disconnect and loop the auto cooler hoses so that the radiator and cooler line ends are both sealed. Avoids a mess and prevents contamination.

The wiring harness for the speed sensors fits into a clip next to the trans and will be torn off when the engine/trans is pulled if not removed from it.

Undo the high pressure power steering hose from the rack and the low pressure from the reservoir.

Leave the A/C compressor connected to the hoses and disconnect it from the engine block with the engine partly out of the car. A very slim spanner will be needed to undo one of the bolts.

A digital camera is very useful for recording the routing of harnesses etc.

Undo the trans shift lever push/pull rod from the trans end (as distinct from the lever end) to avoid having to adjust the slide.

Refitting the engine mounts into the holes in the K member can be a little tricky. One side (or the other) is easy, both together is more difficult. The trick is to put one side into the holes, start the nuts one or two threads then do the other side by just resting the engine mount studs on the K member and pulling (twisting) the studs into the holes with a lever angled between the studs. (Without any human body parts between the engine mount and the K member as it drops into the holes).

 

[Famine]

Thanks man thats a really good explaination. Im weighing up a few options, I will go out looking for commodores either rolling shells or ones with stuffed motor/trans, see the costs etc, if it turns out it will still end up costing me thousands it would probably be a lot easier to just buy a new car and save messing around. However I really wouldnt mind finding a cheap car and swapping the motor, because then I could also put in my berlina interior into the new shell, and make it all nice.

Thanks guys.

 

[cruzn]

i was in the same situation when my beutiful vr was stolen and burnt to the ground with only the running gear left. I decided to buy a shell and i found one with low km for $300. (shell still had interior but no running gear) p.s you can not remove the engine and transtition together thats balony in vr. Some wreckers do it but they do it buy cutting the support rail under the engine off.
good luck

 

[Cheap6]

you can not remove the engine and transtition together thats balony in vr. Some wreckers do it but they do it buy cutting the support rail under the engine off.

We all post in haste occasionally. Perhaps you might like to reread my earlier post and consider why I suggested doing those things in particular ways. Maybe, just maybe, I might have done the job before. Maybe even a few times. Perhaps many times. Perhaps even both ways; while leaving the transmission in the car and removing both transmission and engine together. I don't believe that I mentioned cutting the support rail.

 

[maginoodle]

you only run into trouble lifting motor and box out together if the box is a manual. The clutch fork hasnt got enough clearence but you can take the passengers side header/extactor off and that gives you enough room to get it out.

 

[5 speed VR]

depending where you live , you could try wreckers or the auctions for good rolling shells

I know of a wrecker in brissy that had a VR sedan that needed a windscreen and dash ( airbags had gone off ) because the owners hit a hard object with the sump , destroying the motor , but leaving the car untouched damage wise ( apart from screen and dash)