Pulling an Engine, need help.

First off, sorry for putting this in the US section but there are a lot more people in here so....
My situation is apparent by the photo in my signature block. Basicly I need to pull this engine out in the next week or so and I have NO clue what to do. Never pulled an engine before. Just looking for some tips, advice, instructions, pictures. hell, anything to help a clueless bastard out. Cheers.

Do you want to do it the easy way? or the proper way?


Easy way:
Jack the front of the car up as far as you can, at least enough to clear the height of the engine when its lying on its side.

Get some side cutters and cut EVERYTHING you can find that is attached to the engine, wiring loom, fuel lines, etc etc.
Cut the exhaust
Unbolt the engine and gear box mounts, making sure your not under the engine at the time. Unbolt the front subframe and steering linkage, and the lower control arms from the uprights.
Let the whole lot drop on the ground and drag it out from underneath.
Its quick and nasty and the common method used by wreckers who only just care about the engine, and only the engine.


The Proper Way:
Take the bonnet off the car
Carefuly detach everything you can find attached to the engine.
Unplug all of the loom, and undo and remove all the fuel lines, clutch fittings etc.
Undo the exhaust.
Then useing an engine hoist to surport the engine and gearbox unbolt the engine mounts and carefuly raise it out of the car.

You might also have to remover the raditor, and possibly either of the Manifolds.
Drain the oil out of both the engine and gearbox first will also make things easier.
Also removing as many of the auxleries as you can before lifting the engine will help, things like the A/C and P/S can be removed from the engine and left hanging in the engine bay.

Gonna try to do it the right way (somewhat). here's what I did today (with the invaluable help of friends).
http://blacklinux.com/pages/public/cars/skyline/enginepull/29apr04/DSCN4240small.jpg
Go here for more pics:
http://blacklinux.com/pages/public/cars/skyline/enginepull/
or my site:
http://blacklinux.com/pages/public/cars/skyline/

Should make it a little easier to lift considering it's only gonna have to go up like 4 inches. Now that I see the car like this, I'm not afraid of this job anymore. I don't know why I was, just cause I've never done anything like this before. But, taking it apart is a lot easier than putting it back together I guess :-) Cheers guys, thanks for all the help and advice in general over the past few months. To the few in this forum that are here to help, you guys really do a great job of answering questions and giving advice.

http://blacklinux.com/pages/public/cars/skyline/enginepull/29apr04/mikeonthecar.jpg

http://blacklinux.com/pages/public/cars/skyline/enginepull/29apr04/mikecutting.jpg
Thanks Barnes
http://blacklinux.com/pages/public/cars/skyline/enginepull/29apr04/DSCN4236small.JPG

Ive heard its hard to pull Skyline motors because the wiring is weaved all throughout the harness. I dunno if this is only the GTR models or not, I read that from some guy that was doing an rb swap.

EDIT: forgot to mention what car he was putting it in :D it was a 240.

Ive heard its hard to pull Skyline motors because the wiring is weaved all throughout the harness.


You really dont know a lot about cars do you?


my3rdskyline Its a hell of a lot easier when you cut the front of the car off! :rofl:

Very Very important thing that i don't think anyone has mentioned yet is stick little labels on all the wires and everything so that you know how to put it all back together again later on. Trust me, this could save you hours and hours of scratching your head trying to remember what goes where :p

Its really not that hard pulling out an engine, seriously, its an easy job just may take a bit of time on your first time.

Feeling a lot more secure about doing this job, anything I should know before I do the actual pull on saturday?
Check this out:
I'm doing this work at typhoon motors on camp foster (a marine camp). It costs $2.50 per hour for a flat spot, or $3.50 per hour for a spot with a lift. These prices include the use of any and all tools including a cherry picker. I went thru 4 cutting wheels today. Total for todays work... 5 bucks. The damn wheels I burned thru cost more than that (but I don't have to pay for them). Sweet deal hu? I'm gonna start doing some more work on my cars more often.

Like what Zwrangler said, label everything.

I normally take of the intake and exhaust, stick a bolt out on the four corners so I can attach the lift chain. There are other ways to lift it, but I always try to do it that way.

Other than that, make sure everything is disconnected, and pull that sucker out.

I was going to mention be careful where you attach the lift straps, but Iv never lifted an RB, and SkyUS covered it.


Oh! One other thing, does the skyline use a slip in drive shaft or is it on a flange?
If its slip in then make sure you drain the oil out of the g/box first, or it will spill everywhere when you lift the engine and g/box.
If its on a flange, then don't forget to undo it :)

im guessing it's slip in. I was planning on draining PS fluid, Engine oil and tranny fluid. anything else I should keep in mind, and could some one with a definite answer tell me if it's slip in or flange before I just have to find out for myself tomorrow? Once again guys, thanks for all the help.

Stick your head underneath and have a look!

If theres a flange with bolts through it then you know its flange type (duh)
And if theres no flange then its slip in, and you'll need to make sure you have some protection ;)

As I said above though, draining all the fluids first does make it all easier.
But Don't worry about the power steering, just unbolt the pump and leave it in the car, then its once less thing you have to worry about.


You'll probobly have to put the car up on axle stands as well.


And, Something SkyUSA will be able to answer, are there clearance issues with the sump and front cross member?
Most I6 cars Iv pulled the engines out of have been a tight fit around the sump.

You'll probobly have to put the car up on axle stands as well.
I'm renting a bay with a lift all day on saturday.

Questions for the future....


http://projectskyline.kicks-ass.net/engswap.html
This guy used an R33 GTS25t tranny and an RB26DETT in his R32 GTS-t.
For next year I am planning on doing a swap in my silver car. I'm thinking of an RB26DETT or an RB25DET from an R33. I've got a few pictures of the GTR Motor and tranny and the linkage for the front wheels. Do you think an RB26DETT and GTR tranny will fit into my car and be AWD? Or would I be better off just focusing on the engine and tranny, don't worry about the 4wd. I know it would be great for straight line launches. but I'm not so worried about that. My dream for this car would be a state side road course/ track car. If I don't do AWD then what about a serious tubb job?

Has anyone seen a tubbed R32?
AWD conversion on an R32 GTS-t?

I was looking on yahoo auctions japan (well my wife, I can't read japanese) and GTR motors are pretty cheap. like 1500-4500. I saw one kit here for 1500 but the motor was all taken apart. It was in the middle of a stalled overhaul. Hopefully by the time I have the money to do this (ehem, I mean my wife forgot about the car accident and she wont fucking kill me for spending money on my car) I will be able to do something like buying an engine in pieces and build it. I'm really interested in this stuff and would love to learn.But feel like a dumbass sometimes for asking questions like this. But fuck that, so.... what's a good way to start?

1500-4500 thats not bad. Especially nice knowing that since i know we can get them here in the US for about 5 grand for a whole front clip. harness, wiring and everything (some i see include a tranny). One thing that i know the japanese doesnt completly kick our ass on the pricing of something.

AWD conversion on an R32 GTS-t?


Its been done, its called a GTR ;)


Im sure you could fit the subframe and enough of the front suspension from a GTR into your GTS-t to make it AWD, but you would have a bitch of a time wiring up the electronics to make it work, and you would still not have the other improvements made to the GTR. (brakes, suspension tuning, body stiffening etc etc etc). What you would have would be an expensive and potentialy unreliably bastard that was not as fast as a GTR, but would probobly cost as much, if not more.

I would suggest either spending the money you plan on putting into your GTS-t on a proper GTR as it sounds like thats what you really want.

Its been done, its called a GTR ;)


Im sure you could fit the subframe and enough of the front suspension from a GTR into your GTS-t to make it AWD, but you would have a bitch of a time wiring up the electronics to make it work, and you would still not have the other improvements made to the GTR. (brakes, suspension tuning, body stiffening etc etc etc). What you would have would be an expensive and potentialy unreliably bastard that was not as fast as a GTR, but would probobly cost as much, if not more.

I would suggest either spending the money you plan on putting into your GTS-t on a proper GTR as it sounds like thats what you really want.

yes that is what I want. that's what I really really really really really want. I'm thinking I'm only gonna have the silver car for about a year :-) Time to go to sleep, tomorrow I wake up and go to typhoon motors. I'll be sure to take lots of pictures (as always).

Go here for all of the full size pictures.
http://blacklinux.com/pages/public/cars/skyline/enginepull/gallery/
http://blacklinux.com/pages/public/cars/skyline/enginepull/gallery/thumbnails/thumb_DSCN4294.JPG
http://blacklinux.com/pages/public/cars/skyline/enginepull/gallery/thumbnails/thumb_DSCN4301.JPG
The transmission is light as hell
http://blacklinux.com/pages/public/cars/skyline/enginepull/gallery/thumbnails/thumb_DSCN4288.JPG
So yeah... just lifted the car up and un did the rear linkage. Put a jack under the transmission and loosened
it. We almost dropped the thing, then when I went to move it to center it back on the jack I realized how light
it was. The reason for that close call was because we were trying to rock it back and forth to pull it away
from the engine, then we had some problems with the top of it getting stuck on the firewall. So i picked it
up with my hands and then proceded to put it on the ground. It was pretty funny, my friend spilled tranny
fluid all over his pants. With the transmission out we then realized what we had to do to get the engine out.
we just undid all of the wires for the injectors, and every sensor connector we could find. then pulled the
computer and harnes out. then undid the cooling, AC, power steering and a few other things. Cut the main ground.
Then undid the starter connector. Wrapped a chain around the mount for the alternator and hooked the other end
to the studs on the right side of the intake manifold. pulled the engine up a little bit and checked to see what
was still attached. Just a ground wire and some other stuff. Found out I had a busted motor mount :-P Pulled it out
and put it on a pallet. Engine is in storage now. Transmission too. It was completely easy to do. took about 3 hours.
I don't think that's bad for the first time.

There were a lot of other people there that day. One guy had an 800HP RB26DETT with a HUGE single turbine. He was
taking it out of an R31. That was one of the fastest cars on this island. He put the engine one a pallet and got it
ready for shipment back to the US. he's PSCing (military move) back to the states and he's gonna put the motor in
his 240Z which already has a stock RB26DETT in it. He said he wants 3500 for the stock motor but it's like 1500 to ship
back to japan, and that seems kinda fucked up to by an RB26 from the US and have it shipped to japan. Other cars that
were in the garage that day:
Ricks R32 GTR. http://www.cardomain.com/memberpage/447636
And 2 more GTR's. all R32s except for the 31 ass dropper. So I am looking around and thinking:
I love japan. Damn I really need a GTR. Very good day though.

Sounds like you had a good time.

Personaly I would not mess around with the GTSt, or the GTS-4. Get yourself a GTR. Just make sure you look around, because you do not want to buy an ex=race or drift car. They might sell them for 4-6k, but in the end you will pay out the nose for rebuilding all the parts that have been trashed.

unless thats what you want...a drift car. either way, it wouldnt make for a daily driver.

with you being in oki, i would love to drive all over the island helping find any engine you need.