4G94 engine swapping......tips?

Evening people!

First post here.
Just came looking for some posts in regards to swapping my engine out.
I have done something very bad to my 2003 Lancer CH (has an auto trans).
Chipping metal out into the oil pan, and sounds like a gun going off in cylinder 4.

Anyways, I have a "new to me" engine delivered on Monday on a pallet.
New engine has done 118XXX kms.
My car has done 252XXX kms

I will be diving in head first to swap this engine out, and get the new one cranking.
I have never done this before.
I will be going slow and making sure I do everything correctly.
Getting my family car back up and running is goal number 1.
Goal number 2 is to learn how to do this properly.
This is too much of an opportunity for me to miss to learn something like this.
I have done a BUTT load of research and SO much Youtube already.

My question is, does anyone that has significant experience in swapping same-for-same engines, have any simple tips that might make my job easier? from a professional point of view? or anything like that?

I plan on removing all the accessories, draining all remaining fluids and either, dropping the trans, then lifting the engine out the top, or lifting both out together, and separating then (not sure yet).
I did my timing belt on the old engine only 25,000 kms ago, so I assume removing the water pump and timing belt from my old motor will be more beneficial than relying on the unknown?

Thanks for any tips you have in advance.

G'day!

Speaking as someone who's done swaps in carports and in the professional environment, the best advice I can give is take photos, label things and have patience. No one will mock you if you take a month to do it, no one will blame you for getting professional help.

Basic procedure is
Battery off/out
Lift front of car, wheels off.
Drain (coolant, A/C, oil, gearbox oil, power steering oil, fuel lines)
Unplug all electrical connectors, labling and photographing as you go
Drive shafts off/out (gentle on brake lines & gearbox seals)
Radiator out, heater core hoses off
Disconnect power steering lines
Disconnect AC & fuel lines (blank these up)
Disconnect shift linkage
Connect engine lift, undo mounts and slowly lift out and undo anything you forgot as the motor comes out

Belts, fluids & filters should all be brand new on the "new" motor before/when you put it back together. I've never re-used a t-belt before and would not reccomend it. Water pump, sure, I'd bring that over. If you've done your accessories belts recently, bring them over too. Keep spares off your old motor like coils & thermostat incase there is something wrong with the ones on the new motor.

You will be surprised at how few tools you need. Use little containers for all your bolts and nuts and label them. Best of luck, enjoy the learning!

Id leave the AC all hooked up and just release the belt and moved the compressor out the way. No need to spend extra coin on de/regassing

Yeh I thought the same thing. I should just cable it out the way or something.
I am actually a refrigeration mechanic by trade.
I run a medical and commercial refrigeration business.
So in reality, it would cost me nothing to de-gas, vac and fill.
But....technically illegal, as I don't have the automotive classification on my refrigerant handling licence, despite having completed a full trade qualification.
Crazy huh

That's bonkers, how annoying!

But I'm with Paul, definitely cable tie it out of the way as far away as possible. Depending on which configuration of AC you have stuff might get in the way and I know a few times we've lifted the car over the motor (I did the ghetto engine crane on tow hook) and we used a forklift for @donki 's one. But that was also laziness of drive shafts. I would probably go with @SDate42 's process over that method, but if you're leaving in the AC and stuff gets in the way and you don't have a level for your engine crane, it may be the easiest option - pending your garage height.

Goodluck with it all mate, let us know if you need and help, theres always someone cluey around here!

Don't forget to undo the torque converter bolts.

Well, the new engine has a power steering pump on it that has done probably half as much work as my existing one. So i might swap the old one over with the one on the new engine.

Also, I have noticed a huge engine mount on the passenger side of the car, with the transmission hanging off it.
This is seriously going to prevent me form lifting the engine out an trans as one, out the top of the engine bay.
I might be forced to drop the trans out the bottom, by itself, then remove the engine itself out the top.

Anyone lifted a 4G94 engine out the top with the auto trans still attached?
Maybe it could be done with the load leveler in the right position, tilting the trans down, so it can slip out and up?

Oh yeh I am getting a load leveler with the crane and stand to do the job.
https://www.dtmtrading.com.au/product-page/combo-1
Just a cheapy, but should work fine.

BTW, I am doing this outdoors LOL.
So no garage height limitation.

When I've pulled 15's and 93's with the trans attached I've just moved the passenger side pickup point to the the drivers side on the opposite side of the block and hooked it up that way

Oh right, and that just tipped the engine in the right way so the trans would come out from under that roll mount?

Nathan Wallace said:

Oh right, and that just tipped the engine in the right way so the trans would come out from under that roll mount?

Click to expand...

Yep, once the load is on the crane its easy to manouver it around the mount

yeh sweet. But, once its out, is it harder to remove the trans from the engine, as it will have to be on a bench or something?
Or is it actually easier to work on the drive train on the ground/bench?
I plan on putting the engine on a stand, but you can't do that with the trans still on it.

I need to scavenge a couple of parts off the old engine.
I also will have to remove the trans at some point, so I can attach it to the new engine.
It almost seems like it might be physically easier (for one person) to divide the drive train into the 2 components in the car, and do it that way.

Strike, I dunno now LOL!

I did most of mine by myself, remove the trans while the engine was on the floor.

A cheap little wooden dolly might make your trans swap easier, they're not super heavy but not having to lift it to move it will make it much less frustrating

Yeh good point.
Can't do anything with out a crane, so I have that coming shortly.
Thanks for the input guys.

Well, I got her out today!
Also stripped the underside to find the bearing has failed.
So out with the old, in with the new.

New some gaskets etc for the new one.
But shouldn't take too long. Maybe a week or 2, and it should be running.
Finger crossed.

hhmm....anyone got the torque specifications for the bolts that go between the flex plate and the torque converter? Having trouble finding those.

The new (2nd hand) engine is in!
Mounts all tightish. Just to torque to spec, and get started on hooking everything back together.

It is done!!!!! She works! thanks all for your help. It was invaluable. I can't believe it actually works