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View Poll Results: Install the engine from the top or from underneath?
I drop the engine from the top.
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I raise the car and install the motor from the bottom.
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How do you "drop in" an engine?

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Old 11-30-2008, 11:21 AM
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Default How do you "drop in" an engine?

Just curious to see what others are doing. Do you install your engine from the top or from the bottom? I'm referring to the common B series/K series swaps.

In the past, I've always dropped my motors from the top but it's such a delicate process ESPECIALLY if you have a freshly painted engine bay. Nervewrecking!

Seems like pulling it up from the bottom would be MUCH easier, the only drawback in my mind is that you have to lift the car at a steep angle so you can roll the engine underneath the radiator support. I work in my backyard, so no car lift for me unfortunately.

So what's your method?
Old 11-30-2008, 12:15 PM
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top if u have a engine crane/hoise
if u dont and have a ramp go under
Old 11-30-2008, 12:47 PM
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From the top.

Depens on wich engines/cars
Old 11-30-2008, 12:56 PM
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i usualy, chop the fender, and just slide it from one of the sides......lol
Old 11-30-2008, 12:57 PM
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I've always dropped in from the top using either a farm tractor or chain hoist on an overhead trolley.
Old 12-01-2008, 06:17 AM
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honda designed them to go in from the bottom...thats the way i do it.
Old 12-01-2008, 06:47 AM
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^^^ Honda also made it really easy to do right from the top, and in the MANS garage. WITHIOUT a hoist. on the cold hard floor we have all came to LOVE o so much!
Old 12-01-2008, 06:51 AM
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I go from top, but if had a good bay paint job would consider bottom.

I'm not that concerned with having matching engine bay paint job. Most of time I just flat black my bay with rattle can. Easy touch it up if did happen scratch something.
Old 12-01-2008, 02:53 PM
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in threw the bottom out threw the bottom.... saves alot of time just my .02cents

Last edited by Turbo92cx; 12-01-2008 at 05:38 PM.
Old 12-01-2008, 05:33 PM
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In threw the bottom out threw the bottom.
Old 12-02-2008, 03:51 AM
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if you had a lift, then dropping it and putting it in from the bottom only takes 2 minutes TOPS. and thats with all the bolts in the mounts

other than that, an engine lift would be best imo, if not, slide it in from the side lol
Old 12-02-2008, 04:06 AM
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From the top. I always try to hook it up to the block and tranny because one time i hooked up one end to the head and it caused a head gasket leak. The heaviness of the engine made the bolts stretch.
Old 12-02-2008, 05:19 AM
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Originally Posted by stealth50k
From the top. I always try to hook it up to the block and tranny because one time i hooked up one end to the head and it caused a head gasket leak. The heaviness of the engine made the bolts stretch.


i hook it up to the tranny and the back of the head and never had a problem with leaking headgasket
Old 12-02-2008, 07:56 AM
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voted
Old 12-02-2008, 08:24 AM
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last time i used a hoist, i lost half my thumb. so i go out the bottom now. lol.
Old 12-03-2008, 04:06 PM
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At the shop its from the bottom.

But since I do most my work and swaps in the driveway with jackstands. I always go from the top and always put-in/pull the motor/tranny together with a leveller. I do most of the work myself with rarely any help and have never had any problems.

Now the H2B in an eg hatch is fun and I have to drop it in with the header/alt/crankpulley all removed to get big betsy in but still manageable from the top 1 person.
Old 12-05-2008, 09:32 AM
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in the driveway motor swaps from the top. tranny swaps and clutch changes from the bottom. and yes the H2B swap is a big woman a hell of a lot less room to move the motor around with.
Old 12-05-2008, 10:04 AM
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In my garage with no car hoist or engine hoist. Removed the passenger side wheel and suspension. Dropped the complete engine, tranny & front cross member onto a dolly. removed manifolds and then I laid the engine down on it's side. I only had to jack up the car about a foot. I was then able to roll it out the passenger side without any problems.
Old 12-06-2008, 09:31 AM
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ive always went through the top... ive seen some pretty crazy attempts with going from the bottom O_o...
Old 12-06-2008, 07:28 PM
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a good floor garage lift so easy to do botom out!


Last edited by Slystone; 12-06-2008 at 07:47 PM.
Old 12-27-2008, 03:50 AM
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Default Re: How do you "drop in" an engine?

dont u need to take all the mounts/brackets off
to drop it from underneath?
wont the rear engine bracket be a bitch to fit?
Old 12-29-2008, 07:12 AM
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Default Re: How do you "drop in" an engine?

no it should be pretty cake the whole way doing it from the bottome... the rear engine bracket should be bolted in already .. the engine just slides up in the middle of the bracket and you align the tranny mounting point the bracket mounting point then put the bolts in and your done...
Old 12-29-2008, 05:06 PM
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Default Re: How do you "drop in" an engine?

i have always done it from the bottom. Had one guy tell me its way easier from the top and i was an idiot. That swap was the biggest pain in my ***. I alway go out the bottom it is 173484 million time easier.
Old 12-29-2008, 06:28 PM
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Default Re: How do you "drop in" an engine?

depends what your doin. i do d-series from the top but when i did my b-series i found it easier to put the motor on a creeper and use a cherry picker to raise it into the car
Old 12-29-2008, 06:29 PM
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Default Re: How do you "drop in" an engine?

Originally Posted by kulo
dont u need to take all the mounts/brackets off
to drop it from underneath?
wont the rear engine bracket be a bitch to fit?
iv only removed the driver side mount to put through the bottom


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