i searched, and found a bunch of different ways to do this, but what is the easiest?
im pulling the motor from an 89 CRX Si, bone stock. nothing has ever been changed on it.

we have air tools, 4 post lift, engone hoist, etc.

the last one we pulled, we left the tranny on place, pulled all the wiring from the whole engone bay, and stripped the motor down to a long block. took a while to do.

also, this is my second frontr wheel drive motor removal. im used to V8, RWD stuff (corvettes, camaro's, dusters, chargers, etc.)

so, long and the short, what is the easiest way to do this?

Michael

 

I'd do just that, un bolt tranny from motor, get it torn down a bit then pull the block then the tranny

 

easiest way I have found is to take the axels out of the trans, disconnect the engine harness (take your time and dont break anything and remember where it goes) then pull the engine and trans out with a hoist. After a few goes at it with a friend should take you like 2 hours or so.

Taking the trans off while its in the car just makes it harder in my opinion.

 

I second leaving the trans attached. I dont have a 4 post or a hoist, so i just drop them out the bottom. It would be exceedingly easy to do with a 4 post though.

just remove or unbolt the front radius rods, remove the relevant exhaust parts, undo all the wiring, use a floor jack to support the engine+trans and use the 4 post to raise the body up and the engine trans comes out the bottom, just sitting on the floor jack for manuverability.

 

^ x2 I swapped it twice in my backyard and dropping it was pretty easy. Just make sure your rear tranny mount detaches at the tranny (3x17mm bolts), mine were seized and made dropping it out a bitch. I also take off the front crossmember for more clearance

 

I have pulled motors out of just about every import car there is, and every time i have done it we have always pulled the motor and trans out together. i really don't see the point in wasting the time to take the trans off of the motor before its out of the car.

i would also recommend attaching the flywheel, clutch and transmission assembly to the motor before you drop it back in as well. usually makes life a little bit easyer

 

x2

jack engine and tranny up.

undo wiring.

use tow hooks or whatever you are usuing to pull with on your hoist. I used a chain and too the head off and used some old shitty headstuds to pull on it. but I really didnt care about that motor (hf) so you may want an alternative. but just get it ready.

undo mounts .

pull.

 

so, to pull the motor and trans, you have to pull the cv shafts, correct? what do you guys do with them? leave them in the spindle, pop the lower ball joint, and let them hang? pull the whole spindle? whats the easy way?

 

i would recommend pulling the lower ball joint, but maybe the upper. i really dont remember what i usually do, but im pretty sure one or the other should work fine. just let them hang after you get them popped out of the trans

 

no need for engine hoists, or anything of that sort...we just pulled a motor out of my friends integra the other day, and it was cake...

disconnect all sensors
remove axles and basically anything that is connected or in the way of the motor
Drop the car down to the floor using stock jacks on each side of the front tow areas
once the car is down on the floor, or minimal jack point, loosen motor mounts.
once the motor mounts are out, the motor should be sitting on the floor, complete from oil pan, to tranny, to intake manifold.
Pull the motor out from the front of the car, make sure to clear radiator support
once the motor is out, and engine back is clear, pull the motor out of the way into a safe spot
Grab the heavy duty jack, and lift the car back up from the front.
Put 2 jack stands in the front, and 2 wood pieces in the back wheels to keep the car in place.

Easy as that...

All that took us two together, about 1.5 hours or so. Probably not even. The easiest way i have ever pulled out a motor. You dont have to worry about scratching or dinging up your cars engine back by hoisting the motor out. Its a pain in the ***, but this way is proven and very easy.

 

x2
This is what I do by myself.
place the front of the car on jack stands, i drain all fluids out before i start the engine, and disconnect the shift linkage at the stick. The rest is pretty much easy.

 

just pull it out from the top. no sense in droping the motor then raising the car.

 

The easiest way I have found is just to let somebody else do it.

 

i've done it both ways.

leaving the transmission in the car means you have to be REALLY good at getting it clear of everything. we had to take off the crank pulley and work it around the pressure plate. it was a huge PITA and i'll never leave the trans in again.

taking the transmission out was way easier, just pop out the axles (unbolt the lower ball joint on the steering knuckle, and they come right off and out. just unplug the harness from the left side and get all the vacuum lines out. easy.

 

I personally leave the harness attached to the engine...I simply disconnect the harness at the shock towers. Drain rad and pull it out, undo a/c and **** like that, pull axles out, set the chain and hoist for lifting, undo linkage and exhaust, shoot off mounts and pull straight out. Unplug the harness when the engine is out

 

Hey.........Dad here and I agree completely. thats why my son started this post.

 

Well I am an old geezer as well, and my kid gets on here and starts dumb posts too.

 

the son:

this was no a dumb post for two guys that are used to carbs, points, and rear wheel drive. this is my second time pulling a FWD motor, the first was oout of our wrecked donor car. all the help was greatly appreciated, and made the job go much easier. especially knowing that the harness and trans came out with the motor.

ill be sure to post up a build thread, s well as a bunch of pictures for help as we go into wiring and reassembly.

Michael