So its about time for me to do yet another engine swap. This time I was thinking of taking a different approach to swapping the engine. I own a cherry picker so thats what Ive always used to swap engines with. This past time around when I put another d series in my sedan, it was such a pain. The alternator kept hitting the shock tower and scraping paint off. This chore becomes even worse when putting a b series into the bay. Now my question is, would it be easier, since the wheels are removed anyway, to roll the engine and transmission, with mounts attached, under the bay and drop the car on its belly and attach the mounts? If I do this would I have to drop the front subframe or could I just move the radius rods out of the way? I really dont feel safe messing with the subframe, I guess its just my paranoia. I would like some opinions on which way people use and which is easier, etc. Any pics of putting an engine in an EF from underneath the car would help as well.

 

I've always swaped my engines from underneath. You dont have to remove the subframe, what I do is take off my front crossmember and radius arms. But you could probably just take of the radius arms and leave the front crossmember. The only thing you'll have to do is remove the rear tranny mount because it wont clear then once the other mounts are in just put it in then. I've never done it with a B just D's and a dohc zc, but you can do b's just fine.

 

thats what I meant by "front subframe"

 

Why didn't you just take the alternator off when swapping the engine?

 

right?^

 

besides the point. Especially with a b series, you have limit room to be working on an alternator. Im asking for opinions on engine swapping, period.

 

The only problem you mentioned when swapping the D series was the alternator, so I think it is the point

 

I pull all engine out of the bottom and install them that way.

 

subframe is easy to remove..4 main bolts, 2 for the tie rods, and then the trans mount, it'll save you a lot of headache and time to just remove the crossmember...i've had mine off several times, all will be fine if you remove...out the bottom is the easiest way to swap a honda motor, at least for me, remove that and it'll rise right in place

 

its not the point because that was the d series, whole different game than a b series

 

I am not sure what's going on in this thread - but one thing I can verify; I NEVER have a problem with scraping paint or hitting anythig when I pull the engine out from the top... I am not sure what you guys are doing, but to me it would be more of a PITA to drop it from the bottom. Why remove more stuff than you have to?

 

X2

 

x3

 

For some like myself it's not an option to remove from the top, i don't have a cherry picker or anything, but i can drop and put a motor back in from the bottom with nothing more than jackstands and a scissor jack...although a hydraulic jack and palette/blocks help lmao

 

lol you have a cherry picker and wanna remove it from the bottom? Guess you wanna do it the hard way then by all means...

 

dont get on his case, he is the expert after all.
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.ah, couldnt hold that in for too long.

 

?? i'm the only one that said anything about a cherry picker, and i said i don't have one...and btw, it's not that hard anyways, still gotta take off same amount of bolts for the mounts, disconnect everything, only difference is removing the subframe which is petty and takes no more than 10-15 minutes if you remember to loosen the tie rod bolts on the other end. takes a jack, some jack stands, and 32/17/14mm sockets just like any other engine removal

 

He wasn't talking about you, he was referring to the OP

 

just get a leveler for your cherry picker...if youre scraping paint then you obviously dont have enough angle on the motor going in ....you should be able to tuck the trans end in first then negotiate it under the passenger side frame rail then drop the motor side in without touching any paint even in the case of an h series motor it just takes patience and a logical approach to the task at hand

 

:p

lolz, and you are???

 

i am he who calls himself i am

 

o0o wow....

 

Takes less than 5 to unbolt the alt problem solved. FYI levelers help 100% never have I scraped the bay dropping in a d series even with the alt still attached.... Must be doin somethin wrong!