Is it possible, to remove the engine and the automatic transmission together, out the top, without disturbing the a/c lines? Is there enough clearance?

Also, I have a replacement transmission, how do I ensure the torque converter is seated properly, before mounting it to the engine?




95 Accord, 2.2 VTEC, Auto, 4 door, EX

 

Refer to one of the many H22 swap threads in the Accord FAQ for the first part.

 

I did it on my '97. You'll need one of those tilter/leveler things on your hoist. Tilt the engine up on the driver's side and tranny down. Use bungee cords/straps to hold the accessories out of the way and put some cardboard or plywood behind A/C condenser. You might want to also remove the plastic grill so you don't bust it. Follow the procedure in the Honda manual and you'll be good to go. It's tight, but it'll come out.

If I were to do it again, I would remove the distributor before pulling the engine and install the distributor after the engine is back in. If you don't, it's likely to get caught up on the A/C lines.

As far as the torque converter goes, install it in the transmission, mate the tranny to the engine (make sure you use the alignment dowels) and rotate the engine/torque converter to get the flex plate and torque converter bolt holes to line up.

 

Thanks for the detailed reply, basketcase.

Are you referring to the existing dowels? Or a 'homemade' dowel, or commercial version? Link?

 

The dowels I'm referring to are the existing ones that keep the engine/tranny in alignment. If my memory is correct, there were two. The holes where the dowels go into the engine block and tranny housing are larger than the other bolt holes.

If you have the Honda manual, it's not clear (or it wasn't to me) how many bolts there were that held the engine/tranny together. I think there were six and only 3 or 4 were shown in the manual. So, if you can't get the engine and tranny apart, look for a couple more bolts under all the crud.

 

The ac lines run below the transmission mount. They will not be anywhere in the way at all.

I've only installed manual transmission/engine combos and assuming it's more or less the same it will be best to pull the crank pulley off so it doesn't bump the driver side chassis. Make sure the front to back support beam that runs under the engine is removed. Then you will need to gently lift the tranny side using the hoist to attach to the power steering bracket and the O shaped bracket on the transmission and remove the thorough bolt, remove the mount by dropping the tranny side slightly a few inches, then you should be able to pull it all out. Obviously you'll need to remove the other mounts but the tranny side is the only one you will have problems with. It's critical to remove the front to back support beam or you won't be able to drop the engine enough to clear the tranny side.

 

So far, so good. I am ready to lift the engine/transmission out of the engine. I would like to mount the engine and transmission (as one unit) on a 1000 pound engine mount. If this is possible, where do I mount the bolts and what size and type do you recommend? Can I mount the engine on the timing belt side?

 

I would not.
Separate the engine and transmission from each other and then mount one or the other on the stand.

Trying to mount that combo on a stand is just asking for trouble. It will be heavy, unstable, and flat out dangerous. You really can't work on either like that.

 

The way I took my engine out with the transmission is I removed the intake and exhaust manifolds, then I took the head off and used 4 old head bolts with an engine load lever.

This gave me perfect control over the engine+trans and allowed a very easy removal as well as installation.

This was after removal,

 

I'm not so sure I'd want to be suspending my engine by the head bolts. It just looks like you're asking for trouble. I assume you used new head bolts. lol

 

I have heard of people using the head bolts to support an engine before, much bigger engines. If you think about it its actually not a bad idea. If you think its bad then why would we use the bell housing bolts to hold an engine on an engine stand? That to me sounds much worse than using giant head bolts. Its practically the strongest bolts we have on the engine, do you really think they're going to strip out? I have seen Eric the Car Guy use a distributor to hoist an engine and that to me was "asking for trouble". How much more strong do you think a head bolt is that a distributor?

The head bolts thread way down into the block, there's no way anything bad is going to happen, especially when you use 4 of them.

EDIT:

I can just remember that night I first took the engine out of my Accord, it was like a whole new world was opened up to me. I'll never forget it. That photo says a thousand words.

 

if you wanna get crazy you can take out the engine without the tranny Through the top!

I just did it today!

what a pain in the ***** that was.

ALthough I would say it's damn near impossible unless you stip the block bare like I did.

I pulled my engine out using the ARP head bolts, there is no way the ARP bolts will get damaged by this tiny little baby engine...

 

The issue isn't that the bolt is going to pull out. It's that the bolts and threads themselves need to be almost perfectly assymetrical or you could potentially have a headgasket leak. They even say to use engine oil on the threads so the torque is as close to exact as possible.

 

Both engine and tranny will come out through the top, with the intake and exhaust still attached (but not the accessories). Once you've taken care of everything except the motor mounts, it will only take about 1 hour to get it out.

holmesnmanny has summed up my fear - a head gasket leak, but on the block side. You don't want to ding up the surface of the block.

A 1/4 inch bolt in pure tension would support the weight of the engine and tranny. The problem is, it's hard to get pure tension. If you put the bolt in bending, it's another story.