Engine is toast, how to swap?

[AGodlyCanuck]

So I have discovered that the engine in my 92 is too worn and tired. Either the cylinder bore has been thrashed Iver the years or I need new piston rings. Ontop of much others.

I do have a spare engine and it isn't seized. It looks to be in veey good shape. So I want to swap it in... But the thing is... I dont know how.

It would be my first swap. And I'm wondering if someone has a link or suggestion to some kind of guide on how to do this.
Or any advice that would also help would be spiffy.

I have all the tools and engine hoists and stuff.

 

[AGodlyCanuck]

Gave the engine a lil clean.
Took a quick look at it and was surprised by the condition. Apparently the vehicle it came out of only had like 98,000kms on it before Firestone tires had its way with the vehicle lol

 

[imp]

So I have discovered that the engine in my 92 is too worn and tired. Either the cylinder bore has been thrashed Iver the years or I need new piston rings. Ontop of much others.

I do have a spare engine and it isn't seized. It looks to be in veey good shape. So I want to swap it in... But the thing is... I dont know how.

It would be my first swap. And I'm wondering if someone has a link or suggestion to some kind of guide on how to do this.
Or any advice that would also help would be spiffy.

I have all the tools and engine hoists and stuff.

@AGodlyCanuck
Question: why do you have tools and hoist, etc., if you do not know how to "swing" an engine? Do you do mechanical work of some other kind routinely? Especially to avoid getting hurt, one really needs to have mechanical "presence" of mind to do what you propose. OTOH, one has to start somewhere. I did my first one 61 years ago, yanking my dad's engine out of our '55 Mercury. It was not easy, but each successive swap was easier. I suppose a tuterage might be available on-line. imp

 

[AGodlyCanuck]

@AGodlyCanuck
Question: why do you have tools and hoist, etc., if you do not know how to "swing" an engine? Do you do mechanical work of some other kind routinely? Especially to avoid getting hurt, one really needs to have mechanical "presence" of mind to do what you propose. OTOH, one has to start somewhere. I did my first one 61 years ago, yanking my dad's engine out of our '55 Mercury. It was not easy, but each successive swap was easier. I suppose a tuterage might be available on-line. imp

Well I have friends and family but none that can be there 100% of the time so figured I'd come on here to as for advice or something. Maybe you're right though, perhaps this wasn't the right place to ask.

 

[410Fortune]

Motivation
is how engines are replaced
Is your truck an automatic? What is the condition of your transmission?
Many times people will replace their engine and then in a few days/weeks/months the auto transmission will die. There are steps to take to ensure an engine replacement is worth it

That engine can be changed out in 10-16 hours of work for somebody who is familiar with the OHV 4.0
This forum can help you with your engine replacement, step by step if you choose to go down this path

Disconnect battery cables
Drain the engine oil, coolant and power steering fluid.
Remove the radiator, fan and fan shroud
de pressurize fuel rail, evacuate ac and disconnect fuel and air conditioner lines

That's how it starts
If you can get this far then you are well on your way!!

 

[AGodlyCanuck]

Motivation
is how engines are replaced
Is your truck an automatic? What is the condition of your transmission?
Many times people will replace their engine and then in a few days/weeks/months the auto transmission will die. There are steps to take to ensure an engine replacement is worth it

That engine can be changed out in 10-16 hours of work for somebody who is familiar with the OHV 4.0
This forum can help you with your engine replacement, step by step if you choose to go down this path

Disconnect battery cables
Drain the engine oil, coolant and power steering fluid.
Remove the radiator, fan and fan shroud
de pressurize fuel rail, evacuate ac and disconnect fuel and air conditioner lines

That's how it starts
If you can get this far then you are well on your way!!

Worst case scenario I have two extra transmissions lol my family had a 94 like... 15years ago. So we stocked up on parts. So far I've disconnected the battery and drained and Removed the radiator and fan (there was also some oil in my coolant) Will have to look into how to depressurize the fuel lines though. As for the AC I was going to see if I could just move the comoressor off to the side.

My brother will be there but he has 3 Infants and 3 dogs and 4 cats to Watch. A couple weeks ago he bought a sport Trac that he put an engine into in like 2 days. So he is my main source of info. Im looking for Info so that I don't always have to go to him when I need something lol

One thing for sure is that I will be replacing all the seals and gaskets on this new engine. My father also reccomend replacing a sensor in the transmission while I have the engine out.

 

[Mbrooks420]

If you have skilled help, this should be doable in 2-3 weekends part time. I’d do a compression test on the motor before swapping it in. How long has it been sitting? Has it been stored indoors?

 

[AGodlyCanuck]

If you have skilled help, this should be doable in 2-3 weekends part time. I’d do a compression test on the motor before swapping it in. How long has it been sitting? Has it been stored indoors?

Outside... under a tree...
But as i said i would be taking it apart and doing the headgaskets, oil pan, rear main seal and valve covers as a precaution.

Althought if you still feel i should i really dont know how id manage. i would tihnk in order to do a compression test id have to crank the engine over, and to do that i would need a bell housing wouldnt i? if ido thats fine, i got a bell housing i could attach to it. Or is there another way?

 

[AGodlyCanuck]

wouldnt an impact wrench be good enough to spin the motor?

 

[Mbrooks420]

I’d be afraid of rusty cylinders and rings if it sat outside any length of time. You’d see that when you pulled the heads, though.

 

[imp]

wouldnt an impact wrench be good enough to spin the motor?

@AGodlyCanuck
It's a thought, but I'm afraid it wouldn't work. To check compression, all spark plugs are removed, the throttle is held wide open, and the engine spun at cranking speed, under those conditions two to four hundred rpm. If a manual trans. bell housing is available, a starter could be jury-rigged to crank for a compression test. Hanging an automatic on there would be cumbersome, but possible.
imp

 

[AGodlyCanuck]

@AGodlyCanuck
It's a thought, but I'm afraid it wouldn't work. To check compression, all spark plugs are removed, the throttle is held wide open, and the engine spun at cranking speed, under those conditions two to four hundred rpm. If a manual trans. bell housing is available, a starter could be jury-rigged to crank for a compression test. Hanging an automatic on there would be cumbersome, but possible.
imp

Well ive been moving the engine around with a dolly so it being cumbersome isnt an issue.
nothing good comes without a little hard work.
I only have the automatic transmissions so maybe ill have to try that method. I did spin it by hand with a large wrench and its not seized. I was told to try putting ATF in the cylinders.

 

[imp]

Well ive been moving the engine around with a dolly so it being cumbersome isnt an issue.
nothing good comes without a little hard work.
I only have the automatic transmissions so maybe ill have to try that method. I did spin it by hand with a large wrench and its not seized. I was told to try putting ATF in the cylinders.

@AGodlyCanuck
I would indeed spray a bit of thin lubricant into each cylinder, turn cranks by hand several turns, before spinning for compression test. I once had a Harvester 4 cylinder stored outdoors, and somehow moisture found it's way in and destroyed the cylinders. Could not remove pistons. imp

 

[Mbrooks420]

I’ve freed a few old motorcycle pistons that were stuck. WD40 soaking helps break the rust ring, and I was able to mallet the pistons out with a large diameter dowel rod. In two cases I was able to hone them well, and just re-ring them.

 

[AGodlyCanuck]

Well it is slow progress ( only a couple hours once a week ) However i have removed the intake, gotten the Rad out, disconnected the Flywheel from the Torque Converter, removed the Exhaust manifolds as well as the fan, alternator, AC compressor, tensioner and all that fun stuff. Its hard getting all the wires disconnected though. I think the next thing i will do is i will go to the old engine and switch out the plugs and wires and thermostats as well as the Intake seals and drain pan seals. I dont think i would need to do headgaskets and stuff. or do you tihnk it would be ideal?

And where wouldi get exhaust manifold studs?

 

[Centaurious]

Write down in a notebook every electrical connection you undo and where it is. This will help when installing the new engine as you can check them off as you go. That way you don't forget the O2 sensor wires on the back side of the engine [I did while changing intake gaskets... it didn't like it].

 

[gmanpaint]

Agreed on the connectors. They can be a total pain. These old harness connectors love to break the tabs just by looking at them too hard. lol

I use a colored 1" tape to mark each connector as I remove them. I write on the tape for what that connector is for. If your not sure what the connector is for, just use numbers or letters, and put the same info on the part it came off of. This helps me big time, as my head is too full to retain everything these days.

 

[Mbrooks420]

Highly recommend the tape method above. When I do motor swaps I mark both ends, the one vehicle side, and motor side, then I can compare to the motor on the garage floor if there are doubts. I do the same with hoses.

 

[allmyEXes]

Ziplocks (baggies) and a Sharpie too. Label everything and use designation like engine "A" and engine "B".
You can bolt one of the automatics to the engine in order to bolt the starter on to turn the engine over for the compression test. LEAVE OFF THE TORQUE CONVERTER ! you don't want to turn the transmission, just the engine. And try to avoid "YANKING" anything. You might break something. And if you break anything, make sure that is something that you have two of. Good Luck !, take your time and be careful.
P.S. today I spent some time around the first truck and vehicle that I ever purchased. I was 14. I'm 57 now. I realize how little I knew back then and how much I have learned since then. We all started not knowing what we were doing.

 

[AGodlyCanuck]

weeeeelll im a little bit past that but im sure if i think hard enough i could probably go over them all and mark them lol
just gotta remember to pick up some tape and a sharpie lol