hey guys... i havent really posted on here but i am looking for some help, maybe a thread or how to step by step for idiots on how to remove the motor out of my 03 cavy. i blew the timing and i found a motor with 36k for 450 bucks so i think i am going to just swap motors but i am looking for the easiest way possible...i know its not that easy..ive done mustang motors, but i know its not the same. should i pull out top or drop out below?? any help would be greatly greatly appreciated. THANK YOU GUYS!!

buying a haynes repair manual for your car would help you out a lot for replacing the engine

anyone got any other ideas...?? im gonna get a book soon, i had a chiltons, for another car but it wasnt much help...are haynes really good?

You should just be able to pull it, remove all the wiring off the sensors, remove the fuel line quick disconnects, get your ac drained then hook up the engine puller, unbolt the transmission but put a jack under it so it has some support so the CV shafts and the shift cable do not get damaged, then undo the mounts and you should be golden to pull it

WHAT YOU NEED:
engine hoist with a engine tilting device (check out princessauto.com cataloge)
32mm deep socket (IIRC) to undo cv bolt
needle nose plyers to undo cotter pin (replace cotter pin once removed)
18mm open end to do balljoints
10,13,15,18mm deep sockets
10,13,15,18mm shallow sockets
10,13,15,18mm wrenchs
3/8" extension 3" 6" 12"
1/2" extension and swivel 12" 6" 3" (this will get off the exhaust bolts from underneath
penetrating fluid (spray the exhaust bolts the night before, the morning of, and right before you impact them off) (WD-40 will not work, do this once and do it RIGHT)
I like air ratchets and impacts ( i pulled my 2000 2.4 and 2005 eco with out one manual tool)
slip joint plyer
clean containers for coolant and tranny fluid... or new fluid (recommended)
funnel to add tranny fluid
large flat screw driver
9/32" to remove fender liners and windshield washer resivour (IIRC)
3/4" for lugs
jack
2 jackstands
2 back up jackstands
1 fire extinguisher... you know, just in case.

WHAT YOU DO:
-unhook battery and bleed off fuel pressure
-leave the wiring harness on, unplug the one main harness at the drivers side brake booster, unhook the abs wiring harness.*
-unhook intake snout (but likely already removed to get at wiring harness plug)
-unbolt the ac compressor and tie wire it up but out of the way
-drain the coolant, drain the oil, drain the tranny
-split ball joints, pull cv shafts
- unbolt the 3 bolts holding the downpipe to the manifold
-unhook fuel lines
-remove the 2 bolts holding the passenger upper motor mount to chassis, remove coolant over flow
-remove coolant lines
-unbolt or unplug the PCM, just remove it actually so it doesn't get in the way.
-hook up engine hoist
-remove upper tranny mount (long extension and a 13mm)
-remove lower tranny mount (unbolt all 3 13mm from tranny) it always gets in the way when removing the engine
-you will notice that the intake and exhaust manifolds are STILL ON THE ENGINE!!! it is hard to remove them in the car and completely unneccassary)
-use your engine tilting device on the engine hoist and drop the drivers side to about 30-40 degree angle, and lift slowly ensuring everything is unhooked and disconnected.


-REVERSE

- top up fluids, torque cv's to 90 ft.lbs. (put a large flat screwdriver in the brake vents and calipers and make sure these are torques, or you wil blow a wheel bearing) torque wheels to 90, and retorque at 50miles..

I missed a ton of stuff, and likely got some measurements wrong cause I just did an engine swap on my SRT-4, but it is super straight forward and once you are working on the car it all makes perfect sense. Hopefully that makes some sense, and helps you out.


*some people like to unhook all the sensors and let the wiring harness dangle, this works too and might be a little easier for you. Make sure you reuse all your old sensors and use them as you know they work.




HP Tuners | Garrett T3/T04B | 2.5" Charge Pipes | 2.5" Downpipe | 650 Injectors | HO Manifold | Addco front/rear | Motor Mounts | HKS SSQV | Spec stage 3 | AEM UEGO Wideband | Team Green LSD | FMIC | 2.3 cams | 2.3 oil pump swap | 280WHP | Now ECOTECED

I wouldn't recommend draining the A/C either, no reason too. Should take from start to finish a little less than 6 hours, engine out, engine in.


HP Tuners | Garrett T3/T04B | 2.5" Charge Pipes | 2.5" Downpipe | 650 Injectors | HO Manifold | Addco front/rear | Motor Mounts | HKS SSQV | Spec stage 3 | AEM UEGO Wideband | Team Green LSD | FMIC | 2.3 cams | 2.3 oil pump swap | 280WHP | Now ECOTECED

one thing I noticed, the wheels are to be torqued at 98Ft/Lbs.



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also, just thought, what is the engine coming out of?



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awesome guys thanks a lot i am hoping to get this done soon.. in a week i should have my motor..hope to do it in a weekend...its only going to be me doing it soooo wish me luck

its on 03 cavalier

the motor that's going in though, what is it from?



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you thinking what i'm thinking brad. hope he doesn't say cobalt

if your an auto its easier 5spds take a little more time to wiggle out of the engine bay can be done from above.



JBO since July 30, 2001

its from another cavalier

good, good. I was quite worried it would be from a Cobalt.



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nah i wouldnt do that...i dont even want to change the motor never mind try and make stuff fit that shouldnt be in there lol

are the axles hard to pull out of these...im doing it this weekend and i think the axles are going to be the hardest part for me to do..thats what makes me nrvouse

Jason Preissler wrote:are the axles hard to pull out of these...im doing it this weekend and i think the axles are going to be the hardest part for me to do..thats what makes me nrvouse

Fairly easy just put even pressure on 2 sides and it should just pop out nice and easy its not to difficult i use 2 big flat head screwdrivers and just pry nice and easy and it popped out no problems each time ive done it

are there clips or anything holding it in or r they just pressed in?.... is there anything i might have to replace when doing a motor swap?..

Yes one has a c clip but you should not have to replace it it stretches, when you do pull cv the trans fluid will drain out, when it comes off then goes back tight the only thing you would have to worry about is making sure the cv axles are in all the way or it will drain your trans fluid

awesome. thanks a lot..i hope this goes easy..seems easy..axles, motor and tranny mounts..unplug connectors, battery.. intake..coolant resivoir hopefully i can get it done in a day

If you work hard you should, hope all goes well, i know i had a couple small problems when i pulled my engine and put the built one in but it was very easy to correct, just try and lower it in straight and line the motor mounts up before hand and it should go very easily for you best of luck

thanks..hopefully ill be back on here monday with her running..i miss her..its been 4 months...been driving mu 89 mustang gt..gettin 13 mpg highway..i need my 33mpg back lol

good luck with the install. there are 2 ways to do it.

1) with engine and tranny together, to do it this way you must use a engine hoist with a engine tilting device and drop th engine down on the drivers side about 45 degrees
2) tranny out the bottom (or left in the car, I don't recommend) and engine straight out the top.

both work really well and are suprisingly very quick. despite what all the manuals say, just leave the exhaust manfold and intake manifold on the engine, it will save you HUGE headaches and amazing amounts of time. Just make sure you use a high quality penetrating fluid on the 3 downpipe to exhaust manifold nuts. I did it all with extension, one flexible adaptor, and an impact, make sure not to strip the head on these bolts.

As for the CV shafts, you have to split the balljoints, I have seen many threads about people who can't split them and the issue has been that people have been leaving one side of the car on the ground. Just make sure that both wheels are up in the air and then you won't be fighting the sway bar. When pulling the shafts out, just put a single pry bar under the CV housing and give it a little jerk and it will simply fall out. (fluid will follow, so have a drip tray ready). Make sure not to pull on the outer boot as you can pulll the inner joint apart if you pull too hard (not likely, but just be aware). To insert again, simple slide the shaft in about 75% of the way, and strech the boot by gripping the threads on the end and give the shaft a little "love" tap, and it will pop right back into place. Another thing to look out for is making sure that when you pull the passenger shaft to have someone hold the outer boot and make sure it doesn't hit/puture the boot on the sway bar or any other sharp metal. (even a litte hole requires replacing a boot)

I am mostly drunk, and quickly typed that, just make sure you take your time and do things right the first time. It will save you time and money!

-Garrett


HP Tuners | Garrett T3/T04B | 2.5" Charge Pipes | 2.5" Downpipe | 650 Injectors | HO Manifold | Addco front/rear | Motor Mounts | HKS SSQV | Spec stage 3 | AEM UEGO Wideband | Team Green LSD | FMIC | 2.3 cams | 2.3 oil pump swap | 280WHP | Now ECOTECED

thank you mr drunk garrett lol.......i appreciate it..what does "split " the ball joints mean...everyone says that but i guess i just dont know what that means

just wondering how much of what fluids im going to need to replace..i assume 5 quarts oil..and tranny fluid..what kind?? how much