need help getting engine back in to 8g

[Johnathansgalant]

I got a new engine for my 8g, Took the old one out fairly easy so i figure i can get the new one right in but i cannot get the mounts to line up. I get the right drivers tranny mount in but i cannot maneuver the rest of the mounts to line up. I even removed the front roll stop but the rear is giving me massive problems. To anyone who has done an engine swap in the 8g how did you do it? I have the engine and tranny all together. Any help would be greatly appreciated before i beat the crap

[qnz]

have you tried using a long bar between the front subframe and the engine to angle the engine mounts to their right position?

[Johnathansgalant]

i tried to everything last night i know im missing something. I cannot get the engine to get in the right spot for reason. I lower the tranny in first and and then try to level the engine but it wont get in its home.

[Stewi]

Here is what I do and it always works.

So you bolt the engine and trans together and put them in together. When your lowering them into the engine bay it should be on a very steep angle with the engine much higher than the trans, so it should be on a deep slant from high on the engine side to very low on the tranny side. You need to remove the lower K-frame crossmember, its the one that the front motor mount bolts to, make sure that its completely removed. The car should also be jacked up off the ground a good amount too. Lower the engine and tranny thru the engine bay and nearly touching the ground, once its down there, then level it and bring it back up. You should also remove the rear motor mount from the main crossmember, there are 3 bolts holding it on. Leave passenger side motor mount off the engine while your lowering it in, it will only get in the way. Raise the engine/trans back up, get the bolt in on the driver side trans mount first, just get the bolt thru the hole, dont torque it down. Get a jack and a block of wood or a phone book and put it on the oil pan, support the engine with this. Your going to want the engine as low as it can be right now. Put the passenger side engine mount on the car, not the engine. get the bolt hole close and try to thread the bolt in just a few turns. Now jack the engine up and push/pull the engine forward and backwards to align the studs on the engine so they go thru the mount as your jacking it up. Once the studs are thru enough to see a few threads, get the nuts on there and just tigthen them slowly, alternating between the two of them until its all the way tight. Once thats done, put the rear mount back in, it will be tight but it will slide back in there and bolt it down.

[Johnathansgalant]

ahhhh i had a feeling that crossbar would have to go.. Im gonna try that this weekend. i even cracked my timing belt cover because i was so pissed. But i got another one.. Thanks for the help

[Johnathansgalant]

Ok got the engine in thanks stewi. Although I need help on another problem. I did not spin the motor after installing the tranny so I guess the tranny could be a problem. I installed the engine and I'm not replacing the timing belt but the crankshaft will not rotate in any direction at all. I removed plugs and the car was timed correctly I made sure. I also was able to rotate it fine before the engine and tranny I think was installed. What should I be looking for? I'm in a time crunch for today so any help is appreciated.

[Cali]

is it in neutral?

:D

[Johnathansgalant]

I tried every gear on the auto tranny just in case

[Johnathansgalant]

Its movin with tranny loose

[Johnathansgalant]

Should the transmission shafts spin off the car.. The inner shaft spins but the larger outer one is stuck..

[Stewi]

Did the trans work OK prior to swapping out the engine? It seems odd the trans would lock up out of nowhere. You did bolt the flexplate back to the torque converter right? Im pretty sure both shafts should spin, are you sure the tranny is in neutral?

[Johnathansgalant]

yea the trans was fine.. I moved the shift lever through all gears and none allow me to spin. What i did was remove the tranny from the flexplate/flywheel of the original engine and then i tried two ways. I did not check for rotation with the tranny installed before i put it back in the car. The first way i bolted the torque converter and installed the tranny. Then i tried to put the torque converter on the tranny to seat it well then installed everything and when i tighten the tranny to the engine eventually it stops the crank from rotating. I am stuck here pretty much. I am not a 100% which is neutral but if i follow the shifer pattern i hit neutral on the third selection i believe.

Could it be i am not seating the torque converter in all the way also? Thanks for the help.

[Stewi]

Could it be i am not seating the torque converter in all the way also? Thanks for the help.

that is DEFINETLY the problem. I hate to say it, but if you tightened the trans to the engine all the way and got the bolts all the way in and tight, you could have damaged the input shaft on the trans or converter, or both by forcing it. You wont know til the car is running/driving. I never bolt the torque converter to the flexplate before the trans is in the car. Get the trans out of the car, install the torque converter, make sure its seated right, once it is, spin it, it should spin with moderate resistance. Then install the trans in the car. Once its in, you can bolt the torque converter to the flexplate at the bottom of the bell housing where the inspection plate/cover goes. Just do it one bolt at a time (use loctite) get each bolt in hand tight, then once all 4 are in, torque each one to spec.

[Johnathansgalant]

i took it off and did it that way but it did not spin.. I put the converter on first and it felt like it had went in all the way and spun with some resistance so i figured it was good. When i bolt it up still wouldnt spin.. I guess i may just need to bite the bullet and get another tranny or start my 5 speed swap... The tranny middle shaft spun but the outer one does not so i dunno.. thanks for the advice..


One question,, i got an 01 tranny and i think the motor is an 03.. is there a difference in the size of the flexplates by any chance??

[Stewi]

i took it off and did it that way but it did not spin.. I put the converter on first and it felt like it had went in all the way and spun with some resistance so i figured it was good. When i bolt it up still wouldnt spin.. I guess i may just need to bite the bullet and get another tranny or start my 5 speed swap... The tranny middle shaft spun but the outer one does not so i dunno.. thanks for the advice..


One question,, i got an 01 tranny and i think the motor is an 03.. is there a difference in the size of the flexplates by any chance??

Thats what I was just thinking. Checking mitsubishparts.net its saying there is one style flexplate from 99-02 and the 03 has its own style. You might just need to swap the flexplate from the old engine over.

[Johnathansgalant]

hmm looks like the engine is an 01 also from an eclipse. The flexplates look the same.. I am gonna rip the tranny out again and try to reseat the torque converter. My friend said it should go about three steps or clicks i only remember maybe 2 different seats.. I have a feeling im not seating it right. If i messed up the tranny im gonna 5 speed my turbo g and put the auto in this one i dont care to spend more money on parts i already have..

[Johnathansgalant]

forgot to update. I did not install the torque converter correctly so i damaged the tranny upon installation and the shaft is now locked up pretty good. I am going to pick up a cheap tranny off a stratus. The interchange says it is the same so i should be able to install it with no problems now that i know how to properly install the torque converter. Apparently i sat it two steps instead of three and it was not deep enought. Thanks for all the help.

[Exhaust power]

make sure to replace the torque converter too.

[Stewi]

make sure to replace the torque converter too.

x 1,000,000

[Johnathansgalant]

yea i just got another tranny and torque converter today so i will install it tomorrow and finish the car finally. Thanks

[Johnathansgalant]

alright guys good news and bad. I got everything fired up and she is idling great. The transmission on the other hand throws a code after its first shift. I believe its shift solenoids a and b or something to that effect mulfunctions. I have verified the connections are solid and look fine. Can anyone think of anything else to try or check before i have to swap valve bodies or solenoids? The tranny goes to limp mode after the first shift by the way. Thanks for any help before i burn the new g...

[Stewi]

what year car is the tranny from? Any chance the ecu programming for the tranny is different between the years?

[Johnathansgalant]

thats my initial thought but i cant verify it. I got a 2000 eclipse tranny in a 01 galant. It could be different and i think it is but i dont know how i fix it... Ill look into it and maybe try a different rom thats a good one.

[qnz]

another FAIL from J&E Auto.

[Johnathansgalant]

thats a fail from mitsu not JE i installed the crap out of that engine.. Whats the first fail by the way

[Stewi]

Im not sure about this, but it might be something to do with the ECU/Wiring, since the 3g's have a sporty trans for the shifting, but I always thought that was a seperate thing added on.

[Johnathansgalant]

well i know the auto trans and sporty trans pinouts for the solenoids are on the same location on the ecu pinout but i dont know if the pins are the same on the tranny so i will investigate.

[qnz]

First fail was that purple mustang. I saw kick-ass yesterday. That red mustang reminded me of Floras car. haha

[Johnathansgalant]

ha that wasnt my fail lol that was fords failure