Great post! Thanks for this. Will this be relevant to a GR chassis? I plan on removing my engine this winter to do some maintenance and modding.

EDIT:

With the help of this thread and others over at NASIOC, I successfully pulled my engine for the first time this past week. Thanks for this and all the helpful members. I documented the whole thing. You can watch it here:

Tuner Tee - 2008 STi EJ257 Engine Pull - YouTube

 

Good Information !

 

Great post !

 

Great thread. Bump of an old one lol

 

I am replacing the clutch on a 2005 Saab 92x (WRX with worse badges).

- Is it easier to drop the tranny or pull the engine?

- Also, If I pull the engine, can I remove/replace the flywheel without mounting the engine on an engine stand? i.e., can I remove the flywheel from the engine suspended with straps from the engine hoist?

 

coming from someone who did a motor swap and then later had to pull the transmission to check my clutch, I'd say it's easier to drop the transmission, but only if you have a floor jack that can support the tranny. :tup:

also, don't f*** it up and knock the transmission over unless you want your garage to permanently smell like gear oil. :wave:

 

Now you are ready to remove the motor (Do the following
38. Attach Hoist (I simply tie an old seat belt around both sides of the intake manifold. This method will not scratch or leave marks on any painted or prepared surfaces like a chain might)
39. Position a floor jack underneath the transmission.
40. Lift the engine a bit with the hoist, then raise the jack to the tranny. This will balance the load on the input shaft of the tranny. Never allow the full weight of the engine to rest on the jack. Let the hoist do the work. .
41. Repeat until the engine mount studs have cleared the chassis allowing free forward movement of the motor.
42. Have a friend help with this step. Pry the engine from the tranny while very slowly pulling the hoist forward. Have someone there to catch the motor when it releases.

Tada! Its out.

A few questions from somebody who has not done this yet:
How many inches are we lifting the engine?
Why is it necessary to "repeat until the engine mount clears..."? Can I just lift the engine until it clears the studs? Is the jack under the tranny to support the tranny AFTER it's separated from the engine? How can the tranny move up if the trans mounts, prop shaft and half shafts are all still bolted on?

 

Before you put the engine back in, Install the throwout bearing onto the clutch fork and input shaft. Once your get your engine bolted up to your trans, push the clutch Fork towards the rear of the vehicle and that should pop it into place. It shouldn't move back and forth as much as it did before you reengaged it. Hopefully this helps!

 

I'm pulling my motor tomorrow, but I have a week to get a good answer to this question. And I know it was answered somewhat but I'm still confused.

When reinstalling the engine, since you disengaged the clutch fork, do you need to reengage it? Also what is the deal with the throwout bearing?
Any pictures to help would be great!

Thanks

And if anyone wants to come help reinstall it ill pay you in beer!

Located in 08050

 

4-6 hours. The most time consuming steps are organization of all the parts andbolts and then seperating the the motor from the transmission

 

Sorry to bump an old thread but what kind of time frame to you give for removal of the engine?

 

This will be good for me somday...

 

Great thread, I will be replacing my engine in the next couple of weeks and glad so many chimed in on this one!

 

Concerning the lower transmission bolts and nuts. The 2 higher bolts can be removed from below using a long extension. I put a steel pipe over my ratchet to give me the additional leverage needed to loosen these things.

As for the 2 lower nuts, the passenger side can be reached from above with no extension on the ratchet. Use a steel pipe to give you the additional leverage needed to loosen it. You'll rub agains the bracket for the exhaust side of the turbo and you can't move the nut very far with each ratcheting motion. As for the driver's side, I used a 14mm close end, ratchet style wrench. I placed the wrench on the nut, held the same steel pipe against the open end side of the wrench, and hammered it with a rubber mallet. This loosened it until the point where I could just ratchet it by hand.

The challenge is sitting the wrenches or sockets on these nuts as you can't see what you are doing. Sometimes they fall off the nut and onto the floor below.

 

Thats correct. You can also connect the motor and then try to get the fork in the bearing after the fact if you forgot but it's definitely easier to do it first.

 

You want to slide the throwout bearing on the transmission first and then install the fork and fork shaft. The fork will mate with the bearing and the tabs on the bearing keep it secured to the fork.

When you install the motor and secure it to the transmission you give the fork a quick but firm push toward the firewall to engage the bearing with the clutch.

There is a better representation of that toward the end of this how-to http://www.iwsti.com/forums/how-ins...-install/189630-how-replace-clutch-transmission-removal-driveway-method-gd.html

 

You want to slide the throwout bearing on the transmission first and then install the fork and fork shaft. The fork will mate with the bearing and the tabs on the bearing keep it secured to the fork.

When you install the motor and secure it to the transmission you give the fork a quick but firm push toward the firewall to engage the bearing with the clutch.

There is a better representation of that toward the end of this how-to http://www.iwsti.com/forums/how-ins...-install/189630-how-replace-clutch-transmission-removal-driveway-method-gd.html

so just to make sure, im to disconnect the bearing from the engine/clutch before installing the motor? install the bearing onto the transmission separated from the engine first, then secure the fork and pin also before installing the engine. then finally installing the motor and giving a 'firm push' of the fork towards the firewall to i guess 'reconnect' the bearing to the motor again? thanks sorry for the details just wanna make sure im tracking.

 

but doesnt the throw out bearing ride on the input shaft of the transmission? i guess i dont understand because ive never seen how the subaru transmissions work but typically the throw out bearin isnt 'attached' to the engine and transmission together right?

 

Subarus use a pull type clutch. The fork is connected to the bearing which is snapped into the pressure plate fingers. The fork pulls on the bearing which pulls on the pressure plate fingers to release the clutch. Because of this, it has to be disengaged to be able to separate the engine from the transmission.

I'll give you a hint. It's in the factory service manual (step 12 of transmission removal). You have to do it.

 

why do you have to do the step with the clutch fork? i have a 2011 is this required for me too? i read the alldata steps it didnt mention anything about that.. I'm pulling my motor in the morning just wanted to be sure if i have to do this or not.. only thing i have let to remove is the pitch stop and the radiator and resovoir

 

This step disengages the fork from the throwout bearing. If you don't do this it won't separate.

 

for those who want to know where the dowel pins are located to heat up with the torch... as well as a pic of the what the shift fork looks like...

 

from underneith the car, I don't know how it could ever be done from up top.

 

so i’ve put together this list of steps involved in removing a motor from an sti, 06 specifically, but i would imagine that this would be good for anything from an 04 to an 07. I realize that there are other lists here regarding engine removal but this one deals more with the efficient order of process.

This procedure has a difficulty level of 8-10. If you don't know your way around the tool box then have a shop do this work

please understand that this is only one of a hundred ways to remove an engine from an sti and you may not exactly agree with the order i have chosen but this is the fifth time i’m doing this on my car alone and it is the method that best suits me. Practice makes perfect. If anyone finds this useful then that is great.

all input and comments are welcome, i’m sure i missed something.

tools…
engine hoist
floor jack
jack stands
screw driver, flat and phillips
10mm socket
12mm socket
14mm socket
12mm wrench
14mm wrench
short and long extension
universal joint
pry bar
breaker bar
14mm hex, 10mm on older models
heavy pliers
hose clamp pliers
magnetic wand (because you will inevitably drop something)
drop cloth

procedure…
1. Unplug fuel pump relay
2. Loosen gas cap
3. Start engine, allow it to stall, crank some more. (releases fuel pressure)
4. Remove battery
5. Remove strut bar (if installed)
6. Remove intercooler (provides easy access to the turbo area)
7. Remove all visible fasteners from the turbo/downpipe union
lift vehicle
8. Unplug rear o2 sensor
9. Remove remaining nut from the turbo/downpipe union
10. Remove fasteners from the downpipe/intermediate pipe union
11. Remove down pipe
12. Remove lower engine bell housing bolts
13. Remove motor mount nuts
14. Drain coolant by opening the radiator petcock. You will need a large drop cloth.
lower vehicle
15. For wrx models remove the throttle and cruise control cables from the throttle body. Remove electrical connections to alternator, crank sensor, ac and power steering
16. Remove upper and lower radiator hose from engine
17. Remove coolant lines leading to the filler tank (passenger side)
18. Unplug fans
19. Remove the radiator
20. Remove intake and cold air box (if installed)
21. Remove the alternator belt guard
22. Loosen the belt tensioner for the ac belt, remove belt
23. Loosen tension on the power steering/alternator belt and remove
24. Remove reservoir hose from power steering pump
25. Remove power steering pump from engine and set aside.
26. Remove alternator. Remove air conditioning compressor set aside where battery was
27. Remove coolant filler tank from engine
28. Remove bracket holding power steering lines to engine. (passenger side)
29. Remove boost controller vacuum lines. (passenger side)
30. Unplug front o2 sensor (passenger side)
31. Unplug engine harness (both sides)
32. Remove the fuel lines and vacuum line to the fire wall and master cylinder (driver side)
33. Remove pitchstop
34. Remove starter (driver side)
35. Remove heater hoses from fire wall (driver side)
36. Remove the remaining bell housing bolts
37. Expose the clutch fork shaft by removing the hex plug. (14mm hex needed, or 10mm on some models) (driver side below starter) remove the shaft by installing a temporary 10mm bolt into threaded hole and yank. Disengage the fork from the throwout bearing prior to engine removal

now you are ready to remove the motor (do the following)
38. Attach hoist (i simply tie an old seat belt around both sides of the intake manifold. This method will not scratch or leave marks on any painted or prepared surfaces like a chain might)
39. Position a floor jack underneath the transmission.
40. Lift the engine a bit with the hoist, then raise the jack to the tranny. This will balance the load on the input shaft of the tranny. Never allow the full weight of the engine to rest on the jack. Let the hoist do the work. .
41. Repeat until the engine mount studs have cleared the chassis allowing free forward movement of the motor.
42. Have a friend help with this step. Pry the engine from the tranny while very slowly pulling the hoist forward. Have someone there to catch the motor when it releases.

tada! Its out.

i imagine that installation is in reverse order. The only thing to remember here is to attach the fork and throughout bearing assembly to the tranny first prior to mating the engine to the tranny.

updated 08-21-2011. Pics provided by 1998typesh. I just doctored them up a bit with captions. Thank you shawn!

many more still to come. Stay posted!

thats perfect!

 

i used a nuckle joint with a long extension, (all half inch)

 

Did you go from the top or from underneath the car?

 

hey quick question whats the easiest way to get to the lower nuts on the bell housing on both sides?

 

On my half, I finally got news that the motor was finished yesterday after a few months of waiting and buying parts upon parts. I expect by Friday I will have enough time and the money to pick it up. The pics will resume once i get it back.

If you guys need specific pics let me know.

 

I'll work on them Sunday... I know I'm dropping the ball but there are allot of things happening all at once.

 

Any update on the pictures? We're going to be pulling mine out in a couple days.