So..... engine swaps, advice ???

[shymoggie]

Hi all,

I know most of you are aware of the trouble we're having with SHY.... so I think I may bite the bullet (if my spare engine runs ) This would then leave me to play with the 1300 at leisure and possibly rebuild it from scratch into a 1275+ mad thing ( I have the faithful Vizard book !!)

How difficult / straightforward is swapping the entire engine & box from one car to another ? Anyone happen to have a rough step by step guide ?

I have a wild theory that with the floor panel out and the front panel, gearlever, exhaust, fuel line, clutch pedal, cables & associated wiring off it would be fairly easy to drag one out and 'shove' the other in - box and all.... I bet I'm wrong but over to the experts !

Thanks,

Jim

[Matt]

I havent got a guide, but with the gearbox cover off, the gear stick out, all lines and cables removed, and the front panel removed with the rad. it isn't that hard to get the engine and box out or in...... im sure someone will post a guide here....or make a link to the one that was here recently......

[Theo]

To make it easier you also can remove the crossmember which supports the gearbox. But only remove it when you are sure the captive nuts under the mastercilinder are still there and still 'in function'. Otherwise you have to remove the mastercilinder as well and you're ending up with reconnecting the breakpipes and bleeding the brakes after putting back in your engine.

I did not try to remove the engine (with gearbox) without removing the crossmember, so i'm not sure it will work. Anyone has done this?

to drag one out and 'shove' the other in

Shoving is not possible I think, you have to lift it. I added some pictures on my website (see "look what I found"): http://members.chello.nl/~t.vandevelde1

Theo

[shymoggie]

Shove was perhaps the wrong term.... but you get the gist !!!

I've had a look at the site - I hope I'll be able to make our moggie as good looking as yours after the transplant.
Thanks,
Jim

[Kevin]

Jim you need to check the engine mounting towers to make sure they are the same on both cars as with 1275 conversions shorter ones are sometimes used, and does it still run the standard size exhaust, you should get a copy or Owen Burtons book from the Bath Minor Centre although its not perfect it does cover most of the alterations/changes that are required with different combinations of engines and gearboxes.

[Robins]

Shymoggie, Tiz a fairly easy thing to do. I prefer to take engine and box out together and you can leave the cross member in if the front panels is removed. You can even leave all the ancilaries on the engine (tiz easier to swap them over when engine is on the floor. Use an engine craine and can do the whole thing yourself.
I had it down to fine art once, from pulling on handbrake I could have the engien & box out as one, change the clutch, and all back in turn key and drive up the road in just under 5 hours. Sad I know when you start timming things like that. good luck anyway.