To pull, or not to pull

[Shag Wagon]

Ok I am preparing the old wagon for that manual swap. Im tired of getting 22mpgs on a healthy tuned engine. So now I wanna know one thing. Should I just leave the motor in or take it out while doing the swap? I understand it may be easier to pull it out and do the work but I think that will take me too long to do that. What did everybody do when they swapped? I need some shortcuts to make this happen in a weekend. Thanks!

[Shag Wagon]

I know somebody can give me an answer here......

[pedroalcala]

Take the motor out, it will save you time and space.
Me and my friend did it on his 91 CB, we took the whole motor out and did all the shift linkers and crap. We were thinking of just taking out the tranny but its a pain in the ass plus it heavy...

[steelbluesleepR]

mndude07 and i did his 5-speed swap without pulling the motor. it is doable, but if you have the space pulling the motor might make it easier. if you use a load leveler, you can possibly put the motor and tranny together while they are out of the car saving you some time on your back wrenching under the car.

[Shag Wagon]

Yea the bad part is that I have to convert the rear bracket and thats a pain in the terd cutter. Dropping an auto tranny is gravy but a manual tranny you got to have help with. Does anybody have any tricks doing it with the engine in? Im going to be taking off the intake manifold anyways so would that make it any better?

[steelbluesleepR]

Yea the bad part is that I have to convert the rear bracket and thats a pain in the terd cutter. Dropping an auto tranny is gravy but a manual tranny you got to have help with. Does anybody have any tricks doing it with the engine in? Im going to be taking off the intake manifold anyways so would that make it any better?

use an engine hoist and lift the motor an inch or two and you can un-bolt it from underneath the car. 2 people really helps to get the rear mount out and the new one in. we didnt take off the intake manifold, but it might give you more room.

[alkoholikwun]

was able to do my buddys 5sp swap for him with motor in bay, but only problem was clutch hard lines not up against the wall completely and not behind "all" wires/components.

[mndude07]

Pulling the whole motor will be easier, but also take longer...so if you have plenty of time then do that.

[Tippey764]

What if your just swapping manual transmissions for example an h23 tranny, is pulling the whole motor still easier or just do the tranny itself?

[mndude07]

Its easier to deal with bolting/unbolting the flywheel and clutch outside the engine bay. Also, it would make staking the transmission way easier. If you're swapping to a 5 speed with ESP mounts for example, and have to change all the mounts, you may as well pull the whole motor too....if you can.

[Shag Wagon]

OK I guess ill go ahead and pull the engine. Ill have a bunch of people to help so maybe I can do this bitch in a weekend.

[ChampCoupe]

shag if you need some help, i am not doing anything for the next couple of days if you need a hand.

[nusdogg]

I'd pull it out cause then you have all the space like everyone else here said.

[Shag Wagon]

shag if you need some help, i am not doing anything for the next couple of days if you need a hand.

Man I tell you what. If I knew for a fact that I had all my crap together and everything was going to go as planned I would ride to ATL and do it there but every time I do something major to an Accord something else breaks and its down for a week haha.

[ChampCoupe]

ah shit i would have come over there to help you