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Engine swap vs shop

Trans cross member is now out,

Do I need to unhook the Nss, and Transfer case wires or will they be fine for lowering the engine ?

Any tips for disconnecting tcase/Trans linkage, as far as don't unbolt this, do unholy that?
 
You can do that by just holding the flex plate in place with a bar/heavy screwdriver wedged against some of the bolts you are not torquing

Use the bar to work against the torque wrench


Wrench on the harmonic balancer works too. Going the same direction, so no risk of loosening it.
 
Trans cross member is now out,

Do I need to unhook the Nss, and Transfer case wires or will they be fine for lowering the engine ?

Any tips for disconnecting tcase/Trans linkage, as far as don't unbolt this, do unholy that?






No need to take out the transmission cross-member in order to remove the engine, but you should support the transmission when removing the engine & while it's out.
 
No need to take out the transmission cross-member in order to remove the engine, but you should support the transmission when removing the engine & while it's out.

Don't you need to lower the trans to get access to the E12 bolts?


Also is it worth using anti sieze on exhaust bolts, harmonic balancer bolt, or really any/all. I was contemplating getting some copper/nickle antisieze, but not if I'm going to hurt anything torque wise.
 
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Trans cross member is now out,

Do I need to unhook the Nss, and Transfer case wires or will they be fine for lowering the engine ?

Any tips for disconnecting tcase/Trans linkage, as far as don't unbolt this, do unholy that?

Holy Hell, am I late to the game...

T-case linkage is basically held together with push studs and rubber bushings. Careful prying with a small pry bar or a large flat blade screwdriver should be enough to take them apart. Pliers will probably be required to snap them back together.

Trans linkage... I can't remember, I'd need to see it. IIRC, it's either the same sort of push-stud arrangement, or you have to to pull on the shifter cable to get it off the stud.

Unless you plan on pulling the trans and T-case with the engine (we never did this), you should be fine leaving them in place unless the attach to a bracket on the engine. (Example: the harness for the crankshaft position sensor)

Side note: I used to blow these suckers (and other Jeeps) apart for a minute as a job. Got a 3-month raise after my first week, I was that good. Me and the other guy that got hired on while I worked at that place could have a 4.0 pulled out of an XJ and short-blocked in 4 or 5 hours. :D Any questions, just ask.
 
Well this process wasn't as smooth as I saw it going, but I'm only half way through if that. I'm still going to replace all gaskets. I havent decided on whether or not freeze plugs are worth while, Ide use brass.
I need a manifold/ header as well, mine is cracked far worse than I knew and it's my second.
Motor mounts need bushings, plus I've got broken bolts to figure out.

Torque converter bolts were kind of a pain with an oil pan on, though Idk if I want to install another oil pan gasket with the engine in.
Any tips on install are a big help. Thus far I've heard of making guide pins, and making sure the torque converter is back all the way. I tried messing with it when the engine was out and it didn't seem to want to go back any further while spinning it.
 
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I think the main argument for doing the freeze plugs now is that with the engine out you'll never have better/easier access to them, and it's a compelling one.
 
I think the main argument for doing the freeze plugs now is that with the engine out you'll never have better/easier access to them, and it's a compelling one.

I have to agree -- it will never be easier to change all the freeze out plugs

and they will leak eventually

Both the engine I removed with 225,000 and the one I installed with 29,000 had freeze out plug leaks -- both had steel plugs
 
..............Torque converter bolts were kind of a pain with an oil pan on, though Idk if I want to install another oil pan gasket with the engine in................






Sure, the flex plate or drive plate to torque converter bolts take little bit of time to do, but there is no way no way I would delay oil pan installation because of those!


Do the pan & gasket installation while the engine is out.


The flex plate bolts should be torqued to 40 Ft-Lbs and I would put a drop of blue (removable) thread locker on those.


It's not easy to get a torque wrench on those because lack of space but do the best you can - the main thing is they should be pretty tight. They have never been source of problems in my case, but the oil pan gasket.... well :(
 
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I envy anyone that has the luxury to sandblast anything they want to paint, because this took some time. I can't shake throwing some fresh paint at it, seems wrong after having gutted the old heart. Ideally ide like to find a high temp self etching primer, then paint.


I also got my broken bolt out of the harmonic balancer. Cranked the welder WAY too high and burned a nut on. Little bugger came out nicely, but I almost messed that up good. I wish the exhaust bolt was going to be as easy. It's sunk in and I don't want to risk welding a nut to the threads of the hole. Probably having a friend come over and help drill/ easy out this guy with one of the fluted type, not that spiral garbage.

This might sound idiotic, though after the success with the hb bolt, I started wondering if anything could be done to make a barrier around the stud hole as to not let weld grab the edges and only allowing it to fill up and into a nut for removal. Does anything like that exist?
My brain went to ceramic material, but making this would likely take far longer than drilling it out and such.

The project continues:

. Fix broken stud
. Paint
. Throw all the new crap on
. Install some day

Lastly it looks like my CPS is completely different than what 93 used. I assume I just need to slap my 99 distributor on and I'll be gtg?
 
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When welding onto a broken bolt in cast iron what you generally have going in your favor is the fact that the cast iron is a massive heat sink. It doesn't tend to become part of the puddle. However, way deep in, I would worry about the peaks of the threads. Even if they just start to melt down a little you are going to have trouble backing out the broken piece.
 
I wouldn’t try to weld a nut on if it’s broken deeper than the threads

I’d drill it all the way thru if possible — It's probably not bottomed out in the hole
Then heat it with a torch, till is red, then cool it fast with wd40 — it should back out now with the not so easy out — I’ve had success with exhaust bolts doing this
 
So this rebuilt motor has a combo of parts.

The head is 7120 being a 91-95, my intake I want to use is from my 99.

Do I need the manifold gasket to match the head or the intake?
I cross referenced the fel-pro parts and they are different #s.

Gasket:
1999-MS93094
91-1995 - MS94790

What say you?
 
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