Engine replacement

[Elijah1989]

I have a 89 Bronco II with a cracked motor (thanks winter......) and I picked up a 89 Ranger as a donor truck. I need to replace its valve cover gaskets and it rear main seal. I figured I could do both while pulling the engine.

I am asking what should I expect while pulling the engine from the ranger and placing it into the Bronco II. As you have guessed by now I have never done it before and only have basic knowledge of working on trucks (oil, starters, alternator, etc.). I will be searching the forum for tips and hints but I figured I would post also it see if anyone post things I may miss while searching through the labyrinth of these wonderful forums.

Do I need to take off engine components like the AC and power steering pump, or can I leave them on? My stepdad is letting me "borrow" his engine lift to help me out. This will definitely be an experience for me and my son, he's 12, who will be assisting with the project as a home school project.

Thanks in advance for any information.
Elijah

 

[wildbill23c]

The more stuff you can pull off the engines the easier it will be to remove and install. Do the rear main while the engine is out of the vehicle...much easier to do and easier to make sure you get the seal in straight.

If you have never done this before I seriously advise having someone there that has to assist even if they just stand by and give you advise. As you unhook everything label every single plug, sensor, etc...take pictures as well so you know where all that stuff goes once you get the engine installed in the vehicle....make a methodical check before pulling the engine, don't forget to unhook anything...no matter how hard you try, you can't stretch wire to make them longer pulling wires loose will no doubt make things a bit of a pain during the reinstall.

One thing too, take your time, don't try to rush through it, that's when things go wrong very fast, especially if you have no experience in doing this type of work.

Keep track of all your nuts, bolts, and other fasteners. Put them in little zip lock bags if you have to and label them, otherwise you'll end up with a bucket full of fasteners that you have no clue where they go.

While you got the donor engine out, may as well go through and replace as many of the seals and gaskets you can, as well as new water pump and gasket, as well as the thermostat. Check the timing chain too if its worn may as well replace it. A lot of these things are a heck of a lot easier to do with the engine on an engine stand, so take the opportunity to replace everything you can while its out of the vehicle.

 

[adsm08]

Unbolt the AC compressor from the engine, and the one line has a small bolt on the back of the intake. Then you can lay the compressor, lines and all, over to the passenger side and you can remove the engine without opening, or discharging the AC system.

The same can be done with the power steering pump. If you remove it's bracket from the engine (easier than taking the pulley off) you can lay the pump aside and not have to drain and refill your PS system.

The pulley for the AC belt is an extra piece that bolts on to the front of the crank damper. If your replacement engine didn't have AC you will need to transfer that.

Take pictures of all your connections and routings and such. The 2.9 wiring setup is a tad overly complicated.

Take the radiator out. Take the fan off if you can. The 2.9 fan uses left handed thread, so left tighty, righty loosey on the fan nut. If you can't get the fan off turning the engine 90* in the engine bay so the fan faces the passenger side can help get it past the AC box easier.

 

[don4331]

Elijah:

Is your BII still mobile? If so, take it to a muffler shop and have them undo the exhaust is my standard recommendation for someone new at engine swapping - most people don't have the tools to remove the exhaust bolts, especially in a vehicle almost 30 years old.

I usually leave the alternator on, but remove AC and power steering.

I use a ratchet strap to hold the transmission up, as I separate the engine.

 

[Elijah1989]

Unfortunately it is not mobile. I appreciate the tips. And I will definitely use them. If not my mechanic said he would do the swap for $900. So I'm going to look at it. If I can't manage it I don't want to look like a total screw up. Lol. Hopefully all goes well in a month when I have a long weekend to do it


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