[vr4eclipse]

I'm pulling my motor and tranny on my MKIV for a complete single turbo/fuel/clutch install. I have most everything around the motor out of the engine bay including the A/C compressor, PS pump/cooler lines, drive shaft, and all the mounts disconnected from the chassis. What else do I need to worry about before pulling the motor out with the cherry picker?

I hooked the cherry picker up to the hooks on the motor, pulled it up a bit and got the 2 motor mounts out from the chassis... but now it seems to be stuck in there pretty good.

Do I have to take apart the shifter so the top of the tranny will clear on its way out?

I have left some of the sensors plugged in on the motor in hope that there may be a main engine harness disconnect point. Is there such a connector?

Also, where do I disconnect the coolant hoses that would go into the heater core? I assume those are probably keeping the motor from coming out freely.

Any other tips and advice before I go back at it again tomorrow?

Thanks for all the help!!

 

[V8THIS]

You're doing this to install a single, fuel & clutch??!?!?!? -talk about the HARD way of going about it. I would recommend putting everything back and doing it the conventional way. But if you're dead set on doing this...... the "main" ECU/harness disconnect is at the ECU. You disconnect the harness from the ECU and pull it through to the engine bay.


-Mike

 

[Bill P]

First off, if you are having trouble pulling the motor you might want to reconsider adding a single turbo with fuel by yourself. This is not an easy task for a first timer. I strongly suggest you buy the engine manual from Toyota before you go any farther.

Otherwise, yes, you have to unhook the shifter lever on the trans. You will also have to disconnect the wiring harness at the ECU and pull it through the fire wall. You will also have to disconnect the first O2 sensor and most of the connectors on the drivers side firewall if memory serves at this hour in the am. There is also another electrical connector at the bottom of the streeing colunm. And yes you have to disconnect the heater hoses. I am sure there are things I am missing so just go slow while pulling the motor out so you don't screw something up.

On another note, pulling the motor is by far the fastest and easiest way to upgrade turbos and fuel. It will take the first timer about 5-8 hours and saves countless hours of trying to do it with the motor in the car.

Bill P

 

[MONSTER]

On another note, pulling the motor is by far the fastest and easiest way to upgrade turbos and fuel. It will take the first timer about 5-8 hours and saves countless hours of trying to do it with the motor in the car.

Bill P

This is soooo true. Service manual + common sense and anyone can doit. UHaul rents hoists for $20/day.

 

[V8THIS]

I stand corrected.

This is soooo true. Service manual + common sense and anyone can doit. UHaul rents hoists for $20/day.

 

[vr4eclipse]

thanks!

Thanks for your concern regarding my mechanical ability. This is far from the first motor I've pulled from a high performance Japanese Import, and far from the first time doing extensive work on an MKIV. But it is my first attempt at a motor pull in the MKIV. And just like any other big job, then 2nd time is always much easier due to the experience and learning from the first. And my post was an attempt to gain some of this knowledge w/o having to work too hard for it.

Thanks for the tips on the ECU harness and the other connectors. That was what I was trying to confirm. I looked on the online manuals and it showed pictures of those, but I was unsure and wanted a confirmation from folks who have done this before.

I agree that pulling the motor is by far the easier way to do this. I've done a few single installs on MKIVs and have found it extremely time consuming and frustrating to do it "the conventional way" as another poster here mentioned. And those installs didn't even include a fuel system.

Anyone have any more tips before I go back to working on it tonight? I'm only about an hour into it, so I'm sure I got quite a ways to go...

First off, if you are having trouble pulling the motor you might want to reconsider adding a single turbo with fuel by yourself. This is not an easy task for a first timer. I strongly suggest you buy the engine manual from Toyota before you go any farther.

Otherwise, yes, you have to unhook the shifter lever on the trans. You will also have to disconnect the wiring harness at the ECU and pull it through the fire wall. You will also have to disconnect the first O2 sensor and most of the connectors on the drivers side firewall if memory serves at this hour in the am. There is also another electrical connector at the bottom of the streeing colunm. And yes you have to disconnect the heater hoses. I am sure there are things I am missing so just go slow while pulling the motor out so you don't screw something up.

On another note, pulling the motor is by far the fastest and easiest way to upgrade turbos and fuel. It will take the first timer about 5-8 hours and saves countless hours of trying to do it with the motor in the car.

Bill P

 

[AnArKey]

Tell me why single and fuel is so hard with the motor in the car? My single install was a snap. Only took a few hours. That whole area of the motor is so easy to get to. On a T78 at least, you can't do the wastegate or downpipe with the motor out, and expect to get it back in. So that leaves the header, turbo, and oil all which were easy to reach without any problem. As for fuel, once you undo the 7 bolts and a couple connections to take the upper intake manifold off (something you would have to do with the motor out anyway), everything is a snap to reach as well.

But by all means, document any particular trouble spots you run into. My motor is gonna come out sometime, as I plan to build another motor in my spare time with Crower rods, JE pistons, Crower springs, retainers, and cams.

So you can get the ECU connection through the firewall without too much trouble, and leave all the engine sensors plugged in? If so, fantastic! That's the most time consuming part usually. When I do it the tranny will probably stay in the car, as my clutch just got changed and I plan to keep it for a long time. That also keeps the insert and removal process much easier (just pull it straight up). I like the hooks that are already on the engine, how nice of Toyota to do that.

 

[vr4eclipse]

Derek,

Maybe you figured out some tricks or had some tools that myself, Chris B, and Sound Performance do not have access to. I'd love to hear them if you don't mind sharing.

The install of the new turbo kit once the old twins/manifold is out is a 30 minute process. It is the removal of the stock twins/manifold that was time consuming and frustrating for me.

Same goes with the upper intake manifold on the other side. I find it difficult to believe that taking off the 7 bolts with the motor inside the engine bay is just as easy as taking off the 7 bolts when the engine is on an engine stand. That is unless you decide to park the engine stand right next to a wall then turn the lights off and do it in the dark.

I'll keep you posted when I get more into the removal.

Another reason I'm pulling the motor is that I need to fix an oil leak from the oil pan and also install new motor mounts. So 2 more reasons why I opted to pull the motor.

Tell me why single and fuel is so hard with the motor in the car? My single install was a snap. Only took a few hours. That whole area of the motor is so easy to get to. On a T78 at least, you can't do the wastegate or downpipe with the motor out, and expect to get it back in. So that leaves the header, turbo, and oil all which were easy to reach without any problem. As for fuel, once you undo the 7 bolts and a couple connections to take the upper intake manifold off (something you would have to do with the motor out anyway), everything is a snap to reach as well.

But by all means, document any particular trouble spots you run into. My motor is gonna come out sometime, as I plan to build another motor in my spare time with Crower rods, JE pistons, Crower springs, retainers, and cams.

So you can get the ECU connection through the firewall without too much trouble, and leave all the engine sensors plugged in? If so, fantastic! That's the most time consuming part usually. When I do it the tranny will probably stay in the car, as my clutch just got changed and I plan to keep it for a long time. That also keeps the insert and removal process much easier (just pull it straight up). I like the hooks that are already on the engine, how nice of Toyota to do that.

 

[AnArKey]

The install of the new turbo kit once the old twins/manifold is out is a 30 minute process. It is the removal of the stock twins/manifold that was time consuming and frustrating for me.

Then I can see your point. I already had a single on the car when I got it. I just changed turbo kits. So I can't speak to taking off the stockers. Chris B. did mention how much of a PITA that was.

I haven't taken the upper intake manifold off of a MKIV, but I have on a MKIII. They are almost the same in terms of how and where they are bolted up. On the MKIII at least, it came off in about 20 minutes.

 

[vr4eclipse]

Well I just finished pulling the motor out. It was actually very easy. Much easier than I expected. Especially after getting the tips from some of you guys regarding the wire harness.

I ended up just pulling the motor and trans out together. Total time was about 3 hours.

Thanks again for the help.