Engine Removal Tips

[Loren]

For those who have had an engine out of a Mirage...

Yes, I have the factory manual. But, the manual will give you the official "long way" to remove something like an engine. And there's always more than one way to do it. I'm looking for practical experience.

What needs to be removed?

What doesn't need to be removed?

Is it easier to pull the engine and transmission as a unit, or just pull the engine and leave the transmission (and axles, and shifter, etc) in place?

If removing just the engine, do the transmission mounts need to be loosened? Removed?

Initial plan is:

• Remove the bumper and the hood.
• Remove things like the air cleaner, battery, starter, alternator, radiator and anything else that can easily be pulled out of the way.
• Unbolt the AC, but leave the lines connected.
• Remove the exhaust header, just to get it out of the way completely.
• Remove my fancy lightweight crank pulley... that will be easier to do while the engine is still bolted in.
• Then we get down to fuel lines, heater hoses, wiring and engine grounds.
• If it looks like there's enough room, I'll probably try to just pull the engine and leave the transmission.

Who's done this on a Mirage before? Hit me with some wisdom!

[Eggman]

Rkt Ship & Fummins can give better advice based on their own experience but it is my understanding that this is done more easily by dropping the assembly rather than lifting. Think of unbolting the subframe.

[Loren]

Didn't think of that. Hopefully, they'll chime in.

Bear in mind that I don't have a lift. But, I do have a fairly tall set of jackstands.

[Eggman]

That makes me wonder if the Mirage could be lifted by hand once the subframe is set loose.

Wishful thinking aside, do you have access to a hoist or chain falls? Ooh, I wonder if an engine hoist would give enough clearance.

[Fummins]

I've only pulled complete Mirage engines with the transmissions attached from wrecks. Both cars were hit in the front so I wan't too careful but tried not to trash everything. I've been spoiled and used a 2 post hoist for nearly every engine job I've replaced.

I don't know if there's enough room to easily split the transmission in the car(with a 5spd) and yank just the engine. Probably doable but I hate doing things the hard way.

I did pull just the transmission(cvt) out but I pulled the crossmember and dropped the tranny out the bottom and left the engine hanging(with an extra support). For you it might be easier to yank it out complete and separate it on the floor.

It doesn't take much to strip the front end down to a skeleton. The rad support comes off pretty easily, pull the bumper cover,rads,headlights, etc then I think you can swing the condenser to the side and pull the rad support. Leave the axles in the tranny for less mess. Once you get all the junk out of the way(battery tray, air cleaner, rad support etc there's not much to it.

The wiring harness sucks to remove there's a knock or crank sensor on the front that was a pain to get to so I cut it. There's only the one mount underneath running from the transmission/engine to the subframe and the 2 mounts on the top then out it comes.

I don't think I'd attempt to lift the engine without an engine hoist or something.

Hope that's helps a little, I'm scattered today and it's been a while since I needed to tear one apart.

[Johnny Mullet]

I haven't done one, but if I did have to remove the engine I would drop it all out the bottom.

[Loren]

I will have an engine hoist. I guess if we bolt to the strut towers, we could get enough height to drop it out.

[Loren]

I've never dropped an engine/subframe from the bottom. What's the best way to go about it with minimal disassembly?

I guess working from the outside in...

Unbolt the calipers and let them hang (so that the hydraulic lines don't have to be opened)
Unbolt the lower strut bolts to free the hubs
Unbolt the outer tie rod ends to get free from the steering rack
All wiring, coolant and fuel lines, as per usual
Unbolt the AC compressor so the lines don't have to be opened
Clutch cable
Shifter cables
Upper engine mount
Subframe bolts

And then it should drop out?

Coming out the bottom, do I really need to remove the radiator? The front bumper?

Seems like there's more disassembly in some areas... but, should mean less disassembly in others, I hope.

[Daox]

If you have a hoist, I'd go out the top. No need to disassemble more than is necessary. Its also easier and smoother with a hoist to go out the top IMO.

[Fummins]

There's no right or wrong way. But every car is different. Most mid to full size cars, minivans and little suv's I've worked on have a full k-frame that goes from radsupport to behind the front wheels. The entire motor and transmission are usually bolted right to the k-frame/subframe. To pull the drive train out it's easiest to drop the works out the bottom. Undo the steering shaft, undo the ball joints, tie rods ends, pop the axles out, leave the spindles bolted to the struts, undo rad hoses and usually the entire wiring harness unbolts under the hood somewhere, remove the exhaust, fuel lines, trans cooler lines, cut the wire someone hacked into the harness for a remote start.

In the Mirage the engine and trans is mounted to the right and left frame rails of the car(probably giving it a higher center of gravity now that I think of it) The subframe doesn't support the weight of the engine and trans. There is a little dog bone mount that goes from the frame to the engine/trans to stop it from rocking forward and back. The control arms, rack and pinion and sway bar bolt to it.

If you want to drop it out the bottom. Lift it high, like at least 3' and lift the entire car cause engines don't like coming out crooked.
Drop the subframe. Make sure you lock the steering wheel and don't move the steering rack once it's disconnected. Mark the shafts before you pull it apart. It's a pain and will go back together wrong. No need to touch the brakes regardless of which way it comes out. Just unhook the tie rods, push down on the control arm, it'll come. Don't use pickle forks to separate joints either! Just google how to do it right using a bfh not a claw hammer. Then pull the spindle away from the car once the axle nut is off. Just let the spindle hang with the strut.
I don't know if the compressor will swing out of the way,(with the rad support in the way) you might have to let the green juice out.

If you go out the front pull the bumper, rad support. It's easy and doesn't take long. Probably looks worse than it is. Bumper is maybe 10 mins tops to remove, rad suppport is only held on by 4 or 8 bolts at the front of the frame rails. No hidden hard to get to anything. I'm pretty sure the condenser will swing out of the way without needing to drain it. should be able to remove the compressor too as it's right there.
I wouldn't worry much about the ac, what's a refill cost under $75?