What would you have differently, knowing what you know now??

[drumad]

Remembered to disconnect that !~^%$~!# clutch line from the transmission before trying to pull the motor.

Fuck yes. Luckily I just slightly bent where the hardline mounts to the softline.

[Mr.SWISS]

Back from the dead! I'm getting back into my project and would like to hear some more ideas....

You still got that sunroof? :)


Having done a few I would not recommend an E21 booster or a NV motor unless you have immediate plans to boost. My NV car was on par with the M20 power, just quieter and got slightly better mileage.

I didn't get a lightweight fly and HP clutch kit this time, just what's stock to the S52. I think the motor is pretty powerful for this little car and it seems like an M52 would be a better balance for it.

Edit 1K posts suckas!

[euronotworthy]

I just picked up a clean 4dr. I plan to overbuild my swap just so I won't have to do it more than once.

[iceman]

^Not having a mentor just makes victory even sweeter.

What would I have done differently?

• Removed all that rubber/foam insulation on the firewall.
• Remembered to disconnect that !~^%$~!# clutch line from the transmission before trying to pull the motor.

I have done the clutch line thing too, haha. Yeah, the foam sucks, I forgot it too.

[1mz]

driven and appreciated my 318 for more than 2 weeks before ripping out the m42. Not started an engine swap without a mentor.

[eandrade]

What would I have done differently?

• Performed a detailed inspection on every single used part that I purchased from various other people.
• Purchased brand new knock sensors (the piece of mind is worth the couple of hundred bucks)
• Double checked that the @!*^&%~!# CPS wire was routed properly and not rubbing against the water pump pulley where it would end up shorting against the block and causing 5 AAA tows and countless parts replaced trying to chase down an intermittent misfire/no start that would ONLY appear when you were at least 10 miles away from home. Argh.
• Invested the money on learning how to weld properly (custom exhausts are expensive!)
• Removed all that rubber/foam insulation on the firewall.
• Cleaned my engine bay.
• Remembered to disconnect that !~^%$~!# clutch line from the transmission before trying to pull the motor.
• Spent the extra time locating the parts that I REALLY wanted instead of going with a stop gap solution to hold me over (e.g. 3.46 diff instead of 3.73, Eisenmann exhaust instead of Magnaflow)
• Moved out of this idiotic state and lived somewhere that actually lets you modify cars.

[N2MYE30]

To be really picky, I would have replaced the intake seals. I may have relocated my booster too. All in all, I was prepared. It was 3 months of searching for parts and researching on all websites. Two weeks from running M20 to running M50.

I wasnt prepared for the exhaust price but in the end, I am happy with my final results.

[etxxz]

^^+11000213!!

Do it. I wouldn't trust it one bit. Every VR gasket i've used NEW, has leaked. Valve cover, thermostat housing, oil pan gasket, spark plug gaskets, all of them. I've cleaned the surface throughly and they're all straight.

you guys and your gasket leaks are starting to scare me. My motor is still out of the car though, so mayybe i should rtv it...

they seal very well in my motor. Just make sure your surfaces are nice smooth and clean... and flat. If they are distorded is not the gasket's fault. I did goop up both sides of the oil pan gasket for safety.

[drumad]

Removed the firewall rubber molding.

My harness barely has any room around the intake manifold area.

[Farbin Kaiber]

Use a lift, and drop the old engine on the subframe, then put the new engine in on the subframe from the bottom.

[lolcantturn]

you guys and your gasket leaks are starting to scare me. My motor is still out of the car though, so mayybe i should rtv it...

Do it. I wouldn't trust it one bit. Every VR gasket i've used NEW, has leaked. Valve cover, thermostat housing, oil pan gasket, spark plug gaskets, all of them. I've cleaned the surface throughly and they're all straight.

[lbreevesii]

you guys and your gasket leaks are starting to scare me. My motor is still out of the car though, so mayybe i should rtv it...

[lolcantturn]

Same deal, block and pan surfaces cleaned to perfection, new Vic rein gasket... Torqued/sequenced the bolts, got a slow drip front right corner. Gonna pull the motor back out in the spring and re-seal it w/rtv.

Fuck me too! Godamn brand new gasket and it leaks like hell. Top that off with the fact I'm running a G260 so I have to pull the tranny just to drop the oil pan,

With a "trusted" name like victor reinz you would think they would put a bit more quality in a gasket that could only be changed basically when the motor's out...very annoying shit.

[scottinAZ]

I would have done my swap right off, and not tried to save the M20 that was in the car. Would have also done the ZF trans with new clutch first and not cobbled together a bunch of old G260's and associated parts.

[burkey001]

I shoulda just bought a GT3...would have be cheaper and easier.

Not actually a silly idea. An ex-race 997 or 996 GT3 isn't as expensive as you'd think.
Goes and stops a bit better too... but is it as fun??? Well maybe