Did I make a mistake?

[e30forlife]

Oh and this engine was sitting out for 1.5 years.

Still got a good one sitting off to the site. Any takers to help me put it in???

Cash and Beer is now involved :):drink:

[Kershaw]

fly exodus down there and be done in a weekend.

[e30forlife]

Like to try to find someone local or willing to drive a little bit. Would take care of gas and lodging.

Sucks having this car just sit there. Should of went to school for this haha....

[BoxDriver86]

No need to start parting the car out. If my schedule wasn't so full and I hadn't already promised what free time I have to other members I would be en route.

The good news is, with half an education you can work on this car. Granted the IX is a little more difficult than your standard M20 car, it still can be done.

Your best bet would be to get an engine hoist from Harbor Freight and a Bentley manual. You will also want to grab an engine stand. Follow the steps to remove the current motor and get it out of the way. Then get your "new" motor onto the stand and start refreshing with new gaskets, etc.

Drop in the new motor and slowly start to piece things back together. You will quickly see how simple it is to work on these things. When you have a hiccup or problem along the way, post here about it and we will all chip in to help you out (sans the silly children who turn threads asking for help into "let's bash the new guy and show our internet testosterone").

You can absolutely do this, and you will have a better understanding of your car if things go wrong down the road.

I've been where you are right now. I thought I was in over my head, but with a little patience and a lot of research I am light years ahead of where I was and starting to develop a little proficiency.

On a side note, there was a member in your area with a lengthy build thread and a strong understanding of e30s that should be able to help you out. I will send you a PM with his user ID and you can see if he can give you a hand.

Best of luck and I sincerely hope that some of us can help you out on this.

[e30forlife]

You know I keep getting excited thinking about going to get a repair manual. Just seems a bit much.

Is their step by step on these kind of things?

Thanks boxdriver for the pm.

If I can do this out of that Manual then im going to Barnes and Noble. Start buying some tools and probably could get an engine hoist for cheap.

[TimKninja]

Thats the spirit! Teach yourself how to wrench!
Do work son!
Box driver is right.

[lolcantturn]

You know I keep getting excited thinking about going to get a repair manual. Just seems a bit much.

Is their step by step on these kind of things?

Thanks boxdriver for the pm.

If I can do this out of that Manual then im going to Barnes and Noble. Start buying some tools and probably could get an engine hoist for cheap.

Thats the spirit. Don't be daunted by such a feat, a monkey can pull one of these cars apart and put them back. It's honestly just nuts and bolts, a lot of them, and massaging the motor out. Buy yourself a propane torch for all the hard nuts, and invest in a torque wrench.

[evandael]

Go OP, go!


Sometimes this place ain't so bad..

[Holland]

If you decide to do this, you will have a larger appreciation of how your car works and what to do. Before I got my car my mechanical skills weren't far from oil changes. I haven't done engine swaps yet but I have rebuilt my diff, and had the entire underside of my car apart. You will absolutely make mistakes, but if you take your time and pay attention you will catch a bunch of things.

[e30forlife]

I appreciate all of the comments. Looking at engine hoists now. And a lot more stuff

[iamsam]

e30forlife, Do you have ample garage space? if so, I think you can do this.

One thing though, try to make sure you buy everything you need before you start, because not having the right tiny little O-ring can halt the entire project until you get that part.

If you have an entire donor car, you won't need much, maybe a clutch kit and rear main seal could be it.

Also, I would suggest starting a separate meet thread in you local subforum, and organize a meet at your place to have people pitch in to swap the motor. It really does help immensely when there are multiple knowledgable people to help you.

[lolcantturn]

Go OP you got this.

[Pac1373]

I know this will sound "Over-simplified" but I taught myself how to wrench, and although I am not a mechanic, I do allot of my own work.

think of it like this; "remove, and replace" Honestly, your goal is to take the motor out, and put a new motor in. just un-fasten your wiring, unbolt the bolts that need to be unbolted, remove lump, then, do the opposite...

now days with digi cam's in everything, take a thousand pic's so you know where EVERYTHING goes. take your time, focus and be patient. it isn't like you can destroy it.

most important (and hardest for me to remember) have fun, don't let it piss you off.

enjoy your car.

[e30forlife]

Well I took the head apart tonight.

Taking it to the machine shop to see what they can do.

Thanks to a forum member coming down next weekend to help me with the engine swap!

[Exodus_2pt0]

Looking at engine hoists now. And a lot more stuff

Harbor Freight is your friend.