Replacing engine looking for experienced advice

[CarrottopM3]

Well I'm replacing the motor on a M3. According to the book they want you to remove the wiper assembly. Is that necessary? My next thing is I don't have a lot of wobbles & extensions to get to the bolts for the tranny so I was thinking of pulling it out together and then separating. What do you guys suggest? Any tips and trick from the guys that have done this? I'll be on a short time schedule Thanks!

[Hova]

Well I'm replacing the motor on a M3. According to the book they want you to remove the wiper assembly. Is that necessary? My next thing is I don't have a lot of wobbles & extensions to get to the bolts for the tranny so I was thinking of pulling it out together and then separating. What do you guys suggest? Any tips and trick from the guys that have done this? I'll be on a short time schedule Thanks!

no need to remove the wiper.


pull/drain the radiator, unbolt the engine mounts, tranny mounts, guibo off the driveshaft, shifter linkage, fuel lines, throttle body (easier than the cables, deal with those later), wiring harness plugs (label all of them!!!!!!)


use the eye on top of the engine in front, to lift up.

[badluckM3]

Pull the engine and tranny together. Make sure you have an engine lift with a load leveler. You have to pull it out pretty much vertical to clear the front clip.

Leave the AC compressor and power steering pump installed on the car, just unbolt from engine. Put a piece of cardboard in front of AC condenser to protect it when lifting out the engine.

Label the wiring harness, and bag/label all nuts bolts.

[CarrottopM3]

so i guess some of the plugs can be used for different sensors? i'll be sure to label them just in case. pulling the engine w/ the tranny isn't a bad idea?

thanks... sounds standard. i've done plenty other swaps on other makes but i saw in the book it claims 12.7 hrs and it made me wonder if there was something special about it

[badluckM3]

Definitely not 12.7 hours. Just for ease of reinstallation, label the harness. You'll thank yourself later.

[najnad]

I have to ask...why replacing? What are you replacing it with? Same engine? Euro? LS1 conversion?

[ASC OFF]

Disconnect the wiring at the ECU and take the whole harness with the engine. Also the front clip comes completely off the e36 with ease. If you take the whole front off it will make it a million times easier to pull the motor with trans attached.

[pbonsalb]

I separated everything and took it all from above with a cable puller on a beam in the barn with a load leveler on the engine and think that way is harder. I was swapping in a longblock so the tranny had to come off and I was swapping cams so the head had to come off.

I would pull it all at once, using a proper hoist and load leveler. I did see pictures of someone dropping one under the car and it looked like a great way also. I would consider it as well, but am hoping there will be no next time.

There are some online DIY you can search for in the forums. It is helpful to read through the steps unless you do this sort of work for a living.

[badluckM3]

I did see pictures of someone dropping one under the car and it looked like a great way also. I would consider it as well, but am hoping there will be no next time.

If you have access to a lift, you just unbolt the whole front suspension and lift up the body. This is by far the easiest way to do it, but I don't have a lift in my garage. . . yet.

[hinzm3]

You can easily pull the engine with the trans. Just follow the advice in this thread. If you wanted to you could pull the front bumper, nose panel, braces, lights and just "walk it out" of the front as well.

[Balthazarr]

You can easily pull the engine with the trans. Just follow the advice in this thread. If you wanted to you could pull the front bumper, nose panel, braces, lights and just "walk it out" of the front as well.

That's referred to as the front clip.

[hinzm3]

That's referred to as the front clip.

yeah, was word blanking there for a second and took the long way around lol

[pbonsalb]

If you have access to a lift, you just unbolt the whole front suspension and lift up the body. This is by far the easiest way to do it, but I don't have a lift in my garage. . . yet.

The member here who recently did it, Brent930, did not have a lift. He raised up the front of the car and pulled it all out from underneath. He even made a rolling dolly to hold it all and brough the engine out with the cooling system fully loaded. I was impressed when I saw the picture.

[Hova]

yup, pull engine/tranny at the same time, pretty easy to do. Would be nice to have 2 people though honestly. A spotter to make sure nothing is caught up, and someone lifting the engine up.

[badluckM3]

The member here who recently did it, Brent930, did not have a lift. He raised up the front of the car and pulled it all out from underneath. He even made a rolling dolly to hold it all and brough the engine out with the cooling system fully loaded. I was impressed when I saw the picture.

Link? Would like to see this. I'd imagine he took off the front clip and rolled it out.

[CarrottopM3]

what about the condenser if you take off the front clip? i was thinking of just removing the lights & nose panel. anyone else tried just unplugging the harness from the ecu & pulling it like that?

the reason the motor is being replaced is due to bent rods... i think i'm going rebuild it and put it in my e30 :)

Thanks for all the advice you guys are always good to count on! What are some of the things you would replace while doing the swap. I'm thinking: intake manifold gaskets, rear main seal, valve cover gasket... anything else? oil pan gasket?

[badluckM3]

I replaced all gaskets, sensors (knocks, cam, crank), vanos, starter, tensioners, chains, guides, clutch, belts. Fresh stock rebuild on head (new OEM guides, keepers, retainers, springs). All new bearings.

[pbonsalb]

Link? Would like to see this. I'd imagine he took off the front clip and rolled it out.

PM Brent930 and ask. I am not sure how much of the front was gone. Maybe it came straight through the front. He was dismantling the car so that is possible. I would try dropping to a piece of plywood and then pulling that out with the nose jacked 2 feet. The only problem with dropping the crossmember is that you should realign the car after Balance the $80 alignment against the $200 hoist assuming you don't own one.

[badluckM3]

PM Brent930 and ask. I am not sure how much of the front was gone. Maybe it came straight through the front. He was dismantling the car so that is possible. I would try dropping to a piece of plywood and then pulling that out with the nose jacked 2 feet. The only problem with dropping the crossmember is that you should realign the car after Balance the $80 alignment against the $200 hoist assuming you don't own one.

:dunno maybe the OP can pursue if he'd like to know. Just yank the b*tch out from the top. And leave the AC and PS connected to the car. Good luck.

[AntiHero]

I recently blew my motor and had to remove the old and replace with the new. I actually pulled off the whole front end and removed just the motor. The tranny bolts are a huge pain, but you can also use a 12 point 10mm wrench that will work to loosen them as well. It can be done! As said make sure you try and label everything you can! Its such a pain not knowing where something goes. Good luck

[NoLastName]

If you pull the engine/tranny out the top as a unit, does anyone know how much clearance is necessary under the car to clear the tail of the transmission? Is it possible to get the correct lift angle with the vehicle on the ground or does it need to be on stands?

[badluckM3]

Needs to be on stands

[hinzm3]

If you pull the engine/tranny out the top as a unit, does anyone know how much clearance is necessary under the car to clear the tail of the transmission? Is it possible to get the correct lift angle with the vehicle on the ground or does it need to be on stands?

Def needs to be on stands and I would get it as high as your jack stands can go. It will be a lot easier to guide it in.

[Balthazarr]

I'd think it would be easiest to pull eng/trans out the front.
Maybe a little more wrenching, but less struggling.

[NoLastName]

CarrottopM3: I did engine/tranny out the top last night, so now I can officially say I'm experienced in that method... haha. Definitely easier to pull everything as a unit rather than separating in the vehicle. The upper bellhousing and starter bolts are a real PITA to reach when everything is in the vehicle.

For me the most difficult part of the removal process was getting the oil pan past the steering shaft connector (guibo). As you angle the engine towards vertical the extension on the driver's side of the pan tends to snag the steering shaft, and your movement of the engine assembly is limited because of the subframe and firewall. My solution was to remove the two steering rack mounting bolts and slide the rack forward, disconnecting the shaft from the rack. It seemed easier to move the steering shaft out of the way than fight with it. If you do this make sure you matchmark the rack splines and the connector before separating.

Other than that (and watching clearance up front at the AC condenser) it's a pretty straightforward job. As others have said - you need a load leveler on your hoist, and a second pair of hands and eyes is just about mandatory with this method.

[teamsoy]

Up for any more info as I am about to drop a s52 in my 328is.