Gen4 5SFE Engine Swap Done! She purrs so sweet!

[Rattlin_Steele]

Thanks for all the help TN! Couldn't have done it without you. Wouldn't have had the confidence to even try until I found this forum.

Actually got it in a few days ago, but was too superstitious to say anything until I had a chance to run her out. So far so good, knock on wood. I was happily amazed, no CEL's, no bleeding, she just cranked almost immediately and seems to be running fine. She probably hated the long 8 month's on the sideline while I waited for the right engine to come along and built up the courage to attempt the job. Hopefully she's rewarding me for my work and the replacement engine's happy to be back to life as well.

Thanks again TN!

[SoulTaker]

From what kind of engine to what kind did you swap? Any pictures?

[Rattlin_Steele]

It was just a one for one swap of a broken 5SFE to a salvage yard replacement. Not too impressive to some of you advanced modders I'm sure, but a challenge for a rookie like me who's not had to do anything major to this car but remove the starter once for a shop to repair it. That's how reliable this car had been since I got it in 1999 when it was 2 years old. She's practically a member of the family and didn't deserve what happened, so that gave me the motivation to give her new life at 178K.

I didn't take many pics, only as needed to ask a question on here or to help someone else who was having problems. The work kept me pretty tied up, but now I wish I would've taken a bunch more.

[Chris Crash]

Great job! Glad to hear you got everything back together and running right. It definitely takes some balls to start a swap but once you get going, you get going.

I want pictures now thought hahah.

[fenixus]

beautiful! great job!!!!

could you remind us what was wrong with the old one ?

[Rattlin_Steele]

It has one or more bad crank bearings and knocks when running. My son was using it for a weekend visit to friends and I had him take it to a shop for an oil change on Friday before he left. They put the wrong oil filter on it and it slowly bled out. He never saw the oil light flash until late Saturday night. Said since he was within a mile of his friend's and further from any stores he drove back to their house. Next morning called me saying there was no oil on the stick and leak around the oil filter. Friend took him to get oil and he got back within 2 miles from home when it went. Friend lived about 15 miles away. Shop admitted to the problem and said they'd take care of it. They put a reman crank and new bearings in it they said. It held up about 6 weeks and did it again and they wouldn't do anymore about it. Given what I've learned since then, I think it's because they put the original balance assembly back in.

LOTS of lessons learned and some regrets from this experience!

[fenixus]

ouch! sorry to hear the sad story. glad you were able to give her another life once again