Rear Engine Mount Removal

[91boz]

I am swapping out the block from an 89 to a 92 AE92 and have some questions on the rear motor mount. I have pulled the motor from the 89 but had trouble with the rear mount. The manual says to remove the center crossmember but after removing all the bolts and nuts on the bottom it is pin down by the rear motor mount thru bolts and cannot be removed.

The mount itself cannot be removed from the top because the steering rack is in the way, and I could not get a socket on the main bolt thru the doughnut We finally got it out by hoisting the engine with the mount partially out and only then we were able to slip a socket to remove the bolt. The mount is still in the engine bay loose but mounting studs going thru the two crossmembers.

I am about to pull the other motor out and will have the same problem. It will be easier to remove and replace the engine with the center engine crossmember removed. I know that many of you have gone thru what I am going thru. Any tips or ideas?

[wrenchdad]

When I installed my 4AGE 20V in my AE92 sedan, I bolted everything to the two crossmembers and then lifted the whole thing into the engine bay from the bottom with a engine hoist. Then the only two mounts that you have to worry about is the engine front mount ( right side ) and the tranny top mount. I used a couple of furniture dollies, you know those square pieces of wood with four wheels on them, to set all of it on, then rolled it under the car and lifted it into position. Then it was just a job of breaking out the rattle gun and run up all the bolts. Just the way the factory does it. that is why there two extra long bolts, one on each side, they are for alignment, you can get them started and then lift the whole thing up and all the other bolt holes line right up.

I agree that the rear mount is tuff to get out and its made tougher by those two studs that go thru both crossmembers. Another way is to put a floor jack under the right side end of the tranny then remove both of the crossmembers that will leave the rear mount attached to the tranny as the crossmembers are lowered off of the studs. BUT then you still have to lower the engine/tranny and get them out from under the car without having the crossmembers on them to help steady everything and its a lot harder to install it that way because the engine and tranny try to roll which makes it hard to get the left and right side mount thru bolts installed.

Of course if you are just pulling the engine, which can be done without pulling the tranny, its not easy and I think you will have to remove all the pulleys off the front ( I had to on a 99 that I did a engine swap on), then you should not have to remove any of the mounts on the tranny anyway. Just the right side engine front mount and if you have one, the mount in the center of the front to back crossmember, not all cars have that one.

Don't know if all this helps or not, let me know if you have any more questions, I have been thru this SEVERAL times.

later
wrenchdad

[tashirosgt]

As I recall the directions for removing the engine (those in the Toyota service manual) they say to loosen the center member, not remove it. I got a 4AFE engine out of a 1990 geo prism and it came out the top since I don't have a lift. I remember the rear mount was still there loose in the engine compartment and, as you say, there is no way to get it out until the center member is removed since it is blocked by the steering rack. Another thing I remember is that the engine will not come out if it is level. I has to be very un-level to clear the sides of the car.

[91boz]

Yea thats exactly how the motor and tranny came out with the rear mount loose but stuck between the crossmember and the steering rack. Wrenchdad how did you remove the rear wheel to wheel crossmember? I figure if I support the engine with the hoist and lower the driver side of the crossmember the motor mount should be easy to remove and install.

[wrenchdad]

91boz

Well I have done it several different ways, one way is to support the engine/tranny with a hoist like you said with the tranny top and engine front ( right side, pulley end ) mounts still installed, then just put a floor jack under the middle of the left to right crossmember and remove the bolts, I think that there about 5 on each side. There is a small bolt at the rear mount that doesn't have to be removed because it just holds the bushing cradle cover on. I think it took a 12mm wrench. You will have to remove the two nuts and one bolt at the bottom of the spindle where it connects the the A arm.

I would remove those bolts and nuts from both sides first then with the jack firmly holding both of the crossmembers in place and with the car up on jack stands, you can remove all the bolts holding the crossmembers in place, there are a lot, lets see from memory, there are three bolts at the front radiator area on the front to back Xmember, the two mount nuts or the crossbolt your choice of the mount at the radiator area, the tranny center bottom mount if so equiped, two nuts there, and OF course the rear mount nuts. then the bolts on each side of the left to right Xmember, like I said I think there are 5 per side with one per side being extra long.
SO after removing all that you should be able to lower the crossmembers to the floor.

NOW seeing you are doing this to swap engines, you could leave all the engine and tranny mounts bolted to the crossmembers and instead remove the other two mounts from the engine front and tranny top and lower it as complete unit. If you decide to go that way I would remove as much of the tranny top mount as you can and not just pull the crossbolt because you will need to move the tranny forward for THAT rear mount to clear the steering rack.

Then you could lower it all down to the floor or if you have some onto some dollies to roll it out from under the car. then you can swap the engines and into the proper crossmembers and then just put it into reverse and put everything back.

Hope all this helps and sorry I didn't answer sooner, I didn't have the e-mail notice turn on.

later wd

[91boz]

Hey thanks Wrenchdad! I will use that information this weekend when I yank the bad engine.

[wrenchdad]

91boz,

Glad to help !! Good luck with your swap.

later wd

[89yotarollagts]

that mount sucked ! i ended up prying it out when pulling my old motor... When dropping in the new motor i said hell with it and dropped the K member enough & prying down on it enough to slip the mount in place & mount it successfully... It sounds like alot more work, but in the end it will save alot of frustration when trying to get that mount in.
Goodluck !
~Dan

[91boz]

Replaced the rings and bearings on the 89 block and swapped with the 92. Dropped the engine in with a lot of struggling and cussing to get the rear engine mount to fit. Anyway after all of this was done I started her up and guess what, the same #3 cylinder was low in compression. I pulled the head and turned her over with the #3 valves closed and filled the combustion area with some Marvel Mystery oil and watched it slowly leak out of the exhaust port. One of the exhaust valves were not seating properly and leaking.
I just had the heads done in May and will drop it off today to see what happened. Both of these exhaust valves were replaced in May when the head was overhauled.
My old block was given to a friend who has a rod knock and he said that the #3 cylinder has broken oil control rings and the bottom 1" of the cylinder wall is scored. In my engine the only problem was low compression but no oil burning. I did have that cylinder filled with all sorts of chemicals MMO, Rislone, Seafoam etc to free the what I thought was sticky rings. It was only after pulling the head and checking the valves that I found out that it was the cause of the low compression. I don't know what happened the the #3 oil rings
Tomorrow I will help him pull out his engine and will almot certainly drop the lower crossmembers to gain easier removal of the rear engine mount.

[91boz]

I took the head back to the rebuilder and the exhaust valve was burnt. It was replaced at no charge and all the valves were adjusted.
The problem is that now the auto tranny won't shift out of 1st. gear. It did shift to second on the first test drive around the block but not to 3rd. Any adjustments that I should check?

[wrenchdad]

91boz

I would look for a vacuum hose not connected or connected wrong. I don't know anything else off the top of my head, all my rollas have been 5-speeds.

If I think of anything else I will post it up.

later
wd

[91boz]

The throttle valve cable was out of adjustment causing the tranny to stay in 1st gear. This is the cable that connects to the bottom of the throttle pully. The car runs fine and shifts are normal again. The only thing left is to break her in slowly for the 1st 100 miles and replace the oil at 500 the mile mark.

[wrenchdad]

91boz

Glad it was something simply and that you found it. Good luck on your engine break in. I have had very good success using this method.

After making sure that all the fluids are topped off and there are no leaks to worry about, take the car out somewhere you can get up to highway speed. With the enging at full temp. and, in your case ( auto tranny), get up to highway speed but do it by manually shifting the tranny and keep the car in second gear and after getting up to about 3500rpm take your foot quickly off the throttle and let the engine slow the car down until the revs get down to about 1500 and repeat this for about 8 to 10 times.

Here is the reasoning behind this, as you climb in rpms, the load on the engine causes the cylinder walls to run with less oil this helps the rings to break in, then when you let the engine coast down, the reverse is happening, there is much less load on the rings and engine and the oil on the cylinder walls will clean the walls of the small amounts of metal from the rings wearing in then you are ready for another cycle.
This method works and gives you a fast ring seating and good and even compression in all cylinders. Taking it easy on the engine may not seat the rings in and then you will get blowby which can make the rings stick in the piston lands then you will lose compression in that cylinder.

Of course this is just my method, your mileage may vary!! LOL !! But I haven't had any problems with rings seating using this method, I did not come up with it on my own, read it a long, long time ago in a car mag. BUT I do know that it works. Just think about this for a second many, many engines are broken in while on a dyno, using a light load and full rpm range before they go on to do full pulls to find max power.

later
wd

[91boz]

I helped my friend drop his engine in his car this week and it was much easier with the crossmembers removed. Wrenchdad you are correct in that there are only 5 screws on each side and 3 up front plus an extra bolt for the exhhast hanger. With these removed the crossmember can drop down to the floor and the engine can be removed with the three center mounts attached to the engine. Dropping it back in is a snap just secure the engine with the tranny and right side mounts line up the crossmember to the center and rear motor mount studs and secure it to the frame. The tranny can also be removed in the same way without pulling the whole engine. Hopefully I won't have to do this again but this information should help someone looking for an easier way to pull the engine or tranny.

[wrenchdad]

91boz,

glad to help

later wd