My first engine swap

[cunada23]

For anyone who paid attention to my FX-16 engine dilemna (bad 3rd cylinder) a few months back, here's an update:

I just successfully completed my first engine swap. It took me about 25 hours, but the engine is in, the car is running, and I am damn proud of myself.

I got the engine from an MR2 in a local wrecking yard, and now my sneaky little car is fast and happy once again.

Thanks to everyone who gave me good advice, and who encouraged me not to give up and sell the FX-16.

[Trueno_Sprinter]

Congrats!

I'm gona pull the 4-AC out of my SR5 parts car soon... just need to allocate an engine hoist

any tools or tips for an aspiring mechanic?

[REN69]

MR2 engine on an FX16 eh... too bad it wasn't a GZE.. or was it?

[mr_sinister]

you are the coolest girl ever.

[boroEF]

sweeeeet u did it urself
congrats! and i'm glad u took the advice and didnt sell that nice car

[Deep]

Good to hear

[wunderboy]

Well done. It's always a great feeling when you hear a car run for the first time, after you have done major work such as this on your own.

Congrat's!

[cunada23]

it was VERY satisfying to get it all put together, turn the key, and hear it start on the first try. only three bolts left over at the end, too (spare parts, right?).
one little thing... the linkage got put together sideways somehow, so that neutral was up down, 1st was up and right, reverse was down and left, etc. i thought about leaving it that way, since i didn't think it would really cause any problems, (except that i'd have to learn to shift all over again), just to see someone try to steal it with the linkage like that! but i fixed it after playing with it for a few minutes.
now that i have the engine running and happy again, i'm looking at repainting and reparing the rusted spot on the rear wheel well. i don't know much about body repair, but i didn't know much about engines a couple years ago either. tips and suggestions are, as always, appreciated.

[Flashmn]

i'm looking at repainting and reparing the rusted spot on the rear wheel well. i don't know much about body repair

Their doing that on my car right now. Best way is to cut the arches off and use new sheetmetal and weld new arches on it

[cunada23]

Originally posted by Flashmn


Their doing that on my car right now. Best way is to cut the arches off and use new sheetmetal and weld new arches on it

is this something i could concievably learn to do myself? the closest i have ever come to welding was when i was 8 years old and tried to fix my alarm clock with a lighter, a woodburning tool, and some solder and wires i snaked from a busted tv set.

[Flashmn]

Well you'd need to know how to shape sheetmetal and know acetylene or mig (preferably mig) welding. But yeah its possible to do it by yourself

[boroEF]

uu could always just grind the rust away and use bondo :p

[Flashmn]

uu could always just grind the rust away and use bondo

Umm... no you cant. The sheetmetal in the arches is so thin that you dont have to grind it very much to have already holes in it. In most cases the rust is already through the arches... For using bondo, well you cant exactly make it stick on thin air now can you :P.

[boroEF]

Originally posted by Flashmn


Umm... no you cant. The sheetmetal in the arches is so thin that you dont have to grind it very much to have already holes in it. In most cases the rust is already through the arches... For using bondo, well you cant exactly make it stick on thin air now can you :P.

that's odd....i grinded away at the rust on my arches and yet the arches are still there

[Flashmn]

I hope you got all of the rust out... but it greatly depends on how bad its progressed to.. mine are BAD... :\