2000 sienna "engine replacement proceedure"

[oldmanfu]

Does anyone knows if the removal of the engine and tranny come out on top or bottom of the sienna? i saw a broken sienna in the Twin Cities here and like to buy it and repair for a family i've sponsored recently. Any help is appreciated? I look at the engine bay and look very tight...

[Black Sunshine]

I don't think that it will come out the top. The service manual I have says to take the motor and trans out of the bottom together. Basically you disconnect every thing from the body then drop the sub frame. The engine and trans are suspended in a sub-frame that is essentially square.

You also have to take the suspension apart. Leave the struts hanging and the hubs with the axles through them can go down with the sub-frame.

If the van's in good shape and under $1000 it's probably worth it. You can probably get the engine used for under a grand. If the head gaskets are blown they can probably be service in the van. There are two things to note about clearance when you look under the hood of these. The tray that the wipers are in unbolts and comes off really quickly to give more space. The intake plenum has to come off to get to anything on the back of the motor.

[oldmanfu]

Appreciated much sir! So i would be better off with a 3500-5000 running one. I've done a few motor swaps but from what your stated, i need van to be lifted and then lower which i have no equipment to get it done. Thanks. Yes, loud knocking from crank shaft.

[Black Sunshine]

I figured out a way to swap that motor not long ago. There's a local rent-a-bay repair shop in my city. In the event that I need to swap my motor I plan to rent a lift there and do the swap. They usually charge by the hour.

This plan would require that you are absolutely ready to get it done the second you start paying rental time. Much more than one or two days will probably eat you up in rental time. I think they charge $15 an hour at the one I found on Craigslist.