Engine Swap

[Misterfixit]

My 1993 Pathy SE was running pretty crappy. Pulled up to a stop and the engine seized. Got my buddy to tow me to my shop. Opened it up and the half-moon retaining key on the crank had broken clean at the shaft. Valves in Cyl 3 and 6 gave up the ghost -- both bent. Needed wheels the next day so pulled the injectors and plugs out of 3 and 6 and drove on 4 cylinders for a couple of weeks. Very sickly but still moved out OK. A tribute to the Nissan 3.0 engine series I am sure. Found an identical engine on eBay for $450 with only 100K on it, driven by a little old lady, etc etc. Donor Pathy, 1994 had rusted out at rear. I drove over to the guy's shop and picked the new engine up. Back to Nashville and yanked out the old. Pretty easy pull out, actually, nothing like the power pack on an M60 tank or a Gamma Goat back in my Army days ... The previous owner had thrown money at the engine for months and replaced alternator, starter, fuel pump, serpentine belt, MAF, spark plugs, wires, distributor, catalytic conver, O2 sensor, new brakes and tires. Etc etc. He never found out that there were two bad injectors, #2 and 5. He gave me the Pathy for $500 and also had all of the original paperwork (he was first owner). Noted that 5 different garages with "mechanics" had failed to diagnose the injectors ... and these were garages (oh and the dealer too) which have factory cert mechs. He put some $1,500 into it before I got it. I pulled all of the new stuff off of the old engine and put her back together again. After 198K miles, the clutch looked new, so he must have put one in but forgot about it or something. Replaced motor mounts, they were soggy. Pressure washed the whole thang, and she started up on the second crank. Old engine was donated to a local HS which still has "Auto Shop" (one of the few in this area since the school boards all want the kids to get some useless college degrees and then look for work). (My Jr High and HS years were spent either getting into trouble or getting traffic tickets. Took 4 years of auto shop in the old days (late 50's early 60's).

 

The Pathy is running perfectly. Pure even idle at 875 rpm; analyzer says zero everything so she's burning clean. I just completed the second tank of gas and getting 21mpg around town. Going over to the Huntsville HamFest in a couple of weeks so will evaluate performance at 100mph -- errr I mean 70 mph on straight stretch of I65 Southbound.

 

Now, here's what I got to do next:

 

1. headliner looks like a crack heads undershorts -- must replace;

 

2. Weather strips all around are worse shape than an Obama Economic Plan -- must replace

 

3. Paint job (Black) is gone -- no rust but nasty looking -- must repaint -- thinking a dark silver blue grey metallic maybe -- will strip in my shop and do the usual obsessive sanding and prime job from the metal. Oh and for the ecology minded, I will dispose of all paint stripped into the local county hazardous waste facility.

 

4. I'm thinking winch on the front, carrier rails on top for the canoe and some kind of tuned exhaust; maybe a cold air intake funnel filter.

 

5. Electric locks work sometimes -- I am thinking either a vacuum vessel leak or a bad switch -- must fix, need to lock doors in a hurry when in Bad Part of Town.

 

6. Spare Tire Cover missing -- must find new and have painted by local artist with my old Vietnam Unit Patch ...

 

Hey Gang, this is my first post -- yep, I'm a virgin (here), ... your comments please -- also if you have had similar experiences let me know ....

 

Regards,

 

Dave

( CWO4, US Army Retired)

[Tungsten]

Good to know everything worked out

Any idea why the half moon retaining key broke off?

 

I have a 1994 engine in my 1991 as well and no problems with it so far

 

Maybe you don't even need #6 lol

[Misterfixit]

Good to know everything worked out

Any idea why the half moon retaining key broke off?

 

I have a 1994 engine in my 1991 as well and no problems with it so far

 

Maybe you don't even need #6 lol

 

 

No idea other than perhaps metal fatigue ... it was a very clean break right across the insertion point and exposed an even fracture. Wish I had kept it but I tossed into the recycle bin. My thought is that it had been removed before - and slightly twisted or whacked too hard when reinserting. I would say that it is a potential problem since the 3.0 is an "Interference" engine and if the crank freewheels you would be lucky that only a valve stem or two bent. Could have been a connecting rod or three. That happened on a Porsche 928 I once owned. Nasty.

[blackspawn]

I think its great that you got everything in working order. I always wanted to go and buy a used engine and rebuilted it, but I'm not as knowledgable like you. I've done a 1973 beetle engine but I know that this would be more HARDER!!! Maybe I'll go ahead and read up more and just do it!!!!!

[Misterfixit]

I think its great that you got everything in working order. I always wanted to go and buy a used engine and rebuilted it, but I'm not as knowledgable like you. I've done a 1973 beetle engine but I know that this would be more HARDER!!! Maybe I'll go ahead and read up more and just do it!!!!!

 

 

Well it is really not that difficult. The worst part of it all is extracting the engine and transmission (or just engine -- I pulled out both at the same time). Really, if you have the proper tools and work slowly you can do it. Here are some recommendations if you EVER want to try it:

 

0. Do you know WHY you need to pull the engine?

1. Can you start with vehicle that you don't have to drive every day (!)

2. Do you have as a minimum a chain hoist with at least 6 feet of clearance above the engine compartment

3. Do you have a sturdy engine stand with at least 1,000 lbs capacity

4. Do you have a covered area in which to work

5. Start by pressure washing or preferably steam cleaning the entire engine and compartment BEFORE you start -- never mind the people who tell you that doing this will ruin the engine, etc.

6. Make a lot of digital pictures of the whole set up, detailed pictures of connections and so forth -- compare those pictures to the illustrations in the Chilton Repair Manual (you do have one, of course)

7. Use those "key tags" with a wire tie and card board writing area to write down what you are taking apart from where (example "O2 Sensor Wire to O2 Sensor - Picture #352" and photo the tag in place before and after

8. Did you remember to drain all fluids and save them?

9. Did you remember to remove the battery?

10. Did you remember to write down the "code" for the theft-proof radio?

11. Do you have the vehicle up on 2,000 lb jack stands -- all wheels off the ground at least 2 inches?

12. Do you have another vehicle to drive to local parts store for stuff you forgot or broke or lost inside the oil sump?

13. Is the engine stand set and locked into position?

14. Do you have a whole bunch of plastic food containers into which to put various sizes and types of fasteners, etc.?

15. Do you have a flat pan (think cat's sand box) with which to soak, scrub and clean parts?

16. Did you buy the replacement gaskets and appropriate gasket cement?

 

Do you have your wife's permission to do this in the garage while parked next to her brand-new Saleen?

 

Other important things to do is to get someone to help you when you actually pull the engine; if it starts to swing around when you tried to scratch your left nut with your right foot after the mosquito got you, you are screwed.

 

I've pulled and replaced many an engine and while it is a daunting task at first, if you do it slowly and carefully you can do it.

 

Remember: Safety First -- There is no way that you and a buddy can grab and hold an engine which is falling. Let it drop, just get out of the way. That is why we never let anyone get into the Engine Compartment of a tank when pulling the power pack -- 1,600 hp Continental turbo diesel 12 cylinder can drop against the armored belly all day long as long as the mechanic isn't under it which happened at Fort Irwin, CA in 1965 -- it wasn't pretty at all. Remember: Safety First.

 

Regards,

 

Dave

[unccpathfinder]

 

I quickly skimmed the 1st post. was there visible damage to the pistons on 3 and 6? I broke a timing belt in my 87 a long time ago and bent valves in #1 and #3...We pulled the heads and replaced all the valves and did some clean up and new valve seals and it ran like a champ..the only damage to the pistons was a slight dimple in 2 places where the exhaust valves hit and it was unnoticeable where the intake valve.

 

 

Remember: Safety First -- There is no way that you and a buddy can grab and hold an engine which is falling. Let it drop, just get out of the way.

 

same with the front axle...try to not be under anything like that...I used pry bars all day to get the thing unjammed and the 1st time i grabbed it with my hand it came loose...I was lucky and it only landed on my pinky and at the knuckle joint...it was enough to break it and split it open to the bone and required an ER visit but it goes to show that even if you are careful you can never be careful enough