DIY engine replacement in a Gen 2...

Going to see how far the rabbit hole goes! All I need to know is how to unbolt that one of two non-bolt washer off the mount and then I'll soar through disassembly process. Was already reading through one of the manuals on techinfotoyota when you replied. Can record everything on my computer for later playback saving paper and ink, Thanks for tip!

 

thanks for your thread, I am about to replace my engine but unsure about whether to pull it out of the top or the bottom. It sounds like if I separate it from the transaxle I may be able to lift the engine out of the top of the engine bay and avoid wrecking an axle if it does not separate from the transaxle cleanly? I don't understand why the design allows for the transaxle fluid to be open to the driveshaft with a seal there, what purpose could that serve aside from a failure point. Why don't manufactures just design that as a dry connection..?

 

oil_burner, I have thought the same thing with the axle seal when I was working on an older Mazda and I could not get the seal to stop from weeping some oil. My VW Passat has a bolt on axle and it is a much better design.
TomK

 

The engine will come out the top, I have just done it twice to take an engine out of a donor car and replace the cooked engine in the other car. Unless you are a complete masochist take the inverter out first. You need to remove the pulley from the crankshaft also and much easier if you take off the inlet manifold. I found leaving the exhaust manifold on the engine and undo the 2 spring-loaded bolts on the exhaust swivel joint easier than trying to remove the exhaust manifold with the engine in the car. There is only just enough clearance to do it this way but it is doable.

 

After having removed an engine and transmission out of my 2008 and replacing myself I would without question take it out the bottom as it was designed by Toyota. It can be done from the top but not as easily and the AC would have to be drained and filled. It was extremely simple to drop both. What took the most time was draining all the fluid (engine oil, transmission oil, radiator/engine coolant, inverter coolant). The rest was extremely simple as I could do it again probably in one days time. I had use of a buddies engine hoist and I would suggest that as it made things easy to move around. Put the front of the car as high as I could, braced it with two wheels under the frame and rolled it out from the drivers wheel well.
TomK

 

I'm purely an armchair mechanic, and it is different gens, but with the 3rds you can just unbolt the AC compressor and maybe a few line clips, then lift it out of the way, for pulling the engine out from above. Not doable with a 2nd?

 

All the freon stays in the system on the GEN3 that way?
TomK

 

Yeah. Interesting series of videos here. It's transplant of 4th gen engine into Prius v (under the hood is more-or-less identical to 3rd gen). He just unbolts compressor and moves it out of the way. He did the same transplant previously with a regular Gen 3 too.

Swapping in a Gen 4 Prius' 2ZR Engine into the Prius v | PriusChat

 

Video #3, around 10:35

 

AFAIK, not in the GEN2. Cool design and why is this not used in ALL cars.
TomK

 

Yeah I'm not sure. Looking through the Repair Manual, in the instruction for engine removal, there's this:



I''ve attached the full section, for engine swap. There's a fair number of references not embedded (a lot of work to chase them all down), but it covers the main points.

I believe it recommends to drop the engine too. That seems a terrific amount of extra work though, through the top the main cross beam can be left alone.

 

My son just pulled his 2012 Prius engine (blown head gasket for about a year so it was a mess) out the top and leaving the trans in place. Has now set in a 2017 replacement purchased from across the country. Still in the process of connecting everything but wow, I am very proud of him since he had little mechanic experience. But he was motivated, being a poor student, and refused to give up on his Prius. He used the previously mentioned Youtube series on replacing the Prius engine. Just wanted to mention it since that video series was mentioned.

 

Sounds like a great son. very difficult for someone without alot of mechanic chops.