Engine swap

read through the engine replacement threads. first thing that comes to mind is deciding out the top or bottom. tranny, or no tranny.
all the best!

 

I recently did an engine swap in my 07. I was a little apprehensive, like you. But it was actually pretty easy once I got into it. Once you remove the wiper/cowl, you can access everything much easier. You will have to remove the inverter, so be sure you disconnect the batteries. The inverter is liquid cooled, so expect a little coolant loss from it as well as the engine. Even though both use the same coolant, they are separate cooling systems. Make sure you get the correct coolant to refill it with afterwards. There is no torque converter to deal with, so when the engine is unbolted from the transmission, it's pretty easy to separate. The only difficulty you might experience is the very tight fit between the right fender and the transmission case when removing the engine, but it can be done with a little persuasion by large screwdrivers or prybars.

 

I removed it from the top. You'll need to support the transaxle with a floor jack from the bottom and tilt it upward to assist the engine clearing the bell housing. And like I said, a very tight fit between the bell housing and the fender. Remove the waterpump pulley and the crank pulley to make it easier.

 

Hi all I'm also getting ready to do a swap. I wanted to see if any specific tools required besides pry bars and an engine hoist?

 

I haven't done a Prius either but a good scissor jack and some block of wood are always a good idea to have around.
I assume you have a floor jack.
Safety first, pull the plug on the HV battery and disconnect the 12V battery.
Someone on another post said to roll the windows down and block the hatch from locking before you disconnect anything.

 

Ok I sourced a junkyard motor, and plan to take it out through the top. Did you guys have to disconnect the exhaust manifold to have clearance to pull the motor out?

 

Hope it goes well, the two times I did it, I dropped the engine down on a sheet of plywood and lifted the car up high enough to slide it out from under the wheel well. I did it all myself with a 2x4 and some straps from harbor freight the first time and my daughter helped the second time gettin it done in a day. Compared to the weeks it took to do my 1968 Mercury Cougar XR7 from the top back in 1977 it was sooo easy! I used a Hains manual and a video on UTube. The hardest part was the 30 mm 12 point socket for the front axels and the Transaxel connectors.


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Did you drop the entire transaxle then split the engine from the transmission?

 

do you mean you did it without an engine hoist? how did you lift the replacement engine off the ground?

 

You can drop a smaller transaxle down without an engine hoist if you have a block and tackle connected to a beam in the garage. They are not that heavy. Heck I could lift the engine and transmission from my old Nissan Sentra by myself.

 

thanks that seems like an easy way to do it, I have never removed an axle before. how is it secured into the transaxle besides the big nut on the hub? Does the suspension arm have to be removed as well?

 

Yes, it was super easy and nicely balanced
The first time I did it I took Patrick Wong’s ad vice and got both engine and Transaxel ( bought a totaled 2006 for $1000 with 80,000)
The second time since I knew the sequence and how easy it was and had taken lots of pictures and notes we had that engine and Transaxel out on the floor in less than three hours, rolled it around on a moving blanket to take out the bolts that mate them together and carefully separated them.


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was it faster to take them out together rather then unbolting only the engine and dropping that? Would you care to share some of the pictures with me? Thanks

 

Full disclosure, I never done this, purely armchair mechanic musing:

I think the bees knees is a hoist above, especially one that is on a trolley, capable of moving fore and aft about 6 feet, so you can lift straight up, then bring it forward clear of the front bumper. And hopefully the setup doesn't collapse your garage roof.

 

Two of those ratcheting straps from harbor freight pulled it right up off the ground and then large hydronic jack to hold it while I re adjusted them. Let me find a picture


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