'13 C - need some tips on a DIY engine replacement (aka how do you get this darn engine in)

Hey all, looking for some input. I had a snapped headbolt in my old engine and just said f-it instead of trying to drill it out I went for a new used engine.

I've gotten the old engine out, that wasn't too bad, tight-ish fit on the way out but minimal jiggling it came out the top. Water pump was still on but the head was off and the timing chain cover was off too.

Now here's the pickle....the new engine is a junkyard one with pretty much EVERYTHING on it- super good deal 350 for a 40k engine when mine was at 140k plus legitimately everything attached sans wiring. But now trying to lower it in, it's not dropping in, the flywheel is ever so slightly too big and it's catching on the bellhousing when the opposite side is bumping the frame rails. I've jacked the transmission up and down to try and get it to accept the engine but it's still too tight. I've already got the external flywheel off the engine to give more room but don't want to take it apart too much if I don't have to.


My current two ideas are to pull off the water pump to give slightly more front to back motion, otherwise perhaps pull off the dogbone transmission mount and try to get more movement out of the bellhousing to sneak the flywheel down in it.

Anyone replace an engine in their C and can comment?

Any help is appreciated!!

 

I definitely have, the one that's there they take out the subframe and the transmission, I want to avoid that. Oh also they drop the car on the engine and transmission instead of going through the top...... there's a number of gen ii and gen iii swaps on YT and those are all just engine removal w/o the tranny coming out