Up or Down? The install question.

[skillzilla]

Ive heard conflicting views on this, and seeing as Im about to start my RB20 swap, I thought Id ask for clarification.

What is the easiest and most stress free way to install the motor? Im using Top Hat mounts and the 240 X-member, and Ive heard that dropping the X-member and bolting the motor and monuts on first is the easiest, although this seems like a lot of extra work.

[BoostFab]

i would think mounting the motor to the x-member and motor-mounts first then lift from underneath would be easier.

[Wulfgang]

Don't sweat it. Either way is pretty easy.... no clear winner. If you have a short garage, then you may only be able to pull it up from underneath. Going in from the top requires lots of room in front of the car to manage the hoist.

[Nameless EJ6]

I'd go from underneath. Lift the car up and push or roll everything across the floor then use the hoist to pull it up.

[gprodigy85]

i agree... from beneath was easiest for us as we tried both methods with my rb25.

[NISMO_RB25]

I dropped mine in from above, but I was using mckinney mounts. If I was using anything else, I probably would have put it in from below.

[Yellow4g63]

If you have never done a motor swap in a long time goin from the top is hard. Come to think of it I Had to use a chain to drop mine in from the top. PITA cause I Had to readjust the motor like 6 times till I got it in.

[Project240]

What yellow said. It was a B|TCH to get the motor in from the top, do yourself a favor and raise it in from be-low.

[Joe]

i didnt have a problem getting it in from the top. just took a little adjustment on the chain to make sure the nose of the engine is at a high angle.

[Project240]

You have to be careful to attach the chains so that the engine stays fairly level (not tilted left or right) when you lift it. Otherwise you'll be standing on the car, over the engine bay, getting a hernia pulling up on one side trying to get the mount bolts to fall in

[GTR Shop]

in from the bottom is easier by a long shot

[skillzilla]

The chain issue isnt a big deal, my hoist has a mechanical tilt. Im thinkin the bottom method would be a little harder just because getting the front of the car 3 feet in the air might be a *****. Where do you hook up the hoist to lift the car up?

[Wulfgang]

I bolted my hoist chains to the x-member studs, or possibly the sway-bar studs. IF you have access to a heavy-duty creeper, then it's probably easier to go in from the bottom. If not, you'll have to drag the engine across the floor and into the pretty tight spot under your car. Not easy.

Like I said, either way is ok, no clear winner. Just go with what fits your garage setup best.

[skillzilla]

Werd, I think its gonna be from the top, based on the garage set up (like wulf suggested). I dont want to have to take apart the whole front end either, which I know isnt a huge deal, but when compared tofinagling the engine this way or that, seems about the same. I also have the top hat mounts which are 2 piece, so I may take them apart and bolt each piece on, then attach them in the car.

Thanks for the advice everyone, and wish me luck.

[blk90s13]

pull it up is the way to go easy and hassle free

[Project240]

We just hooked the chain to the bottom of the radiator core support and lifted the nose that way (when we dropped the KA24 out the bottom).

[xjon]

I took the KA and installed the 25 from the top (alone) just using a hoist and a leveler. No hernias here just alot of cranking on the leveler. On the transmission side for the rb I used a jack to lift and move. Also the car was on Jack stands for some clearance but I don't know how high. If my computer was working I could show you pics of the 25 in extreme angle going in. Good luck.

[Project240]

Yeah, I didn't have a leveler, just a hook and a length of chain

[SeVa-S13]

While raising the engine seesm to be the consensus here, it's not that hard from up top. From lifting the engine and transmission onto the hoist to tightening the transmission mount bolts, it took 2 friends and I under an hour, easily. I was just real anal about making sure the engine was as level, side to side, as possible. We had no special tools or adjustment equipment: just a chain and a hook. I'm a decently strong guy so I was underneath lifting and pulling the transmission while guding while need be and the other two jokers just slid it onto the mounts. Surprisingly easy for us, so don't lose all hope if you're intent on going in from the top.

[Yellow4g63]

The chain issue isnt a big deal, my hoist has a mechanical tilt. Im thinkin the bottom method would be a little harder just because getting the front of the car 3 feet in the air might be a *****. Where do you hook up the hoist to lift the car up?

I used the block as the lifting point. there were 2 holes on either side of the block. ignore the blue straps. that was a failed attempt to make the motor go where we wanted it. but look at the chain. I wish I had a tilt when I was droping mine in, I would have been done alot faster.

[Yellow4g63]

Werd, I think its gonna be from the top, based on the garage set up (like wulf suggested). I dont want to have to take apart the whole front end either, which I know isnt a huge deal, but when compared tofinagling the engine this way or that, seems about the same. I also have the top hat mounts which are 2 piece, so I may take them apart and bolt each piece on, then attach them in the car.

Thanks for the advice everyone, and wish me luck.

ohh yeah split the top hat mounts. I found it was alot easier that way. Having the whole mount on the engine was really hard to line up to the xmember.