pulling 26 and not the tranny... hrmmm

[archaeic_bloke]

hey guys, well its almost time to pull the heart, and after some measuring im VERY concerned due to my height resitrictions of working in this cave of a garage i don't have the height clearance to get the motor and tranny out in one piece,

http://lh5.ggpht.com/_sbdpR7JpqcA/S0eYE7saX6I/AAAAAAAAASc/bklNB960Qjs/s912/IMG_5454.JPG

i know its not a desirable situation to pull the motor sans tranny but can anyone chime in on the best way to accomplish this?

i was thinking...

- undo all the bell housing bolts (obviously)
- unbolt the clutch slave from the bell housing
- un-bolt those 4 bolts from the front setcion of the frontwards prop shaft near the front diff...

and then it should be alright? or what?

i know the bell housing bolts are insanely difficult to get off, but i think im out of options... so.. please hook up some knowledge.

thanks guys.

[mcfly]

pull the starter right out as well. radiator needs to come out
loosen the crank pulley bolt before anything. Once the rad is out pull the crank pully off with a steering wheel puller.

typically m8x1.25 bolts

[archaeic_bloke]

got the rad out and shroud in one piece already gone... and will work on the starter for sure (as that needs to come out regardless in order to pull the motor)

why is loosening the crank pulley bolt before going to help with the tranny tho?
(guess ill have to go buy a steering wheel puller this week lol).. about the steering wheel pullers tho, are they generic or specific to each car?

thanks mcfly.

[j-ran]

Most pulley pullers are a universal kit, you could even rent one from your local canadian tire if need be.

[BNR32]

http://tyndago.googlepages.com/rb26engineremoval

I know its an R34 in the pictures but theres still some good advice in there. I didn't find the bellhousing bolts as bad as everyone made them out to be.

[archaeic_bloke]

ya I've read through that but its pretty vague, not much on how to actually get the tranny out. and ive had a good few hours read through the CH section of the nissan GTR service manual, again, lots of info on how to service the tranny and not much on getting it out... i guess its one of those things that I'll just have to take it real slow as ive been doing so far with my build and go at it as best i can...

from my set of intructions above:

- undo all the bell housing bolts (obviously)
- unbolt the clutch slave from the bell housing
- un-bolt those 4 bolts from the front setcion of the frontwards prop shaft near the front diff...

it seems like thats about it to take the tranny off... and of course as mcfly said, the starter needs to come off first too i was more or less hoping for those oh so wonderful little secret hints that are so needed to do the more difficult thigns, but if theres nothing anyone can think of, then maybe its not that hard? lol..

i assure you when i come to a problem i can't solve myself, ill be the first one to post up and ask for help, so for its all been good though!.. if you guys wanna see the build you can find it here:

www.rpm-skyline-gtr.blogspot.com

thanks for all the advice

[Rapier46]

if you pull the tranny out first, its so simple to do the rest. seriously a walk in the park.

If you're planning the leave the transmisson still in the car and pull just the engine...good luck...you're a pioneer i think. i dont know why people think the transmission is so bad. i did my engine swap alone. this included pulling the tranny. then engine.

[mcfly]

Lining the engine back up wit h the input shaft when putting it in is a huge pain in the ass.

same with clearing the input shaft on the flywheel. There is not a lot of spare room in the nose of a skyline engine bay.

[Rapier46]

yeah...i'd say its easiest to pull the tranny to get it out, the attach it to get it in. when putting it in you can choose the place of mounting really well. so its balanced right. so you can lift the rear of the tranny up and drop it in, instead of having the whole engine and tranny and an angle.

[BNR32]

I'll try and be a little more helpful this time lol. This is what I did:
-Undo all the reachable lower bellhousing bolts
-Remove slave, downpipe, front propshaft, disconnect attessa fluid line, and starter.
-Disconnect rear prop shaft, place a jack at the back of transmission.
-Take off transmission crossmember, lower the back as far as possible, regularly checking clearance between firewall and the engine.
-Grabbed three or four 1/2" extensions and went crazy on the top tranny bolts.
-Then just used two jacks and a friend to wiggle it out.

I've pulled one 26 this way, and one where the engine and tranny were still connected, the second way might have been a bit easier. But I realize you don't have the space. I think I will put the engine and tranny back in as one piece though.

[archaeic_bloke]

wow, thats exactly the kind of info i was looking for, ill do exactly that, and hopefully it goes well!! thank you SO much!

another quick Question tho, i bouhght this today... mcfly will this work for pulling the pulley? or did i buy something wrong?

http://lh5.ggpht.com/_sbdpR7JpqcA/S1zPsXUDB3I/AAAAAAAAAbw/To_UCd-3O0M/s912/IMG_5518.JPG

[BNR32]

No prob! Hope it helps. I'm not as experienced as some of the people around here but if you have any other questions feel free to PM me, or msn (mat_v1989@hotmail.com)

[paradox]

SO, while we're discussing this, anyone have any tips on breaking the crank bolt free? I just tried it today and it's a huge freaking PITA. I tried breaking it free while cranking the engine and it doesn't budge. I tried it with a 1m breaker bar, in 4th with my g/f pressing on the brake and it just seems to eat up the travel in every single bushing on the drivetrain.

Again, what a f***ing PITA, argh!
-P.

[mcfly]

I always use a 1/2 inch ratchet with 1.5 meter jack handle. Some people crack the bolt with the starter but i'm never good with that. I prefer doing it manually.



another quick Question tho, i bouhght this today... mcfly will this work for pulling the pulley? or did i buy something wrong?

Exact kit I have

[paradox]

I always use a 1/2 inch ratchet with 1.5 meter jack handle. Some people crack the bolt with the starter but i'm never good with that. I prefer doing it manually.

Do you see what I'm talking about with all the flexing going on? Should I just muscle through it? It's definitely not that I can't put enough force on it, it's just that when the straps start turning, I get nervous.

[mcfly]

Yes there will be quite a bit of drivetrain flex, i would say mine goes from about 45 degrees to about -45 before it crack. If you shock it a bit it will help.

Dont be shy, spray some penetrating lube around the bolt and then pull hard. Factory spec for that bolt is around 300 lb/ft

[Terrh]

you guys pulling the trans to pull the engine, have you tried it the other ways?

I'd almost rather pull the engine/trans together to do anything transmission related than deal with lifting 175lbs of GTR transmission above my head from under the car.

[Zacho]

If you plan to remove your transmission, as it has already been said stacking extensions works magic for the top bellhousing bolts.

If you have disconnected everything 1st time round and just want to yank the engine/transmission as a unit, don't be afraid to wait for a slightly warmer day, gear up and roll it out of the garage a bit. If everything is disconnected it will not take long at all.

[archaeic_bloke]

you guys pulling the trans to pull the engine, have you tried it the other ways?

I'd almost rather pull the engine/trans together to do anything transmission related than deal with lifting 175lbs of GTR transmission above my head from under the car.

you should re-read the inital post, im gonna have to pull the tranny,.. THEN.. the engine due to restrictions in my working enviroment, otherwise of course i would be doing it all as one piece.

[mcfly]

Don't forget the power steering/ac
engine doesn't like to come out if those are still on

[BNR32]

you guys pulling the trans to pull the engine, have you tried it the other ways?

I'd almost rather pull the engine/trans together to do anything transmission related than deal with lifting 175lbs of GTR transmission above my head from under the car.

I've done it the way you describe and prefer it but not by much. Really depends, would you rather mess around with lowering the tranny, or waste time going forward back up and down trying to get the angle right lol.

Oh, archaeic, don't forget to remove the shifter hehe.

[fastgtr]

One way to make breaking the balancer bolt easier is to get a piston stopper. It screws into the plug hole and stops the mtr from spinning. Then just use a big breaker bar and it will come undone. I always prefer to pull engine seperate. Thats alot of weight sticking away from the end of the hoist to be pulling out.

[mcfly]

That would definitely be easier if you are doing it often.

http://www.summitracing.com/parts/SUM-900189/

[mitch32]

I pulled it without the tranny. I have a push-style clutch which I believe makes the job easier. My tranny was left bolted to the frame of the car with a jack under it. The top bolts where tricky but doesn't take a rocket scientist, I think putting it back in might be a different story.

[paradox]

Yes there will be quite a bit of drivetrain flex, i would say mine goes from about 45 degrees to about -45 before it crack. If you shock it a bit it will help.

Dont be shy, spray some penetrating lube around the bolt and then pull hard. Factory spec for that bolt is around 300 lb/ft

Alright, finally tried it again last night (my gf/helper had been out of town), still no go.

Problem is, I can turn it with a breaker bar, but it doesn't come loose. When the car is in 4th, it's hard to turn but on one try my gf put in in 2nd by accident and the bolt would turn much more easily, WTF.

Am I getting the clutch to slip somehow? Or something else? Definitely doesn't make me feel good inside.... :(

Probably time for me to try the piston stopper method I guess, thanks for the tip fastgtr.

[Kras]

Piston stopper works, there is also a chain like device made specifically for holding the balancer while you loosen it. I think mac makes it.

Other than that penetrating fluid and a breaker bar with a snipe on the end if you need to.

[paradox]

Piston stopper works, there is also a chain like device made specifically for holding the balancer while you loosen it. I think mac makes it.

Other than that penetrating fluid and a breaker bar with a snipe on the end if you need to.

Yeah it's been soaking in penetrating fluid for days. Like I said, the problem is that it turns while the car is in gear, so *something* has to be giving up in the driveline I guess? I just don't know what.

[paradox]

That would definitely be easier if you are doing it often.

http://www.summitracing.com/parts/SUM-900189/

Also, doesn't pressing the piston up on the stopper with 350 lb/ft of pressure pretty much guarantee you're damaging the piston?

[mcfly]

I would say yes, you would want one with a dull end, as large as possible. I have never used one as i just crack the bolt with the drivetrain still in.

[paradox]

I would say yes, you would want one with a dull end, as large as possible. I have never used one as i just crack the bolt with the drivetrain still in.

Well I'd love too but it just doesn't want to happen. Any thoughts on what could be giving in the drivetrain? Clutch is what comes to mind, but I could be missing something.

[archaeic_bloke]

.....so do i need to "crack" this bolt off BEFORE pulling the motor out?....

this is the bolt that holds the crank damper in place?

[BNR32]

No I did mine after the engine was out. Just threaded a couple flywheel bolts about halfway into the crank, then put a pry bar between the bolts and let it rest against the engine stand. Then did the same as Mcfly suggested, 1/2" drive wrench with a jack handle on it.

[archaeic_bloke]

from the front side or rear side of the engine?

[BNR32]

Flywheel bolts went in the rear where they were jammed against the stand with the pry bar. Then I went around front and put the socket/jack handle combo on the damper bolt.

[mitch32]

That's a good idea, I didn't think of that. I just took out my impact and went at it. Took nothing just one quick shot with the impact and it was off.

[Stefan_001]

You can pull the the engine and tranny out one shot in a car garage with 1 foot jackstands. I find it easier then just pulling the engine out.

[archaeic_bloke]

You can pull the the engine and tranny out one shot in a car garage with 1 foot jackstands. I find it easier then just pulling the engine out.

lol... again.. re-read the original post bro... i have height resitrictions, im basically working in a cave.

[Stefan_001]

if anything take out and unplug what you need and just roll out the car on the driveway. I used those small michelin jack stands not the truck ones. how high can your cherry picker go?

[archaeic_bloke]

... had a new thought looking for some input on it:


i went to napa auto yesterday to look for an engine sling to attach my rb26 to my engine crane... they didnt have anything....
so im starting to think i ll just go to home depot and pick up some high strength steel cable line good to like one tonne or more, and make 3 big loops that hook to the hook of the engine crane...

decided i will try to pull the motor with the tranny still attached first.. and then if it doesnt clear.. ill try the other way

thoughts? safe?

[mitch32]

I used a 500lbs cargo strap wrapped once and a 1000lbs steel chain that I got from Homedepot (its 1000lbs in tension, when you use it to lift the motor its got the chain doubled up and its in tension and shear, so its better to go overboard a bit, but the way I had it setup it was good for atleast 2000lbs if not more). I only lifted the motor, I'm pretty sure it weighs 500lbs. Its a heavy motor. I was scared to lift with the tranny. You have to put a pretty nice angle on the motor with the tranny on to clear properly. I was scared with that much angle the motor would slip out of the straps/chain.

[mcfly]

I usually wrap a tow strap around the exhaust manifold and the intake. It's not idea but i found i can get it tighter since the engine lift i always used did not go as high as I wanted.

[Tron]

Re: Getting Crank Bolts Loose In-Car Method:
You are overwhelming the clutch when it moves on you.
Have you given it a go using the starter motor? That method always works for me.
Here is a description for those that don't know:
Place a breaker bar on the crank bolt and rest the bar on the passenger's side frame rail. Crank the motor over briefly using the starter. Voila!
If that doesn't do it, then position the bar an inch or two or three above the frame rail in order to give it some "run up" momentum.
Let us know if you were successful.

[archaeic_bloke]

which side frame rail?.....i don't remember which way the engine cranks when it turns...

would that be passenger side or drive side frame rail?

and from the under side of the frame rail right?

[Tron]

Engine turns clockwise when you are viewing it from the front. Place the bar (or hover it above) on top of the left side frame rail (passenger frame rail on a RHD car). When the starter is cranked, the bar will 'whack' the frame rail and break loose the crank bolt.