Great tip! Would have saved me some time on my latest engine pull!

Make sure you have the right fuel line removal tool. I don't know if the NB1s have the ford fuel line connector thingys buy I know NB2s do.

 

Oh it is super easy too, btw. 1 year ago the most I had done to a car was put washer fluid in it. I was able to pull my motor and put it back in myself, so if I can do it without messing anything up, anyone can. lol

 

I'm pretty confident in my skill to take it out/put it in. However, I know you guys have done this Miata thing longer/more times than me. Everyone has their little tricks to make it easier. I do like the cut driveshaft idea. Don't know if I'll get my hands on one in time. No biggie. I just would rather avoid pouring fluids everywhere. I am in a apartment complex garage so I can't destroy the place. I already have the biggest one in the complex and my neighbors call it the "beacon of light" in the place with all the lights I have in there compared to everyone else. Still have more to hang.

 

Go get some cheap towels and/or some painters plastic sheets from the Depot. I had done basic work for years, but almost two years ago I had to replace the engine. All the prep work is super easy. I did get a friend to help with the actual pulling and replacing of the engine, but it was super easy. We yanked the engine and trams with the turbo and DP all in one....went back in the same way. The most oil was spilled when I dropped the oil pan from the old engine to swap to the new engine. Swapping the turbo and mating the trams to the engine out of the car is easier than eating apple pie.

 

I'm so glad to hear this. I want to assemble my motor then put turbo and DP on when it's sitting on the stand. If I can install the motor with the hot side parts installed ill be a happy camper.

I bought a stand, leveler, and crane all on sale and will be using that in the next 2 weeks.

Do you have PS and.does.that matter?

 

I've always pulled it with the rad in no problems.

So, related to the OP: What do you guys do with the motor mounts on re-installation? Reinstalling the motor the same way I would a rotary (Engine mounts on engine) is a royal pain in the *** in getting the motor mounts to line up with the slots and holes in the engine bay. Is there a better way?

 

I just installed my engine/trans today. Much easier doing both at once. Be sure you take your coils off before you try to install or you may try to start forcing it and end up crushing your heater core tubing. Don't ask me how I know this, but I am on the search for a new heater core! lol

 

Coils are coming off, rewiring for sequential ignition with COPs, and keeping it plug&play with the stock setup for in case. Figure running the wires cleanly while standing in a empty engine bay is easier.

Got rags/plastic sheets/ect----------borrowing a engine stand.
I keep the garage floor covered with plastic because it's an apartment garage

PS should just be unbolted and pulled to the side I believe.

I should probably make a build thread no?

 

I have always had hotside parts on when I have installed or removed a motor. No reason not to. As for AC and PS I have always just unbolted them from the block and zip tied them out of the way.

 

Agreed with shuiend, a/c drops out of the way fairly easy but p/s should be zip tied or bungied out of the way. I always leave alternator attached to engine as well

 

Remember that your very FIRST step is to disconnect the battery

 

^haha yeah. Now that I think of it I still can't decide if I want to delete PS. I plan on 225's on 6UL's later and the sticky 205's on my '97 without PS is a mild pain in parking lots. Not really bad for be though..................actually screw the wife she's not driving it. Mostly because I'll never get the keys back. She's got a bigger lead foot than me. There is about a 2-3mpg difference between us in my '97 on average.

Any info on no PS and 225's on the street? I'll search a bit. Other than parking lots it's not really noticeable. Is welding the input shaft necessary or just a bonus for feel/feedback/less slop? My '97s was completely disassybled but didn't weld the shaft (didn't know) and there is a hair of slop in the wheel sitting in a lot, stopped, and wagging the wheel bag and forth.

 

My spec miata had 205/15s and I couldnt tell a difference with or without p/s, but I do have some upper body strength from dirt tracking

 

Leave the cold side on the motor, slip the hot side on once the motor is mostly in position but raised up a touch. I usually loosely put the nut on the cold side motor mount before slipping in the hot side mount.

 

Tried the hell out of this today, but the engine kept going in crooked - the passenger side was higher than the driver's.

What am I doing wrong, MT.net?

 

Get a transmission butt plug and pull them together, much easier.




First time I pulled just the engine and left trans in, took me an extra hour to get the trans lined back up when installing motor. Won't make that mistake again.

 

Was this with both engine mounts studs full seated in the subframe? Sounds like one was in the hole and the other was not. If so, it simply takes some fiddling with to get both the engine mount studs through their mounting holes in the subframe.

 

Yes, both mounts were full seated with nuts on the bolt.

 

Did you buy new engine mounts by chance? And as dumb as this sounds, but are you sure you have the engine mounts properly oriented?

 

Actually, I'd suggest disabling the fuel pump some how and running it till it stalls out, to help eleviate some pressure in the lines and reduce the mess when disconnecting them. You should also unscrew the gas cap, but that can be done before or after disconnecting the battery.