So the engine (ej22 swap) ended up being stupid and seizing in my Legacy.

Since I've moved and the car is sitting, I won't get to it for a while. But I was musing... How the hell am I going to get the engine out?

It's seized right up, so how do I get to the TQ bolts?

Do I take a jack hammer to the engine and break it into little bits or something?

good breaker bar on the front pulley going either direction should allow you to get to the 4 bolts to the TC, either top, or bottom or combination...You will be able to turn it a little with some force.

 

whatever is broke and hangin up in the case, can be broken loose with some force of human kind on a breaker bar and cheater pipe.

I was faced with this MANY years ago on an EA at another shop. I had NO TIME (Boss) and just used an air chisel and punched access holes in the bell housing. It was getting a used engine anyway.

 

Do you have enough room to pull the convertor out with the engine? Probably not. Someone will come along with a better idea soon I am sure. I don't really recommend the way I did it:(

 

Good Luck, and do post the secret if there is one:D

You can pull it out with the TC still on it. You'll have to remove the radiator for sure to do it that way, maybe even lift the condenser out of the way. Removing the crank pulley and Ac belt tensioner will give you some extra room as well.

 

Then you just have to make sure the TC gets seated properly when you put it back. Probably smart to put a new input seal on the transmission too.

Folks here had told me that it can be done.

 

Takes a heck of an angle to get it out of the engine bay.

 

Can't say it'd be something I'd look forward to.

 

I have passed on project cars because I didn't want to find out just what this takes.

 

So please if you do document, pics even.

Seeing as this blew up two days before a move from ME to NC I probably won't see the car for a fairly long time. And even if I do go back to ME in like febuary it's too cold to do this stuff ... If it comes to pulling the TQ out (which I'm not going there). I'll just drop a 5speed in... I don't really love the automatic anyway, just that it works really nicely so for easy of not swapping, I kept it.

Maybe I'll take angle grinder to engine or something... It'll be exciting, I can't wait.

i've done this before. i would try the cheater bar like mentioned but i've seen them seized to the point they would not budge at all.

 

engine can be pulled with trans still attached if you want to work on it out of the car. it's an extreme angle but really isn't that hard and doesn't take much more effort than yanking the engine.

 

as already mentioned - you can pull the engine with the torque converter still attached - it just slides right out of the trans - again you need a steep angle but it'll come out.

 

probably best to do it by yanking the entire lump.

Well, if the TQ takes more than 5 minutes to go back in, that's it.

And if I have to pull the transmission no way it's going back in, a 5speed will go back in it's place while I have the chance. Hmm, now I really wish I had access to the car to start ripping into it, this sounds fun!

The other thing... Even if I pull the engine out with the torque converter still attached (assuming I don't destroy it in the process), the torque converter will still be stuck to the engine with no good way of getting it off. And since I'll need my torque converter back to use the transmission, I'll still have to cut up the engine to get it off.

pull the plugs?

put a breaker bar on the crank bolt and rock it back and forth?

remove the heads?

spray pb blaster into the cylinders?

split the block?

 

worst case, replace the torque converter,

 

or throw the whole car away.

pull the plugs?

Will do, that may help minimally.

 

put a breaker bar on the crank bolt and rock it back and forth?

It's seized up tight enough the starter can't turn it..

 

remove the heads?

spray pb blaster into the cylinders?

How will this help anything? It died very quickly due to a very fast oil leak, most likely a rod bearing or two is completely seized up. I doubt a piston is stuck in the cylinder.

But if one is, some abuse with a hammer should destroy the ringlands and break it loose.

 

split the block?

Some of the bolts to do this are behind the flex plate, so not really an option.

 

worst case, replace the torque converter,

As I said, I'd sooner put a 5speed in, I'm looking for options here that don't mean pulling the transmission apart.

 

or throw the whole car away.

It's a rust free rolling shell... Worth putting a drivetrain into, just want a way to save what I have in there now.

I don't know where you are, but in Maine that's pretty much unheard of.

i don't remember case bolts being behind the flex plate but i have never split a block so i don't know.

 

i think a TC is only 75$. but it is your car, so toss the engine and trans and go from there.

 

good luck.

i don't remember case bolts being behind the flex plate but i have never split a block so i don't know.

 

i think a TC is only 75$. but it is your car, so toss the engine and trans and go from there.

 

good luck.

 

I don't love the automatic to spend $75 to make it work again, I have a complete 5speed, driveshaft, rear end, and clutch setup sitting in the back of my garage. A pedal box will run me way less than $75 and much easier to get ahold of, at that point, I may as well just put a 5speed in.

BUT, if I can I'd like to keep the auto, so long as it doesn't cost me anything, etc.

It will cost you $5 for an input seal, and 5 minutes to make sure the converter gets lined up right when you put it back in the trans. Otherwise, you'll get the perfect excuse to drop that 5 speed in. :-p

We had this happen once at work, we broke the bell housing in a few spot and I think we took the oil pan off as well. There was no way we were getting that engine to turn again, we did get it out but it was a pain...

 

I'd vote for a five speed as well the swap is simple I did it in a weekend with the help of my dad and a lift. Here in the NE parts cars can be found super cheep that run and drive well, but have no body left as you well know, the car is clean enough to be well worth fixing, and if you are unhappy with the auto now's the time just my .02

I got the engine out... I cut the hell out of the bell housing with three of my most favourite tools.

Angle grinder, sawzall, and BFH.

 

Here's one picture, it's out now. So I'll get better ones tomorrow.

 

Edited February 6, 201214 yr by 987687