D15, D16, D17 and Mini-Me swaps
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By teal_dx
#25 I'm no certified mechanic, but this was way easier than I expected.
There's a couple of reasons you would want to do this, rather than pull it out.
1. You don't need a hoist.
2. You don't risk banging up the inside of your engine bay.
3. You can do this by your self.
Take lots of pics of the engine bay. This will help you later on to see what hoses go where and where all the harnesses are.
Remove the bumper, splash shield, inner fender liners.
Remove the header, intake & radiator
Pull the axles (and have a pan ready).
Unhook all harnesses, coolant lines, fuel lines, power steering, shift cable (automatic), linkage (manual)

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After you have double checked that nothing is still hooked to the motor, unbolt all 4 bolts on the rear motor mount (reach 3 from the bottom, the one closest to the motor can be reached from the top. After you remove the 4 bolts, wrestle with the mount so that it is pulled up away from the block. (I wrestled it for a while and couldn't get it all the way out.
Next remove the 2 small front mounts.
Here's where you have to start guessing...
Measure the height of your motor and be sure your jack can lift your car high enough to slide the motor from under the side. You might need to add some wood blocks, but not too many or the car won't go low enough to set the engine down.

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I made a little cart out of some scrap 2x4's and (4) $4 casters. It worked out perfect that the cart was high enough to roll over the end of the jack.
Now put the jack with 2x4's for additional height under the radiator support & lift a little, then pull out the jack stands.

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With the cart under the motor, let the car all the way down slowly.

When the motor is resting on the cart, unbolt the left and right top motor mounts.
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Now jack the car up slowly, a few pumps at a time, then look around the back of the motor to be sure everything is clearing. You will have to pull that rear mount up around the throttle body.

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It is a close fit but you don't need to remove the power steering pump.

Now jack the car up slowly, a few pumps at a time, then look around the back of the motor to be sure everything is clearing. You will have to pull that rear mount up around the throttle body.

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As you continue to lift the car you will need to slide the motor/cart forward since the intake manifold sticks out over the back of the motor.

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The rear mount, you will have to wedge it up like this and watch as the motor drops that it does not get hung up on the throttle body.





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Keep lifting and when it gets high enough put the jack stands back under.
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Clear some room...

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You can take the motor out either side. I didnt feel like looseing the rusty bolts holding the front tranny mount, so I went out the drivers side.

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all done
User avatar
By fresh eh2*
#69 GOOD SHYT!!!! ill be doing that soon so i can put my new motor in! 8)
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By solbrothers
#220 good luck getting it back in there :wink:
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By LaMbErT*
#1205 Good little tip/how to. Ma bro fucked my driveshafts when he helped me take out ma engine. In other words..... TIT!
By obedd15
#1210 thats how I took mine out. I used my hoist to put it in though, both by myself.
BTW, Nice color.
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By eg-civic-racer
#1215 Feckin class man, i am just away to lift my motor out and didnt have a clue where to begin and where to finish! Good tips and great photos!
Keep us posted!
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By chnzgoofball
#2149 your the first person i seen that pulled out their motor from the bottom of the car hahaha
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By ohDirka
#8288 okay im assuming you put your new motor in through the bottom then? or did you get a hoist? i gotta swap a motor this weekend
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By -EJ1- COUPE
#8324 going through the is the easiest way to pull or swap motors in the 92-95 civic platform. good write up teal thats how ive done every one
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By teal_dx
#8402 yep, I put it in from the bottom too.

pics:

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geting the motor & mounts lined up perfect was a little hard to do. one person to lean & hold the motor while I put the bolts in would have been easier. Also I didn't have much in the way putting the motor back in so that made it easier too.
By JDMcivic
#16904 I did the exact same thing, except my swap took 7 days due to it being my first time, with nothing to roll the engine on(had to somehow drag it on cardboard)..it was a b**ch putting it bak in and lining it up tho
User avatar
By york62
#16907
JDMcivic wrote:I did the exact same thing, except my swap took 7 days due to it being my first time, with nothing to roll the engine on(had to somehow drag it on cardboard)..it was a b**ch putting it bak in and lining it up tho


i bet it was man, i had to ballance my engine and tranny on a 6 " disk on my floor jack ... wasn't easy, but i got it in!
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By weaponr82
#20641 You guys are pure class! Im always dubbed as the cheap bastard but with you guys I feel right at home. Why spend money? I love Macgyver DIY stuff! I cant wait to try some of this stuff out!
User avatar
By chnzgoofball
#20654
weaponr82 wrote:You guys are pure class! Im always dubbed as the cheap bastard but with you guys I feel right at home. Why spend money? I love Macgyver DIY stuff! I cant wait to try some of this stuff out!



hahahaha :lol:
User avatar
By ChicagoMike
#20657
weaponr82 wrote:You guys are pure class! Im always dubbed as the cheap bastard but with you guys I feel right at home. Why spend money? I love Macgyver DIY stuff! I cant wait to try some of this stuff out!


:thumb: Sometimes money isnt the answer, just a lil brains. :lol: