Engine swap help please Ph1 clio sport

[Polmac]

Hi guys,

I'm in the process of changing engines after cambelt went.

Are there any helpful tips to lifting out old engine and refitting the new one ? like hard to remove bolt which there is a special knack to getting out.

I've done plenty engine changes in the past on evos and scoobs so shouldnt be much hassle just looking for any advice to save time and hassle and knuckles.

Its ph2 engine going in so I will swap over the inlet etc and have all that boxed ready to go .

There is one wire on the front of the loom going down past the alternator to one of the pulleys on the aux bet, I cant seem to see how to disconnect it from anywhere? its a single wire in a sleeve coming from alternator wiring and disapears into pulley area.

Cheers

Paul

possibly first post in many as needs to be back on road for sunday night haha

 

[Polmac]

Oh yeah and is it the norm for gearbox to be left in place or lift out engine and box in one go ?

Cheers

 

[Tony172]

air con wire and it should just pull apart afaik

 

[Polmac]

Cheers Tony I'm gonna pull the grill off it tomorrow so should get a better look then, worst case scenario i'll do it when lifting the block out

 

[Djw John]

We take them out the top with the box still attached. And removing the slam panel frees up a nice bit of space. If you've removed engines before then there isnt anything particularly different imo

 

[barnesautos]

You don't have to disconnect the air-con just place it to one side.

 

[mgoode180566]

just take you time lifting it out mate. take it out with the box on. lift it with the box hanging down at an angle and put it back in the same. watch the pulleys on the inner wing they get very close.

i have done 2 now. it is quite straightforward. just take your time.

 

[Chip-mk1]

just take you time lifting it out mate. take it out with the box on. lift it with the box hanging down at an angle and put it back in the same. watch the pulleys on the inner wing they get very close.

+1

It almost looks like it wont actually clear when you first do one.

 

[Polmac]

Cheers for all the replies guys much appreciated and for the piccy , ill take the front panel off to save some hassel i think

Engine getting delivered tonight so the fun starts in the morning.

Yeah I've noticed its a tight squeeze compared to big jap engine bays i'll take my time .

 

[Chip-mk1]

It gets even tighter than it looks as you have to swing it over to get the box to clear the chassis rail as it actually pokes underneath it.

So the engine and box are basically wider than the hole they are coming through, so you have to tip it diagonally. (although thats similar with most fwd cars, just this one even more so)

 

[Budgie]

All of the above points are valid.

I'd leave the air-con circuit and the PAS circuit still connected for ease.

 

[mgoode180566]

All of the above points are valid.

I'd leave the air-con circuit and the PAS circuit still connected for ease.

mine accidentally came apart.....i must be more careful

 

[Laine_16v]

Left my wiring, and PAS connected in the bay when i removed mine, i even left the coolant hoses attached to the heater matrix (hardest pipes to remove ever??!)

 

[Budgie]

Yeah, the coolant hoses at the matrix end are a cnut.

I always use a plumbers wrench at the most open setting- seems to fit pretty well.

 

[Polmac]

Thanks for all the replies guys,

Engine and box out and back in again in 12 hrs working around crappy weather .

looking out the window and scared the rain is gonna wash the wee car away haha

I left aircon attached but had already removed pas when i read this and the drive is not looking nice at all oops

My wire carrier which goes over the gearbox housing is cracked and smashed but looks like a hassle to replace,would simply removing the plastic and resleeving with tape and tying it all out the way be worth doing or leave as is /

 

[Budgie]

Yeah, they get a bit battered.

I'd leave the plastic in and just retape over any areas that're broken..

 

[Djw John]

Same

 

[Laine_16v]

Yeah my plastic wire carrier snapped so i chucked it in the bin

 

[Polmac]

Cheers guys i'll leave the carrier there till i can be assed fixing it or the engine needs to comeback out which is beginning to look like the case at the moment.

there is a rattle comming from the front/top/pulleys. The belts were done by a renault mech according to the last owner and was under the impression it was the aircon pulley which was noisy on his engine so used mine and every thing else looked sound.

I know the dephaser sound (80/90's police astra diesel engine) and its a bit different from that. Clio stu is going to have a look at this tonight hopefully and I'll post a video to see if anybody can give me an idea whats causing it if we cant diagnose it ourselves.Seems to come and go when moving the steering wheel but there is a new pas pump on there already.

The crank pulley also looks a little wobbly/out of line , could this cause a ticking noise?

Anyway watch this space .

Paul

 

[Djw John]

Ah, never realised you were up this way! Happy to have a look if wee stu is stumped/cant see over the slam panel

 

[w33 brl]

haha...hopefully changing that crank pulley works mate

 

[Polmac]

Ah, never realised you were up this way! Happy to have a look if wee stu is stumped/cant see over the slam panel

Hehe he managed but still stumped, sent you a pm mate cheers

 

[Polmac]

haha...hopefully changing that crank pulley works mate

Not convinced myself but worth doing anyway ,fingers crossed bud, its gonna be something random/embarassing knowing my luck . Dont bring your car back to my bit mate your gonna catch the jinx, thats twice somethings happened to yours when your here and mine never seems to leave the drive haha

 

[w33 brl]

I know man ill leave just around the corner lol got a idea what it was tho but ill speak to you tomorrow about it

 

[mgoode180566]

whats that about the crank pulley ???????????????

my phase 1 was making a noise when turning the steering. a sort of low rumbling noise on full lock. thought it was the pas.

2 weeks later the motor went bang...cambelt still in place .. i pulled the motor out and cut the cambelt off and the crank pulley fell in half. the crank pulley is in two parts pressed together with a rubber damper between. on mine water had got in and perished the rubber making the crank pulley spin on itself.

check your crank pulley carefully....

 

[Polmac]

whats that about the crank pulley ???????????????

my phase 1 was making a noise when turning the steering. a sort of low rumbling noise on full lock. thought it was the pas.

2 weeks later the motor went bang...cambelt still in place .. i pulled the motor out and cut the cambelt off and the crank pulley fell in half. the crank pulley is in two parts pressed together with a rubber damper between. on mine water had got in and perished the rubber making the crank pulley spin on itself.

check your crank pulley carefully....

I had the same issue as you but happened on an evo which was pretty shite, its a loud clicking/knocking noise this is making but not dephaser sound(or at least not the same dephaser sound as the last engine it sounded like a diesel).

Changed this over to mine this morning and noise still the same.

Onlyn parts on this engine which were not changed to mine are....pas pump....timing setup...water pump, the aircon, alternator and now outer crank pulley are mine.

 

[w33 brl]

What next then paul water pump?...was ment to text you when a finished worl but forgot

 

[Polmac]

Sorted, whoever fitted the new power steering pump decided not to tighten up aux tensioner bolts and also the 3 bolts holding the pulley onto pas pump were slack too. Shouldve checked these but you live you learn .

Now need a radiator though , clio ownershiop is proving a testing past time haha

 

[Chip-mk1]

Lucky escape, that could have easily ended up with the belt wrapped round the bottom pulley causing the cambelt to jump.

 

[Polmac]

Thats excatly what happened to last engine haha . Cambelt ripped in 2 with shoe laces wrapped round it everywhere :-(

Are you the same chip from migweb ? Going back a few years here though.

 

[Chip-mk1]

Yes mate, although I dont really bother with it much these days TBH, its more showcar than racecar really so I tend to stick to VauxSport instead as a vauxhall forum.

 

[Djw John]

Good stuff Paul, glad you've got it sorted

 

[Polmac]

Good stuff Paul, glad you've got it sorted

Cheers for the advice John , really appreciated

Just been and got tracking done and cars now going straight as well as running quietly .

Ive just had first decent blast in it and very capable wee cars huh , well chuffed !!!!

 

[Polmac]

Yes mate, although I dont really bother with it much these days TBH, its more showcar than racecar really so I tend to stick to VauxSport instead as a vauxhall forum.

I used to be big on vx till i got the jap bug, evo,scoob, mr2 etc. I had a wee nova LET and used to read a lot of your stuff and beardy.......oh did the twin engine LET ever get finished ?

Cheers