Removing the Festiva Motor without removing transmission

[ajbremer]

Today I removed the motor from my white 1991 Ford Festiva so that I can put another motor in it.

Here's a pic of it: Allan's White Festiva

This is only the 2nd time I've removed Festiva motors and both times I left the a/c compressor hooked up and just pushed it aside. I also left the transmission there and didn't remove it. I removed the exhaust manifold but I left the intake manifold hooked up, I just undid its bolts and pushed it against the firewall.

I have found that the hardest part about doing it this way is to get the motor unhooked from the transmission shaft. You've got to pry it a little and lift it at the same time till the two separate. I sense that there is a danger in doing it this way because of how you have to tilt the left part of the motor up high enough to push it out from the transmission shaft. I guess if your not careful you can damage the shaft, the clutch plate, or something else.

This method has worked for me both times but both times it was a bugger to separate the motor from the tranny because of the shaft. Tomorrow or very soon, I'll be removing the motor the same way in the car that has a good motor in it and I'll put it into my white one.

I'm wondering, do you guys know of any tricks to make this easier? Should I maybe loosen the transmission mount a little so that it'll swing up at the left? Just wondering?

[jason_]

When I did my aspire, I tried the engine only. Moved ahead maybe 2 incues and pulley hit sheet metal. Rapped 1 bell housing bolt tight and pulled motor and trans as one.

Autos you could probably get away with, but not a manual with the longer input shaft needing to clear disk....

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[william]

I always leave the trans ... its very easy if you push on the back of the trans it will tilt up enough to slide the engine right out
I use this method even with my slightly longer than stock b6d.
Never had a problem but when putting the engine back in trimming the dust cover helps clear the cv shaft for easier install.

[ajbremer]

Thanks jason_ and william!

william, you mentioned trimming the dust cover, you mean the drivers side plastic dust cover that's on top of the cv shaft? Do that so the tranny can tilt more? But now that I think about it, do you mean the thin metal plate at the bottom of the engine? thanks.

[joeboomer999]

He is most likely means the thin sheet metal (dust cover) plate that goes between the engine and trans... it curves right around the top of the drivers side inner cv and can be a pain sometimes

[ajbremer]

Saturday Morning - January 3rd, 2015

Thank you joeboomer999!

Yesterday I pulled two Festiva motors within 24 hours of each other, that's pretty good for me. I decided to leave many components on the engine and in the car to save time. I didn't pull the motors using the 'shop manual method' so therefore you have the right to call that 'the wrong way'. BUT, sometimes the wrong way works and doesn't hurt anything OR if you break something doing it the wrong way and you'd rather fix what broke than take the time to do it the 'shop manual way' then I figure you've succeeded.

I pulled both of these Festiva motors and left the transmission in the car, left the alternator on the motor with its belt tight, left the oil filter on the motor, and I didn't drain the oil. I also had no reason to undo the speedometer cable on the tranny or drain the transmission of its fluid.

I took many videos of my adventures. Here's my first video that shows the engine pulled in my white Festiva ready to accept the engine from my blue Festiva:
Festiva Engine Swaps

[ajbremer]

Ok, Festivas in place and ready to pull 1995 Aspire motor out of blue Festiva and put into white Festiva.
Here's the video: Ready to pull 1995 Aspire Motor out of my blue Festiva

[Advancedynamix]

looks like you've got a torn passenger side rack boot on the white car. While you've got that side apart to pull that axle, you could probably replace that boot.

[ajbremer]

I got the Aspire engine into the white car today. I still have to attach hoses and clips and stuff like that, I do that tomorrow.

william posted above and mentioned to trim the dust cover. I didn't know what he meant at the time and now I know. That metal dust cover kept getting in the way. It ends up resting on the passenger side half axle where the body of it goes into the transmission. You have to push it in between the half axle large diameter and the transmission. One thing concerns me, I had those 4 main motor bolts in about half way and the bottom front one started to be real hard to turn even though the bushing wasn't in the hole yet. I'd shake the motor while it was still on the hanging chain to try and get every thing to seat. But those bolts were still tight. Well, there was about a 1/2" gap and I was going around tightening them. I turned away to get a socket or something and I heard a pop! (I don't want to say 'I heard a crack!') Then all the bolts went together good. For a minute I thought, 'man, I broke something - maybe the transmission shaft or something. But I couldn't tell that anything broke. I put the car in gear and pushed it back and forth a little bit and I could see the flywheel turning so that shaft couldn't have broke. I hoping that it was a bushing or something that was caught for awhile and nothing major. There was nothing I could do about it so I'm just putting it all back together and I'll see how it works. (I hope I didn't break something). Anyone else ever have that happen?

[Advancedynamix]

Probably the clutch disk was just a little misaligned and binding a bit. Installing the tranny the way you are doing it makes it really challenging to get a straight shot at stabbing that shaft through the clutch. It's probably fine, I've had them "pop" in place before.

[ajbremer]

Wow, that answer gives me joy Advancedynamix. I removed 2 motors in 2 days and I sure would enjoy driving the white Festiva over pulling it's engine. It should only take me a couple hours to the key turn, I'm ready!

[ajbremer]

Thank you Advancedynamix, that's good news!

[ajbremer]

Well, I finished my swap job. I was just about ready to crank it for the first time when I found I had a leak at the water pump inlet tube caused by a broken o-ring at the end of the bypass tube. I took the o-ring out of the old engine and put it at the end of the tube and it worked out fine. Plugged everything in, attached the battery, and it started right up. Now, as soon as it turns daylight, I'll take it down the road and see how it feels.
Now the car that I've been driving for around 8 years or so sits with no engine in it...I'll miss it.
I took many videos of each step that I did so I'll get them up as soon as possible.

[ajbremer]

I tried to finish up my engine swap job but I found that my water pump inlet fitting was leaking antifreeze at the point where the bypass tube goes into it when it's under pressure. I mention above that it leaked the first time because the o-ring at the end of the bypass tube was broke/split so I took the 'used' o-ring off the old engine and it didn't leak no more when I filled it with antifreeze. But now under pressure it is leaking. My next option is to go the the auto parts store and try to find a matching o-ring and install the tube once again.
Here is the Festiva Shop Manual showing the bypass tube and its o-ring: Festiva Bypass Tube and O_Ring
Has anyone else had trouble with this tube leaking? Any tricks about it?



I found I had a leak at the water pump inlet tube caused by a broken o-ring at the end of the bypass tube. I took the o-ring out of the old engine and put it at the end of the tube and it worked out fine.

[dalebwilson]

I do know when you purchase a new water pump at the auto parts stores, a new bypass tube oring is included. Replacing the 20+ year old oring is a good idea. Taking all the brackets loose on the bypass tube makes the job easier. Put a little Vaseline on the oring before installing.