How quick to change an engine?

I'm on a bit of a tight time line for my engine swap. I have a newly built one to go in and it should be a straight one out one in affair (hopefully).
I've changed plenty of other engines in the past, and I'll have the added luxury of an overhead crane, workshop, forlift etc to use.

If I went for it, started after work one evening, how quickly could I expect to get it done? Its a 300 in a 90, like for like

I would say 7-8 hours if you were to work alone and take your time. I usually change a clutch in that time working single handedly. I don't stop for any breaks but I don't rush. It's the little things that take most time, like attaching coolant hoses, filling the cooling system, etc. That's a job that's done towards the end, by which time you'll be tired and slow down further. Yesterday evening I changed the P-gasket and timing belt on a friend's 300. It was easy and pleasant. I started at 5, got the P-gasket done by just before 7, the timing belt in place by 8 but closing the whole front cover, re-fitting hoses, cowl, fan, filling coolant and clearing up took a further 2 hours (well, we wasted a lot of time gossiping too).

There was a time I could do an engine swap in about 5 hours with the proper facilities and not doing anything else like swapping over all the ancillaries. Nowadays, I need to stop for a slash every half hour if the weather is a bit cold and I can never find that tool that I just had in my hand a second ago, blasted old age.

Col

How long is a piece of string?
If you have all the tools to hand and within reach, including a power driver, working alone (NOT recommended!) it can be done in 4-5 hours.
However, it all depends on your competence and how easily it comes apart!
Good luck!

+1 on how it comes apart. If you ever remove the same engine twice within a few weeks, it will come out in about half the time of the first extraction.

Col

on your own, I'd give it 2 or 3 evenings, at least!

I have just had my 300 in and out to replace a core plug on the back of the block it was out in an afternoon, and back in in a similar amount of time - on my own...

Doing it again now I know what I am doing, it could be done in 4-5 hours or so given a good wind and no stuck bolts etc.....not that I would want to do it again in a hurry.

Budget a day if it is a straight swap.

Couldn't ask for a better location ☺

Riich said:

Couldn't ask for a better location ☺

Click to expand...

Where is the Beer then??

Cheers

With two of you and all tools to hand 2 1/2 hours from start to finish

I like the sound of that

When was the last time the floor plates in the cab were removed?
Is the radaitor mint? if not get new etc etc
Clutch alignment tool
Stuff like the floor plates can be done at home and will save you masses of time come engine swap time
Drain the coolant outside then push the car into shop so you havent got to work in the wet splashes

It took 4 1/2 hours with two of us from undoing the first bolt to putting all the tools away.

Very nice,

That is a shiny new engine you putting in there.

Cheers

A dirty engine is horrble to work on, so I took my time to clean everything when I built it.