MiataDoug

I am going to drop the engine into the engine bay for the 1st time this evening. Anyone got any advice? Things they forgot about that caused them to have to pull it back out? I have both headers in place. ??? Thanks

MX-Brad

Yes. Go ahead and grind that dtivers side steering rack boss down and go around front and back further than you think you need to go. Hammer the firewall in and bash your tunnel at the slave quite a bit. Grab a stick of chalk so you can mark any trouble spots once engine is dropped. Get your heat shield tape on your lines now. Much tougher once engine is in.
Keep in mind you will probably want in put tranny in too as that makes a difference on engine angle and therefore clearances. Martin suggested not installing flywheel or clutch to make it easier as the whole works will have to come out at least once more...about a half dozen times for me. Be mentally prepared for that reality. Enjoy.

Casey

The day I put my engine in I had it in and out many times to add spacers to the block mounts. I would plan to have a bunch of washers available for this purpose.

MiataDoug

Sounds like dropping it in and taking it out, it is something I need to get good at. Thanks for the link to you build MX-Brad I had not looked at those pictures before. I took the BFH to the divers side tunnel like Martin says, Sounds like you are saying more is better? What part of the firewall needs moved? I have not beat on the firewall yet? The drivers side of the rack is ground off enough I hope. I have washers ready.

MX-Brad

This is the part where it seems like you're really making progress, but then you have to take a couple steps back to fix stuff. ie, I didn't bash enough of the firewall back, so the engine came back out to do that, then I had to touch up paint that area, and the paint took forever to dry in my cold garage over the winter.
FWIW, I ended up not having to use any washers. Martin told me in no uncertain terms I wouldn't need any and he was right. The spacers he provided were exactly right. Casey may have an earlier kit where spacers were not included (or too short to allow for shimming).
I had to bash in along the seam where you cut the corner gusset out- drivers side only. I also had to bash a bit around the opening of the tunnel on the pass side. You will have to put your bellhousing on to determine if you need to do that. I had to bash another part of the opening on the drivers side to accommodate a bellhousing bolt or stud.
And if you haven't done so, make a cardboard template of a K member shim in case you decide to shim the subframe for hood clearance.

tbone heller

Have plenty of beer on hand!

tbone heller

Drill a hole through both sides of the firewall to allow the pass through of future gauge wiring if needed. Plug them off if you don't need them for now.

MiataDoug

Well it's in there. The spacers seemed to put the engine up off of the steering rack just right. Hood closes. I all ready shimmed the k-member and milled the upper intake. I guess I will install the tranny and drive shaft next and see how the tranny support looks.

MX-Brad

Looking good. Can't tell from the pics, did you have to cut your hood braces?
I cut hood braces, shimmed subframe 3/16" and milled intake 1/4", as well as trimmed the coolant fill adaptor. Just touchup painted the underside of the hood and I see I'm still making slight contact with the rad cap. Luckily it's double layered there so I won't burn through but I'll have to pull the tranny up a bit to help the angle.
Great seeing the engine sitting there, isn't it?

MiataDoug

I did cut the hood bracing out. I do not have my coolant fill adaptor installed yet. It is awesome to be working on a "car" again as I spent the summer building the motor. So many things to do now that the engine is in place, I am running around like a kid in a candy store.

charchri4

Damn you posting a shot of a 95 Montego with a 5.0 in it! It's going to be a long dull drive home now...

MiataDoug

Your DD must be a Montego 95? LOL

charchri4

Yep but they are both DDs, one just quieter than the other...

MiataDoug

I have a 94 and a 96 that alternate as my DD's. That allows me to take one down for repairs easily. The 95 is of course getting the V8. All 3 are Montego Blue. I really did not try to have them all be the same color. Just the way Craigslist happened.

MiataDoug

Of course it goes without saying that I will have one be the "good" twin and the v8 one be the "evil" twin. They will look identical but not sound identical. hehehe

MRM331

Keep in mind that the clearance over the steering rack is very likely to change once the trans is in place. I used large washers that I cut a bolt-sized slot in so I could fine tune without having to take out the whole engine. Bolt the trans on, jack up the tail to where you think it should be and push the engine back as far as you can BEFORE committing to a set of holes in the frame rails for the trans mount. Once the trans mount is in check your pan to rack clearance again and if it's any more than the thickness of two credit cars lower it down a bit. If it's less than that raise it.

Once the trans mount is in place drill a good sized hole through it into the floor on the passenger side and bolt it there as well.

Lowering the K-frame 1/8 to 3/8 helps also. 3/8ths is about the most you can go before running out of thread on the front k-frame bolts. Be sure to space the rear bolts down as well or you'll possibly affect the front suspension geometry.

-Jason