1990 Eclipse Engine Swap/Overhaul

Alright, so this won't be starting for at least another week or so but I figured I might as well make a place holder for it. So. That's what this is. Which is also why I locked it, so it doesn't get cluttered before it starts. KTHXBAI!

I can still post. Perfect timing for this minus the weather as I am almost done with deck season.

Starts tomorrow. School in the morning, then heading out to the Card residence for epic engine overhaul/swap. Stay tuned for updates and pictures.

Holy shit. Epic engine fail. I'll post pictures later.

Well, long story short I didn't actually take any pictures. But here is
how it went down. Had to pull the engine out with the tranny attached.
Tranny looked ok, took the engine apart and HOLY COW!. Rod bearing went bye-bye. chunks of bearing sticking into the oil pickup. Further investigation yielded a BLACK rod, like......BLACK! And sticking off of the black rod between itself and the crank was, you guessed it, some bearing. Pulled the rods apart, pulled the crank out, lots of scarring on that part of the crank so it is pretty much useless, and the rod, oh man, the bearings melted together, so there is one HUGE mostly round bearing welded to the rod. Pretty sexy.
So yeah, it's not gonna happen this weekend. I need to get the block cleaned(only a million pieces of bearing in it), and the oil pan needs a good cleaning also. So I will get that all cleaned out, find a new crank, snag a rod and start the reassembly sometime this winter.

long story short, if anyone has a 4g64 crank laying around I'll take it off your hands

Yeah, that was quite the project. Not too bad now that we know what we need to do to get the motor out, but that one rod was toast! It actually spun the bearing and welded to itself. It is quite the sight.

Hit up Criag (95gsxfox)
He's got a garage FULL of 4G parts man.

This is going to be quite the project.

Lol yeah like Todd said i do have a lot of 4g63 parts 1g and 2g.

Going to need a crankshaft and a rod. Pretty sure that should get us going.

Yeah I have the rods I don't have a crankshaft but what else do you guys think you may need?

Actually, I think all I need is a rod. I think I am gonna snag a crank out of a 4g64 and go from there. I've got a little more research to do.

Cool man well let me know i have a set of 1gen rod that i don't need ill sell for really cheap or trade.

Alright, I'll let you know. The only other route I may go is just getting forged rods now, while the engine is still apart, but the budget is gonna be tight for another couple months, so we'll see.

RedMitsu wrote:

Alright, I'll let you know. The only other route I may go is just getting forged rods now, while the engine is still apart, but the budget is gonna be tight for another couple months, so we'll see.

mike id just go forged. i made the mistake of not going forged and now im kick myself. i will be building my motor from top to bottom in the next year or so. id like to push 20 psi in the ss. I look at it like this do it right the first time while its apart even if it takes longer. you will save money in the long run.

This is true. This is true.

Kind of a toss-up. I think getting new rods and a new crank would be a good idea. Pistons should be gold. After that, you should be on your way.

Alright, the plan is to take the block in and get it cleaned either later this week or next week, before the holiday so I can have something to do over winter break. So, the question is. Where do I take it to?

And btw, I know you have told me where to take it before Mike, but I can never remember the name. The only one I know is DRW, and that is the shop that sells stuff?? Maybe?

Engines ETC. It is right across from the coffee shoppe on the Highway where we stopped to get Amber and Caitie their fix.

Update. Got the garage cleaned out and will be swapping the engine from the GSX into the TSi either next week during the week (spring break), or if not then there is another mini-break in about a month and a half when I will be doing it.

Decided to just swap the engine and not worry about the blown one for now. It can sit and be worked on a little at a time. Long story short, I don't want to be driving my eclipse around any more than I have to. I'd like to just have a shitty DD for a few months so I don't have to worry about college parking lots or the crackheads at work breaking my shit.

So. I have everything I need, with the exception of time.

I can lend a hand for awhile. I am going to need to get my Deck Tech stuff finished as the Home Improvement Show is in about a week (YIKES, DECK SEASON ALREADY).

The goal is to get this done in one day, which realistically should be no problem at all. There will be no disassembly of anything.
Just unplug harnesses, disconnect driveshaft, pull engine/tranny, push car out and pull other car in, reverse order.
Also it isn't high priority so if I get distracted or something comes up it can sit in the garage for a while until it is finished, but with just pulling the engine and dumping it into another car I can't imagine there will be too many complications.

RedMitsu wrote:

I can't imagine there will be too many complications.

That's where you're wrong my friend lol. There's always something, big or small, that will go wrong. Just a fact of life & cars

caution on wiring and sensor plugs and stuff. i have personally swapped out same make model engines and found differences that bit me in the ass at the last minute. just make sure before you get the basterd in the hole.

Yeah, I made sure when I bought the car it is going into.
the 90 model year was a weird year as far as plugs and harnesses for the DSMs. Everything changed as far as wiring goes from 91-94, so I had to find another 90 body, or make a bunch of customs pigtails and harnesses.
But everything should click together fine.

my biggest hate experience was with the cam sensors. had to re pull the whole show to swap it around.

Ouch. That doesn't sound fun at all.

Welcome to three and a half months later. Well, got an engine crane yesterday. Unhooked every hose, tube, wire and clip I could find (and with the help of the vfaq a few I couldn't) and have reached the farthest point I can go with my current tools. Which means........TIME TO GO BUY MORE TOOLS!!! Before I head to work today I Am going to grab some more tools so I can finish pulling the engine as soon as possible. Specifically I need a 1 inch socket to get the axles off, but I am going to pick up a few more things though to make my life a little easier. So, Sadly no pics (I'm not made of time ), but I would say I am 5/7 the way done to getting the engine out. And I feel like getting it in the other car will be a lot easier now that I know where everything is supposed to go.

I cant remember, but i believe the axle nuts are 32mm. ???

Yeah, they are. Just bought a 32mm impact wrench socket and an impact wrench. I only hope I have less trouble getting it off here than we did out at your house. Talk about a nightmare.

now if you need some 2g rods still I have some from the engine that I just stripped the crankshaft you probably don't want seeing as it's a 7 bolt but just PM me or whatever I got an entire 2g engine from a guy so if ur needin' parts give me call 406-697-3955

Thanks, but I don't think I am going to end up needing any parts. I have everything I need now to toss this engine in, and I will be building up the other one slowly.

Well. The engine is ready to be pulled out. The hoist is all hooked up and the motor/tranny mounts are loose. I had to go to work otherwise I would have pulled that sucker out tonight. So far my biggest hurdles were the axles (the intermediate shaft on the driver-side axle was held onto the frame in a weird/hard to get to spot), Some odd connectors on the back of the engine, and the downpipe......which was actually....


A SUPER GHETTO HOME-BREW 3" TURBO-BACK EXHAUST!!!!

Needless to say, it all came off in one piece, and a rather finicky piece at that. So....depending on how early I wake up tomorrow this will either be pulled out tomorrow....or when I get done working at 6. Who knows. Anywho, that's the update

throw that sweet peice of shit in the trash...

Yeah. The kid that had it before made a ton of ghetto ass mounts for it too. Welded on......I had to hacksaw it off.

Looking good Mexi, I will give you a hand on Monday if you are going to be working on it.

Yeah, it's to the point where I just need to get everything ready to be pushed out/pulled in once the motor gets yanked. And I guess my sister has her last dance recital of the year tomorrow night, and mothers day is sunday so I won't be doing any wrenching then. So I see Monday being the day of reckoning. Hopefully I can get her fired up by Monday night. That would be teh beez neez.

I can probably help for a little bit on Monday, but I am going to have to run down to Montana Tire and get some new rubber for the Dragon. Just noticed that the rear tires are about ready to start showing steel belts.

turbotudor wrote:

my biggest hate experience was with the cam sensors. had to re pull the whole show to swap it around.

cam sensors are a bastrad had my pulln what little hair i have. syncn issuse are gay, but it ended up being the disc
stock 360/4 to aem 24/1

Engine out, engine in. Leaving town tomorrow morning but if all goes well I'll be driving the talon on monday night when I get back. Or Tuesday at the latest.