Re: 16v engine swap, was Hello List

[Maurice Slot <maurice@seisbase.com>]

Ken Buck wrote:

> I have read the last two days and would like to put in my $.02.  I
> have pulled motor/tranny combos from the top and from the bottom,
> both obviously work.  If you have a lift, then drop the drivetrain
> out the bottom, if you have an engine hoist, remove the hood and
> pluck it out the top.  Both work easily depending on the tools you
> have available.
I may just rent the hoist for the weekend. Dropping it from
below would work, but sounds like it'd be tricky getting
the car high enough to pull it out from underneath.
I'll be doing this in my home garage, so I don't have a lift.

> 
> The 16V engine swap is a 2-3 day project, but should be simple since
> you have two running cars to work with.  The major headache will be
> the wiring, and you have gotten the right advice.  Pull the 8V and
> all the wiring (this is the best time to degrease and repaint the
> engine compartment), then transfer the wiring harness from the16V to
> the 8V.
Do you pull the whole thing, from the ECU to the fuse box?
or just the ECU related harness, up to the firewall?
I guess I'm worried the connectors & such fitting through
the hole in the firewall.

> BTW, why are you doing this?  Personally I prefer the 8V,
> more low end torque, better gas milage, cheaper to maintain, cheaper
> to modify,  more durable, etc.  The 16V may look cool, but my 8V eats
> Mustang 5.0s and Corvettes on the autox course with my eyes closed.
Well, the 16v is in pretty sorry shape. The interior was flooded,
the dash is cracked in several places, and exterior paint looks
terrible, has dents in both fenders and driver's side door, has been
run into a ditch (dry) so the front bumper is raised at least an inch+
appropriate fender damage, etc.
The only good thing is that the engine is the 2.0l bubble block 16v
with 50k miles.
Low end torque should be pretty good. When it ran properly, the car
was a screamer. My younger brother, however, didn't heed my advice
about changing the timing belt, and generally treated the car like
crap (except for driving style, which was actually pretty blah)
The 85 8v has a pretty clean body.
A little rust here & there, but no rust-through or anything like that.
I live in Houston, so that's not really an issue here.
The interior is very nice, and everything actually works.
The engine has somewhere over 150k miles on it, and needs a new fuel
distributor. Also, the car has Koni's and Neuspeed (I think) springs.

The two cars are different colors (16v=black, 8v=white), so swapping
fenders & such is out. Also, I don't really want to spend the money
to fix both up, as I had originally intended. Besides, the spare
parts will be useful (alternator, starter, etc.)


I kind of like the idea of a 16v in 8v clothing...

Thanks to all for the replies and advice so far!

Maurice Slot
('85,86 S, '90 C)
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