e500slr

Hi guys

I'm going to be transplanting the engine from one W212 to another. One is a salvage, non-repairable and the other has engine issues but other than that there's nothing wrong with it.

I want to get you guys' input on something things.

The first thing is, should I take the engine out WITH the gearbox attached?

I will be putting both cars up on jack stands and I have an engine lift/crane and tools. Do you guys think the engine with the gearbox will be able to tilt down and out of the hood opening (hood will be removed) or is it simply too tight.

I contemplated removing the gearbox but it seems too difficult. I don't know how the MCT bolts on the engine, I don't know how to put it back on without damaging it, I don't think I'll be able to position it and line it up when trying to put it back.

On the car that is receiving the good engine, I don't want to remove the radiator support, radiator, condenser...basically that whole front assembly. Do you think the engine and gearbox would come out easier if I do in fact take the front of the car off?

It's a tight squeeze, there's the massive engine with a long *** gearbox attached, the body and the subframe in the way. I really don't want to start before getting some input and opinions on this.

One other thing, does anyone know if there's a procedure to taking off the driveshaft and putting it back on again without damaging it or the dampener etc. Torque specs and what not or if the bolts are one time use. What about the engine mount bolts?

I have the WIS documents on engine replacement, they help but aren't the be all and end all.

Any help would be appreciated and I will post some photos of the process when I do it

MACEDON

I am absolutely positive the engine must come out on its own.

Yuille36

It is much easier to remove the engine and trans separately, also the same for install, as you risk damaging the fire wall and pinching and snagging electrical and plumbing lines.

new55

cut the cross members and bracing out where the radiator is from he donor car and pull eng/trans together and make it easier...

Celicasaur

...but then what about when he has to re-fit them both to the good car?


if you're gonna take them both out together, you're going to need to tilt the assembly downwards quite a lot which will make it scary when hoisting out....for putting back in, you can always land the transmission nose onto a jack as support and then roll the jack and crane forward when positioning them back and using the jack to pinch the tranny up to it's mounts. However you do it though....it's not going to be a job for the feint-hearted. I wouldn't want to do it and I've done loads of difficult tasks on cars down the years.

MACEDON

If a major component has to come off my car I'm walking to the bank to get some savings out. No way I'm doing that on my own lol

sunil517

where both motor/trans come out the front and slide in....

e500slr

Well, the radiator support can come out but I'm not sure if the engine/gearbox would just slide out as the subframe is in the way but it would certainly make it alot easier.

I think the extreme degree of tilt needed would make it impossible. I'm sure I'd crack the windshield.

I would drop the front subframe except I'm not confident I can put it back right. The subframe bolts would need to be replaced and torqued properly too as they're stretch-to-yield.

Taking off the gearbox would make it a piece of cake but then putting the gearbox back on would be a pain in the motherloving ****.

I think I'm going to experiment with the radiator support removal on the donor car as it's not going back together anyway and see how easy it is. If it goes smoothly, I'll have no choice but to do the same on the receiving car and will just have to put everything back together I suppose. Lots of damn labor but at least I won't have to pay for it, a good weekend should do it if it's 2 full days, morning till night. If I was to pay for that labor it would hit the 4 figures easily.

e500slr

Hey guys, just an update. I'm gonna be attempting to do this in the next few days. One question I have is, can I leave the radiator/coolers on the engine and lift them together or would the hoses and pipes not support the weight of the coolers. The one thing that's gonna be a pain in the backside is actually disconnecting and reconnecting the hoses, especially the ones with that weird screwless clamp. I'm anxious that I'll put everything back and one day one of the pipes will pop out and leak the coolant or whatever. It's honestly the biggest thing worrying me because taking out the radiator support, bumper etc is a piece of cake for me even to put back and the engine is not really rocket science but I hate the cooling system because everything is so tight and there's no space to reach with your arms etc etc.

Ludedude

Not for nothing, but I think you're in over your head.

Yes, all the hoses must come off, coolers and radiator etc must all be removed. Fluids drained etc.

e500slr

Here are some pics of what I'm dealing with. Is there a way I can keep the coolers on so I don't have to drain the fluids?