I went to the local NAPA and priced a crank kit for this car. We both knew it would be too expensive and it was. Over $300! I went to the local machine shop and they can get the crank, rod bearings and main bearings for $160 with about a 3 day turn around time. I'm okay with that.

Time to clean out the garage since it's been raining here in the northwest for about a month now and I don't see it letting up any time soon.

 

Well I finally found some time to work on the Neon today. I've been following the Haynes manual I bought and have been taking lots of pics in the process. It's all going along pretty well but I'm starting to wonder about the wiring harness. According to the manual, I just unhook it and make sure I mark everything so I know where it all goes. After unhooking the harness from the injectors, the TPS, and the starter, I'm beginning to wonder if it wouldn't have been easier for me to unhook the other end. On my 91 Protege, it goes through the firewall so what I'm doing is probably right. It's going to suck putting it back in though.

In order to get the TPS plug off the back of the TB, I took out the two bolts and just pulled the TB off entirely. I was a bit surprised to find a lot of black in the intake manifold. I've seen this before on other cars but not on one that was supposed to be so new (71K). I'm again left wondering if this guy was lying to me about the millage.

Does anyone want me to post up a whole bunch of mundane pics and take up a lot of band width, or should I just stick to pertinent stuff?

 

when talking about mileage, proably not there is a lot of exhaust that gets recycled into the intake system.

 

yeah the EGR adds alot of grime.

pics are good.

 

I finally got time to work on the car today.

I drained the tranny fluid and got the axles out. I finished with the rest of the wiring harness (I hope), and unhooked the exhaust and shifter. I think that all I have left to do now is at the front of the engine.

The manual says I'm supposed to drain the air conditioning system, (not sure why if I'm not taking the pump out) unfasten the compressor from the engine as well as the power steering pump, then I'm ready to pull the engine. I think I'm just supposed to pull them off to the side so I'll see how that goes. In the mean time, I'm going to go take another look and see if I can't figure out how to get the power steering pump off. It seems hard to do for some reason. I think I'm missing something.

The manual also say I'm supposed to use the brackets provided to life the engine. The only brackets with holes I see are the ones on the fuel rail and they don't look that sturdy.

 

Bump for anyone that has used those fuel rail brackets to lift the engine and tranny. I'm sure it would work but the consequences of it not working would suck.

 

DONT. DO NOT. NOT GOOD. (at least in my case)

That was the first place we attempted to hoist from, and it pulled the threads right out. I dont know why, because In the back I used the bolt holes for the stock airbox and they didnt pull out.

Heres What I do when I have to pull the engine:

Back two hooks on my engine leveler go into the bolt holes for the stock airbox mount.

Front, (hehheh) I run a chain behind the intake runners, and attach it to the leveler with two masterlocks. (4engine pulls and still not a single problem.)

 

Thanks, I will now grant you three wishes.

No, really, thanks.

 

yeah. maybe someone will come and tell you it was fine, but I dropped my just purchased motor about a foot and a half onto the bed of my truck as i was trying to take it off (was about 4 months ago) So i just decided to run a chain under the intake runners and attach it to my leveler.

 

The car has been sitting in my garage since last October and I'm very tired of having it taking up space that my project car could be having.

I've got the engine just about out. There are a couple of bolts holding the accessory pumps in that seem to have me stopped. I've got a vacation coming up in about a week and I'm going to either have it fixed or pushed out to the garbage bin.

The garbage bin is not an option so I guess I had better fix it. Crap I didn't think I was going to be such a flake about this project.