Removing and Re-Installing the MX5 Engine [Archive] (2024)

IND

31st January 2017, 18:45

This is straight from the WSM, I even formatted it the same way :)

Warning Fuel is very flammable liquid. If fuel spills or leaks from the pressurized fuel system, it will cause serious injury or death and facility breakage. Fuel can also irritate skin and eyes. To prevent this, always complete the "Fuel Line Safety Procedure", while referring to the "BEFORE SERVICE PRECAUTION". See: Powertrain Management\Fuel Delivery and Air Induction\Service Precautions\Before Service Precaution

Note: Remove the engine, transmission, and crossmember component as a single unit from under the vehicle.

1. Perform "Fuel Line Safety Procedures". Leave the fuel pump relay removed. See: Powertrain Management\Fuel Delivery and Air Induction\Service Precautions\Before Service Precaution

2. Drain the engine coolant.
3. Remove the following parts:

The front wheel and tires.
The plug hole plate.
The battery cover, battery, battery box, battery tray and battery duct.
The air cleaner.
The throttle body.
The PCM, PCM duct and air cleaner insulator.
The coolant reserve tank.
The console.

4. Disconnect the P/S oil pump hoses and drain the P/S fluid reservoir.
5. Remove the splash shield, under cover and mud guards.
6. Remove the generator duct.
7. Drain the transmission oil (MT) or ATF (AT).
8. Disconnect the brake vacuum hose,
9. Disconnect the quick release connector from the dynamic chamber.
10. Disconnect the quick release connector from the fuel distributor.
11. Remove the drive belt.
12. Remove the A/C compressor with the pipes connected and secure the A/C compressor using wire or rope so that it is out of the way.
13. Disconnect the water hose and heater hose.
14. Secure the caliper (front) using wire or rope so that it is out of the way.
15. Disconnect the wiring harness.
16. Disconnect front ABS wheel-speed sensor connector.
17. Remove the radiator.
18. AT

Disconnect the manual shaft lever component.

18. MT

Remove the clutch release cylinder with the pipes connected and secure the clutch release cylinder using wire or rope so that it is out of the way.
Remove the shift lever knob.

19)Remove the engine, transmission, and crossmember component using an engine lifter in the order indicated in the table below the first image.

Warning: Remove the engine, transmission and crossmember carefully, holding it steady. If the transmission falls it could be damaged or cause injury.

http://i46.photobucket.com/albums/f104/ind10/143053863_zps8eci0e83.gif
http://i46.photobucket.com/albums/f104/ind10/143053864_zpsezesmttn.gif

20. Remove the engine and transmission from the crossmember component lifter in the order indicated in the table by suspending them with a crane.

http://i46.photobucket.com/albums/f104/ind10/143053865_zpsrt0oa3sr.gif

21. Install in the reverse order of removal.

fastredrat

1st February 2017, 07:35

Ind,
Thanks for posting WSM description.

This is a great thread to discuss the tips and tricks that are not mention in detail in the WSM that DIYers have learned.

The radiator does not have to be removed in order to remove the engine. A radiator swap is muuuuch easier to do with the engine removed.

Silverstreak

1st February 2017, 08:29

Thanks IND.

I've looked over this several times, and don't see anything about disconnecting the steering shaft/column. Did I miss it, or did they leave that out?

Also, is the "plug hole plate" the cover which hides the oil drain plug?

Any tips on what has to be removed vs. what the workshop manual tells you to remove would be appreciated.

IND

1st February 2017, 09:35

Thanks IND.

I've looked over this several times, and don't see anything about disconnecting the steering shaft/column. Did I miss it, or did they leave that out?

At step 19 you have to refer to the picture and the chart below it with 8 further "steps". The steering shaft ("intermediate shaft" in Mazda parlance) is identified in the chart as step 7 and can be seen at the far left and middle of the image.

Also, is the "plug hole plate" the cover which hides the oil drain plug?

Yes it is.

Any tips on what has to be removed vs. what the workshop manual tells you to remove would be appreciated.

Like fastredrat, I did not remove the radiator until the engine was out.
I did remove the hood, the wiper assembly and the center cowl before I did anything, I think it makes the job easier.
I was working on stands so only able to raise the car 20" or so, to get the engine out I removed the drivers front spring/shock and rolled everything out the wheel well arch.
Not everyone has an engine cart that raises and lowers like the one in the picture so a viable alternative is an engine crane, or a gantry like the one fastredrat built to simply lower and raise from above.

jpjammin72

1st February 2017, 15:58

Thanks IND.
Also, is the "plug hole plate" the cover which hides the oil drain plug?

Actually it is strangely worded, but it is the plastic engine cover that snaps over the spark plugs.
Jim

IND

1st February 2017, 16:37

Actually it is strangely worded, but it is the plastic engine cover that snaps over the spark plugs.
Jim

So it is :) I did not know that.

That should already be removed and sitting on a shelf somewhere though!

Moto-Mike

1st February 2017, 17:27

arildhof

3rd February 2017, 16:18

dynotronics1

3rd February 2017, 16:59

Is it possible to hoist the engine in and out with the FMSC attached ?

yes, if you come out the bottom. This is the way we do it to install the SC systems

arildhof

13th August 2018, 08:03

Just installed a new engine and decided to try to lower it from the bottom using stands and a regular engine "elephant" hoist.
I found it to be a lot more involving than doing it from the top.

It was mainly the added work with:
- brakes, suspension, steering rac, ps, subframe (obviously), radiator and ps cooler in the front.

On a lift I guess it would be different. Since the sub frame ended up on top of the engine hoist legs I had to remove it from the engine separately in two steps. Nghhh...
Engine went back into the car from the top fully dressed.

dynotronics1

13th August 2018, 09:11

Lawcore

13th August 2018, 10:20

I'd be interested is someone made a unbolt-able cross member section where the ECU/BATT/PS sits on.

would make engine out the top very easy I'd say.

dave65

13th August 2018, 19:32

I'd be interested is someone made a unbolt-able cross member section where the ECU/BATT/PS sits on.

would make engine out the top very easy I'd say.

i was thinking of this the other day, i wonder if the cross member spot welds could be drilled out and use bolts to refit, there would be loads of room then to pull it out the top.

Cmwilson13

13th August 2018, 21:55

I think if you don't have a lift, out the top is the easy way.

haveing pulled the engine 5 time now i have my own methods.

no lift but i come out the bottom. drop the front subframe with ppf still on and lift front of car off the engine then unbolt tranny and pull front sub frame out.

have swapped the engine starting Friday night and finished Saturday abut 5 pm.

out the bottom is SOOOOOOO much easier

gatorac

21st August 2018, 07:26

Doing my swap right now and I notice some welding on the crossmember (where the battery sits). I look a bit closer and see someone cut the crossmember out presumably to facilitate easier removal out the top on a previous motor replacement. They also left out 4 of the difficult to reach transmission bolts....

I dropped mine from the bottom. I have a 4 post lift so it made sense.

arildhof

21st August 2018, 08:18

Archie

22nd August 2018, 08:42

I've had my engine out and back in from the top without too much trouble.

Accessing the EGR and temp sender unit are PITA but doable with small hands.
EGR to Dynamic Chamber is real sod I sacrificed a 22mm ring spanner by chopping out a section of the ring ~10mm to make the job easier as it now slips over the pipe same as a brake bleeding nipple spanner does. Albeit you can only turn about 1/4" at a time.

Starter motor can be very difficult to access from the top until you pull the DC and all the damn pipework. Which makes what should be a simple task another area where the engineers should be dragged onto the shop floor and made to take it all apart to see for themselves how difficult they have made it. Perhaps deliberately though as that is how they get you through the door rather than doing it yourself.

Their method of dropping the engine is crazy and whilst removal out of the top is a chore I can't imaging dropping the whole subframe with engine is any easier and very time consuming.

I had my sone to help with removal but did the install unassisted although I did buy and engine crane which I feel recovered the cost already.

A removable crossmember for the battery etc. would be a great mod and realistically would not be too difficult to fabricate.

HTH

grantak

28th August 2018, 07:00

Back to the steering column...

There are no really clear instructions in the wsm about how to get the joint disconnected from the steering rack. Doesnt appear to have the option to push the intermediate shaft back like Ive seen on other steering columns. Will it disconnect fine with leaving the steering column as it is, or do you have to go through the trouble of removing the nuts that hold the steering column to the car and push the whole thing back.

thanks!

dynotronics1

28th August 2018, 07:42

Back to the steering column...

There are no really clear instructions in the wsm about how to get the joint disconnected from the steering rack. Doesnt appear to have the option to push the intermediate shaft back like Ive seen on other steering columns. Will it disconnect fine with leaving the steering column as it is, or do you have to go through the trouble of removing the nuts that hold the steering column to the car and push the whole thing back.

thanks!

no need to mess with the column, simply remover the safety bolts from the lower joint, mark the position, then start to lower the powerplant assembly. The joint will slip off the rack at this point. Once you have lowered the assembly about 1-2 inches, you can remove the joint from the top half of the shaft by tapping down with a brass hammer. The rest of the shaft will clear as you lower the engine assembly.

Be careful re installing, and a little dab of anti seize on the splines will help

grantak

28th August 2018, 18:47

hhammerly

8th September 2018, 01:38

grantak

11th September 2018, 20:21

-I pulled the motor out today and have a few comments from my experience today:
-Disconnected the transmission and engine harness from the chasy and left them with the engine and trans.
-i had to un-bolt the power steering pump and throttle body to clear the AC compressor
-once everithing was disconnected i lowered the front of the car using an engine hoist close to a low dolley and put some 2x2 to get the subframe and trans level then lowered the rest of the way and unbolted the previously loosened bolts
-i did not take out the lower rad supports from the subframe but i would do it in the future
- i then raised the front of the car past where i could clear the motor and supported the car with tall jackstands on the frame raild (used 1/4” plywood strips to prevent slipping and denting the frame rails)
Pulled the subframe and engine out from under the car and srarted swaping parts on tho the 2.5l
http://i1084.photobucket.com/albums/j420/HHammerly/Kart/39210783-A7B6-4CFE-A61C-F0B90AE05B24.jpg
http://i1084.photobucket.com/albums/j420/HHammerly/Kart/6B50CB56-1D94-4D1E-8CC6-EC30A3B0D9BE.jpg
http://i1084.photobucket.com/albums/j420/HHammerly/Kart/28F288F6-A9FB-4E30-9B25-A78F030F7D6C.jpg

I was just looking at my girl today and also figured the steering pump would need to come off to clear the ac compressor. Thanks for clarifying that. Also, I was going to rig up some fancy system using wooden platforms and jack stands (have a scissor lift but the transmission won't clear the cross members of it) but I think you've inspired me to use your method of lifting the car off the k-frame.

One questions for ya...which side did you slide the assembly out of after the car was up? I've seen people suggesting the driver's side because there appears to be a little more clearance there, but I can't see it being an issue with your method.

Thanks!

hhammerly

12th September 2018, 22:09