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MG MGA - Engine Replacement - Which Way?

Hi All,

When I took my engine and gearbox out I did them both together and had a bit ot a time getting it out. I had the car lifted and the gearbox tower off of course but I still ended up having to take the timing chain cover off.

I was wondering if it would be easier to put the gearbox in place first which I could basically do by hand then lower the engine in place.

What have any of you done that worked well and easy. One added problem is that I have no help but I do have a good hoist on wheels.

Thank you.

Roy.
R. Maher

R.

I've done it both ways and they are both a pain in different ways.

When doing both together, I usually just take the pulley off and bend the timing marker back a bit to get it to clear the rad shelf and steering rack. Then there is the tail of the tranny, it really helps to have someone working a floor jack while you wiggle the engiine on the hoist until you get things lined up.

When doing seperately, I still remove the front pulley, ensure the driven disk is aligned with the proper tool. Since you have the tranny out, I've found it helps to do a "dry run" out of the car to make sure the slines on the input shaft are in line with the disk. Put the tranny in gear to prevent some of the movement of the input shaft. You'll have to jack up the front of the car as much as possible, jack up the front of the tranny, and then working slowly and very patiently align the engine with the tranny. It also helps to have the rear wheels of the ground a bit so you can turn the propshaft back and forth to aid in alignment. Once things are aligned it should all slip together with out too much effort. Bolt up the engine and tranny, the rest is easy.


j
JohnB

Roy, I always install the gearbox first, and put a scissor jack under the bellhousing to raise it as far as it will go against the tunnel at the front.

You can then lower the engine until the input shaft enters the clutch, eyeball the engine plate and bellhousing edge and adjust until they are parallel in both planes and with a bit of luck it wilol then slide right in (as long as you installed the clutch disc using an old input shaft or similar as a centring device)

While it does help to have an extra pair of eyes telling you which way you need to go to get parallel while you pull and push (often best done at the front of the engine) and run around and adjust the scissor jack, it can be done by one person (I've done it - far too many times - I think 7 in one race season was my record....)
Bill Spohn

Looks like installing the gearbox first might be the best bet. I really had a hard time missing the bonnet latch plate with them both together. I'm a little worried that doing them seperately might be a juggling match but as you did nit 7 times Bill, I'm game for the challenge!

If I get it done on the weekend I will let you know how it went... Mind you, with England playing it might not get done on Saturday!

Roy.
R. Maher

Gbx first, then jack up the front of the gbx as far as it will go.

Then engine in, use a big wrench on the dognut to turn over and get the spines to line up. A big crowbar applied between the chassis and the engine mounts encourages it to slide backwards. Usually takes about 20 minutes work after the gearbox is in (I too have had practice!)
dominic clancy

Engine Replacement - Which Way?
the pully towards the front!
sorry
Not very serious

I guess I was asking for that last reply!
R. Maher

Hi Roy. I have done my MGA 1500 power unit both ways, and have found it much easier with the engine and tranny bolted together and lowered in as a unit. I have found it very difficult to mate the engine to the tranny, when the tranny is already in the car. Angles, and heights must be spot on, or the engine /tranny will not mate! Both ways ARE a pain, but I think the engine and tranny together is easier myself. At any rate, have lots of fun. I just spent the last 2 days putting in all new copper nickel brake lines, brake hoses and rebuilt calipers. After that, an engine replacement seems kinda minor.........Cheers, Glenn
Glenn

I don't know Glenn, You spend all winter writing poems because you cannot drive the car in the Canadian winter, then along comes the peak of summer when you should be driving and you pull the car apart!

My vote goes with Dominic on this one. That's the way I've always done it - about 8 or 9 times now. Never had any problems mating the two together. Works okay with the Ford Type 9 box as well.

Steve
Steve Gyles

I also have to vote for separately. I haven't done it as much as some of the others, but have done it alone about 4 times, and never had a problem mating them in the car. Just jack up the front of the gearbox as high as it will go. A tilting mechanism on the lift might help, but I just connect the lift chain a little forward of center so the engine hangs at about the right angle.

Jeff Schultz

I have done it both ways on my 1962 MK-II. It is much easier to put the tranny in first, and then the engine can be installed complete with front pulley. I prefit the tranny to the engine just to make shure all will fit when it goes into the car. Then I install the tranny and put a wood block between the frame crossmember and the bellhousing to tilt the tranny up as high as it will go. It may be easier to fit the complete engine and tranny as a unit on earlier cars that don't have a flange on the back of the tranny. However, I have not done one of those so I have no first hand knowledge.
Ed Bell

This thread was discussed between 30/06/2006 and 01/07/2006

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