Removing engine from a Caldina GTT

[fivebob]

I'm doing the clutch and cambelt on my GTT and I figure the easiest way is to take the engine out to do it, but the question is which way.

Looking at it I think it going to be easier out the bottom. However I'm not sure if I can leave the just pull that axles, drop the driveshaft and pull the engine and gearbox out still attached to the crossmember, or if I need to remove everything first.

Anybody done it before?

[Prymal]

if its anything like the Gt4 celicas, out the bottom is the best way - they are a PRICK to get from out the top..


Your on the right track

[sergei]

Out of bottom if you have a good lift then drop it with struts still attached (undo the 3 bolts on top and various cables/lines and steering arms), might also need to undo sway bar from struts if on caldina sway bar is attached to body. If you do it whole thing (I believe this is how they put it together at factory), it would be very quick (just messing with cables and lines).

[cedwards]

Try searching author "cat007" think he did it a while back. had some issues getting the driveshafts back in...
What clutch are you gonna use?

[fivebob]

That has to be the biggest PITA of a job I've ever done, makes working on a SW20 look easy.

Think I'll invest in a hoist before I have to do it again...good excuse to get one anyway

Try searching author "cat007" think he did it a while back. had some issues getting the driveshafts back in...

I'm not planning on pulling the CVs apart so I won't have that issue.

What clutch are you gonna use?

Standard with an uprated pressure plate, it should last 100k till the next cambelt, at which stage the engine will be getting close to it's use by date (if it's still alive) and will have to come out for a recondition anyway

[cedwards]

uprated pressure plate? Is this sourced from toyota?

Any chance of a project thread??? Would be very appreciated!
Thanks

[tsoob]

seems like the hard way to do it.

drain gearbox oil, drop the axels out of the hubs, remove from the box. remove box from engine change clutch. put it back in.

remove cam belt etc replace waterpump cam belt and tensioners etc. put it back in

engine never needs to come out for those jobs.

[fivebob]

seems like the hard way to do it.

drain gearbox oil, drop the axels out of the hubs, remove from the box. remove box from engine change clutch. put it back in.

remove cam belt etc replace waterpump cam belt and tensioners etc. put it back in

engine never needs to come out for those jobs.

So how many GTT Caldinas have you done this to?

I only ask because I can't see any way of doing it the way you say, because it seems immpossible to separate the gearbox from the engine while it's still in the car.

[iOnic]

seems like the hard way to do it.

drain gearbox oil, drop the axels out of the hubs, remove from the box. remove box from engine change clutch. put it back in.

remove cam belt etc replace waterpump cam belt and tensioners etc. put it back in

engine never needs to come out for those jobs.

I take it you havn't spent too much time around a 3S then?

Cambelt job in car = ~8 hours on a good day
Clutch job in car = ~10 hours

Both of those are jobs you could do in 30mins if you have the engine outside the car and given that removing the entire engine is a 3hour job....makes sense to take it out and save yourself an epic mindfuck.

(Times are for the average home mechanic with basic tools ie socket sets/spanners/powerbars and no access to a hoist etc)

[sergei]

seems like the hard way to do it.

drain gearbox oil, drop the axels out of the hubs, remove from the box. remove box from engine change clutch. put it back in.

remove cam belt etc replace waterpump cam belt and tensioners etc. put it back in

engine never needs to come out for those jobs.

How many 4WD Celica/Caldinas you have done that way?
It is extremely difficult of not impossible to take out gearbox without unbolting transfer case/tail from it.

[cat007]

DO NOT try and do it with the engine in the car.

After 5 hours of painful huffing and puffing you'll end up pulling it out anyway as you realize its the only non-retarded way to do it

Engine out = WIN

Engine in = LOSE!

[tsoob]

my bad,

but remember I have a workshop AND tools.

just based on what I have seen come through but I have not done the job as such, caldinas don't look that tough to me but ill have another closer look next one that comes in.

[DeeCee]

BGB does explain how to remove the box with the engine in, but it is the long way around. As far as I know, dropping box + engine is easiest way to do it.

BTW, how do they do it on evos and other transverse mounted engine/4wd configurations if they don't drop it all out then? Go through removing the box with engine in car? eek..

[sergei]

BGB does explain how to remove the box with the engine in, but it is the long way around. As far as I know, dropping box + engine is easiest way to do it.

BTW, how do they do it on evos and other transverse mounted engine/4wd configurations if they don't drop it all out then? Go through removing the box with engine in car? eek..

I believe evo gearbox is slightly smaller than GT4/Caldina and engine is upright.

[DeeCee]

hrmm.. oh well, 3sgte requires the drop lol

[Akane]

Since he's doing both at the same time, it only makes sense to pull the engine out. Pity fivebob is too sensible to let things "get out of hand" and put some goodies in that engine.

Don't know about the gearbox but the cambelt can be done with the engine in the car, takes a good 4-6 hours on the SW20, it's the (lack of) gap between the engine and the strut tower that makes things difficult.

[fivebob]

Pity fivebob is too poor to let things "get out of hand" and put some goodies in that engine.

Corrected for truth

Actually I did think of putting a few things into it from my stash of goodies, but, seeing as the Caldina engine has a few weak points, I figured out it was best not to do anything to this engine as I don't want to rebuild the internals just yet. That and I can't be arsed modifying the HKS cams for the Caldina sync trigger and making up the plug and play loom for the MoTeC.

Don't know about the gearbox but the cambelt can be done with the engine in the car, takes a good 4-6 hours on the SW20, it's the (lack of) gap between the engine and the strut tower that makes things difficult.

In a SW20 it's easiest to do the clutch with the engine in the car, in fact it's also reasonably easy to do the cambelt too if you drop the gearbox first, then remove the engine mounts and pull then engine away from the firewall, saves all the messy bit's like disconnecting the water lines. Takes about as long as removing the engine though as it's not exactly open access to the belts.

[Malcolm]

caldinas don't look that tough to me but ill have another closer look next one that comes in.

Well they are. The fitment between the engine and gearbox with the transfer case is hard enough that some people struggle when the parts aren't in the car, and when they are in there is just no room to manoeuvre them. Separating the transfer case from the gearbox is hell on earth, but nothing compared to the fun of trying to put the gearbox back on to the engine and transfer case, aligning all 3 splined shafts that must engage to make it go on, and doing that before the gasket goo that goes between the gearbox and transfer case cures.

Engine out is way easier way to do a clutch on a 4wd 3sgte. With practice it's only around a 3-4 hour job to remove the engine (provided you don't have any fun seized or broken bolts). On a 2wd 3sgte it's not too hard to do the clutch with the engine in, biggest bitch is lifting the goddamn heavy gearbox up and onto the engine and getting the clutch to align with the gearbox, otherwise it's not too bad.