Hi All

Just purchased a late 2004 RX8 which needs an engine rebuild.

I have read and seen vids of the various ways people have removed their engines but I wanting a few opinions regarding the two methods, the conventional way from the top or the Mazda way dropping from underneath.

What is the easiest way and least time consuming, I have all the gear to remove either way i.e. hoist, engine crane etc. great to know what majority do.

Thanks

BTW apologies if this has already been covered but did a search and didn't find anything specific.

 

Interesting not one person on this forum has removed an engine from an RX8….

Maybe its a problem when a newbie can't post in the correct thread…?? I'll just wait 12 months fingers crossed.

 

Sarcasm will get you a long way

Kinda a toss up really..there are pros and cons for both

After 4-5 I usually do top

 

Correct, not many new members have removed an engine (new member subforum after all), so people who have seen the thread likely haven't been able to provide any input. The people that would be able to give an opinion, or point you in the right direction, probably just missed the thread in the first place.

I'll move this thread to the tech subforum for you, since I can't answer it myself.

 

Top

 

Well I have only done top (10 or so) on the RX-8. If I had a proper post lift I would try that since I have seen how the dealer does it that way. But doing it thru the top is really easy. To me anyway. But I have a pneumatic engine hoist so that helps.

 

I like dropping everything out the bottom, but it takes a lift and other equipment that most people don't have. So the avg. non-professional is going to pull it out the top.

to add to this, pulling it out the top usually means they're on their back doing everything underneath, crawling in/out from under a bunch of times, etc.


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Top and I'd plan on 5-6 Hours your first time maybe longer. My third took me about 4.5 hours completely by myself.

 

Thanks RIWWP for moving the thread.

And thanks for the replies.... It seems like its a 50/50 so far I assume top is obviously the prefer as many wont have a car hoist, but interested if anyone has the option to do either which the preferred highlighting the pros and cons.

Hope I'm not being a pain but I think it would be a great resource.

 

without lift, it's hard (if it's even possible) to drop it from the bottom.

it's actually easier to do it from the bottom, but the reason above alone is enough to stop most people from doing so.

 

It wouldn't be that hard if you can get the car high enough so that the engine/subframe can drop and slide out from underneath it. It's getting the car up that high that's the issue. A jack & jackstands won't cut it. The avg. shop with a lift will drop it out though. We dropped the car down so that the subframe was just touching a large flat-top metal cart on casters, knocked the subframe fasteners nuts off with an impact gun, and lifted the chassis up clear of it. We could then roll the engine/subframe around as necessary and also reposition it properly on the install. The nice thing is we dropped it with the engine still on the motor mounts. Unbolting the engine mounts to lift off the engine with a hoist was infinitely easier than messing with them in the chassis.

 

Even with a lift I went out of the top, finding a pump cart that can go higher than 24" gets expensive. Pick it and be done with it, will save you and hour or two at most going out the bottom which is irrelevant unless you plan on doing a couple pulls a day

 

I removed the engine from the top, i found it very easy to remove i just followed the removal write up on here. Followed it to a tee and done it in 3 hours and i've never removed an engine before. I found the engine pretty easy to strip aswell. I've it out a week now and its away being ported. If you need any info i'd be happy to help

 

Well, it is easier to align and install if u have the equip to get it in/out from bottom, but most people don't so Mazda still give u hooks on the top so u can lift it out

 

No. You still have to lift it from the subframe once it's dropped out the bottom to swap out the old and in with the new. Just pulled one out the top this weekend. I would personally rather drop it out the bottom even though it means dropping the trans, PPF, and driveshaft if I had the choice, which is what the OP's question is. We'll see when I get there, probably next weekend, but I'm not looking forward to putting the replacement in from the top. I would definitely remove the exhaust manifold, UIM, and some other gear the next time around that isn't covered as such in RR's top-pull thread. On a side note, we didn't remove the hood and were able to get it out without incident.

besides, most of the people saying top have never actually done it out the bottom ...

 

Bottom by far... when swapping a reman in can have a auto out in 0.9HR and a manual in 1.0HR. Broken down to bare block, reassemblied, reinstalled in the vehicle in 8HRs including Zoom cleaning intake mani, A/C recharge, bleeding coolant, road test & alignment. Have done 50+ at this point though so I would expect 12-14 hrs to first timers doing everything listed, can avoid A/C recharge but I find it isnt worth the hassle, and the alignment is needed if dropping the subframe.

The only problem I have ever found is the steering shaft U-joint (2x 12mm bolts) gets seized and doesnt want to move up on rusty cars, so just spray it then brap it with the air hammer to loosen her up and she is good to go.

Lastly, word of advice... if taking the TPF off mark bolt locations, if off from original position it can cause vibrations

 

sometimes, I really wish I have a lift setup at home

ahhh ... nice and clean ...

 

I pulled top, and dropped trans and PPF. I would not like installing from the top with the trans still in the car, its much easier to install a trans to and engine then and engine on a trans.

As Team mentioned, I installed a short block (as close as it gets) then built the block while in the engine bay as it will also make it much easier. I did not go for fastest time I went for the least amount of effort.

 

I just pulled a Renesis engine & manual trans out the top bolted together yesterday. I think its easier to do it like this than just the engine. The weight of the trans created the perfect angle for the engine and it to come out the top past the chassis brace. It was a bit nerve wracking to have the whole thing high up in the air. All I could imagine is it falling on and crushing the front chassis structure, which would not be good I only dropped the PPF off the trans end and not the diff after pulling the CF driveshaft out.

I would still rather have a lift and necessary equipment to drop it out the bottom, but it can come out the top together up high on jackstands

 

nice one

 

most people aren't going to have the tools/cart/lift necessary to do it out the bottom.

 

most can't even change their oil without pooping in their pants, but neither has anything to do with the original purpose of this thread

 

Well a little belated in response to this thread I started, firstly thanks all for your advise and opinions.

I ended up removing the engine from the bottom as per mazda manual, quite a few things obviously have to come off (I'm use to working on Rx3's) but the process was easier than I thought.

I will post a couple of pointers/pics (shortly) for anyone else who is new to this car and needs to remove an engine. I realise that follow the manual is not always completely right as there are many parts which are not need to be removed on the initial removal. I will amend the manual and post it.

Mr.Mango mentioned a "last word of advise..if taking the TPF off mark bolt locations, if off from original position it can cause vibrations" unfortunately I didn't do any of this so if you could elaborate for me what the TPF is (possibly PPF Power Plant Frame) and how I would ensure I get it installed right now that I have not marked any of the bolts etc.

Thanks

 

i'm sure he means the power plant frame from the transmission to diff. usually i would just take some red paint and paint over the nuts before removing them from the transmission. the differential portion is self centering. the original witness marks from the nuts should get you back to where it came off of.

 

It took my girlfriends father and I about 10 hrs our first try ever. We did it through the top and only used one jack and a harbor freight metric socket set nothing more/less lol

Now I wish I could just get the damn thing running.

Reinstall went a lot smoother and took about 6 hrs