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TIGHT FIT!!! fitting the engine...HELP!!!
Krismc - 7/5/06 at 04:12 PM

Anyone else got a car engine in there vortx! Mines a very tight fit and one big problem......



...i linked the gear box, bellhousing, engine up with the clutch and what have ya, and tried to lower into place- after about a hour we figured this was impossible due to over all lenght being to big! even with the front of the car jacked up !

So i decided to still test fit the engine and gear box but seperate, First the gear box was in place as far in as i could put it...


AS you can see its squeezed right in there!!!



....

then i lowered (or tried) to lower the engine into place, as you can see with the flywheel touching the bellhousing, the altternator rubs the chassis, the pullys do and it just doesnt go!



what should i do??

[Edited on 7/5/06 by Krismc]


chockymonster - 7/5/06 at 04:19 PM

Apart from fit a bike engine?

Would you have any more room to fiddle about if you took the alternator off?


gary gsx - 7/5/06 at 04:21 PM

Agree with chocky take off the alternator and bracket, whats stoping box going back a tad more???


numnuts - 7/5/06 at 05:50 PM

Hi i have fitted zetec to mnr chassis i found that the alternator you have will not fit and you will need small denso type i fitted one from a toyota corolla. Have you also checked the steering shaft misses the oil filter as again mine did not and i had to fit a filter from MR2 as this again is narrower and should give clearance .


G.Man - 7/5/06 at 06:48 PM

Remove the alternator and bracket, remove the rear engine mount which isnt gonna be used...

May have to remove the front pulley as well to give you jiggling room...

Once they are removed the engine will fit back in the gearbox and you can replace the pulley, and then find a denso alternator which will fit...


Krismc - 7/5/06 at 08:22 PM

Well before i had a chance to come back on here i got it fitted together but with no clutch at least its in the hole, its still far to tight, the whole thing needs to go on a diet i recon!


quote:
Apart from fit a bike engine?

if only i had known this earlier about all the probs ive had i would off!

quote:
Agree with chocky take off the alternator and bracket, whats stoping box going back a tad more???



the box is jammed solid in the tunnel as far back as possible!

quote:
Hi i have fitted zetec to mnr chassis i found that the alternator you have will not fit and you will need small denso type i fitted one from a toyota corolla. Have you also checked the steering shaft misses the oil filter as again mine did not and i had to fit a filter from MR2 as this again is narrower and should give clearance .



sorry but after being ripped off and paying £120 for this one i think id rather make it fit i may try and relocate to the other side, i have had it they before! the alternator is not the main problem!

and yea thats just the old one, ive got a relocation kit to remote mount it!

cheers for you help, you have u2u!

quote:
Remove the alternator and bracket, remove the rear engine mount which isnt gonna be used...

May have to remove the front pulley as well to give you jiggling room...

Once they are removed the engine will fit back in the gearbox and you can replace the pulley, and then find a denso alternator which will fit...



cheers good idea but, removing them will not give me much room to locate the clutch as the crank pully is catching- i might as well rebuild the engine in the engine bay, and i can afford to change alternator now i will just live with the 2mm clearance ive got now its fitted!

just to get this hydrulic clutch fitted, i need the spacer machined down, but i dont know how im supposed to measure and find out how much!

[Edited on 7/5/06 by Krismc]


Agriv8 - 7/5/06 at 08:30 PM

Tight fit Nah try getting a v8 in there.

I am running a small jap unit from a honda

.

Regards

Agriv8


Krismc - 7/5/06 at 09:30 PM

ha ha


jamesg20 - 9/5/06 at 07:51 PM

kris,
you are going to need more than 2mm clearance even on the most solid of mounted engines as they do move around a bit under load... as does the gearbox i'm afraid.. if it's banging / wedged in you're asking for problems.
Sorry to be pesimistic... unfortunately i'm speaking from experience


marc n - 10/5/06 at 07:11 AM

looks like im making a trip oop north sometime , engine needs to be lower in chassis and sump modded not other way round otherwise you have the weight distribution of a dumper truck !!!!
will have a look to see if i tiook some pics of when it was all mounted up to help and try and sort out an evening to come up to help you ( probably cost me some diy at home mind )


chockymonster - 10/5/06 at 11:25 AM

quote:
Originally posted by marc n
looks like im making a trip oop north sometime , engine needs to be lower in chassis and sump modded not other way round otherwise you have the weight distribution of a dumper truck !!!!
will have a look to see if i tiook some pics of when it was all mounted up to help and try and sort out an evening to come up to help you ( probably cost me some diy at home mind )


You sound so disappointed about that idea!
I'm sure Mrs MNR will be overjoyed too


Krismc - 10/5/06 at 06:41 PM

quote:
kris,
you are going to need more than 2mm clearance even on the most solid of mounted engines as they do move around a bit under load... as does the gearbox i'm afraid.. if it's banging / wedged in you're asking for problems.
Sorry to be pesimistic... unfortunately i'm speaking from experience


Oh right, so i might be better of removing the aluminium tunnel panels and putting them on the other side then? be ok in passenger side but will be very awkward in the drivers footwell, its already very tight!! yea the alternator and the gear box would bang about as they are!

And it may be a simple fix, im just not experienced at this sort of thing, marcs had it fitted so it must go in!!!


quote:

looks like im making a trip oop north sometime , engine needs to be lower in chassis and sump modded not other way round otherwise you have the weight distribution of a dumper truck !!!!
will have a look to see if i tiook some pics of when it was all mounted up to help and try and sort out an evening to come up to help you ( probably cost me some diy at home mind )


ha ha i owe my lass a lot of DIY!, And yea with the original mounts it sat nice and low! and now its a little high??

I wish i could get the car down to you, for you to have a quick look at! pitty your not just round the corner!

[Edited on 10/5/06 by Krismc]

[Edited on 10/5/06 by Krismc]


RogerL - 11/5/06 at 04:57 AM

I am building Zetec powered RT+, so am interested in your problem.
Do you think some of the frame members could
be modified to make more room for the engine?
Could the transmission tunnel area be modified so that the transmission could be moved further to the rear.
Always better to have the engine further back
to the rear.

Hope Marc has some good ideas.


Krismc - 11/5/06 at 04:26 PM

there is definatly room to move it back if i remove the ali panels, but i need advice before doing this!

And im sure marc will come up with a idea or 2


marc n - 11/5/06 at 07:14 PM

chris going to come up on tuesday night if thats ok, should be with you at 5 / 5-30pm and we will remount it at its original height plus adding the rubber strip for anti vibration, then whilst im there i will take mesurements for the sump mods inc pickup pipe

best regards

marc

was going to do your throttle body manifold this eve but i have broken the tube bender and wont be up and running again till tomorrow late afternoon

[Edited on 11/5/06 by marc n]


Krismc - 12/5/06 at 04:29 PM



that would be brilliant but only if you are sure, I hate to put you out! ive been asking around all day to see if i can get a trailer and car to borrow as well!

.....another reason i bought a MNR- brilliant customer service!

Hope you get the mandral working again, you will be lost without it!!!

[Edited on 12/5/06 by Krismc]

[Edited on 12/5/06 by Krismc]


marc n - 12/5/06 at 04:41 PM

no worries at all mate, all part of the service, want as many cars on the road asap for our group thrashes , may even get my own done

tube bender now sorted, wiring problem so alls good and rosey


marc n - 12/5/06 at 04:41 PM

havent told the engineer that who drove 7 1/2 hours to fix it though

great customer service from multiform


Krismc - 12/5/06 at 05:31 PM

oh well at least its sorted!


roadboy - 14/5/06 at 08:48 AM

Hi ,
I have a nearly complete VortX with a Zetec fitted, I have a garage in Blaydon if you want to come to view the fitment. I will happily give any advise & help I can.
We will be at work today from 10.30 till around 3. You can call on 0191 4147900 or 07721 578208.
Cheers
Ian


Krismc - 21/5/06 at 10:33 AM

well ive removed all the obstructions as pointed out by marc and iain!!!!

theroretically it will fit into the space now but .........

..


....




and from the other side




Krismc - 21/5/06 at 11:39 AM

you may think the sump is in the way, so ive removed it and give it another go, its a little further into the engine bay but no luck still!!!

But even if it did go with the sump removed that would be stupid, because i would have to drain oil and remove sump just to change clutch for example

here is pics with sump removed...




smart51 - 21/5/06 at 12:28 PM

how difficult would it be to unbold the gear box, rest it in the right place, put the engine in and then bolt to two together.

maybe not easy but perhaps not as hard as putting them in together.


Krismc - 21/5/06 at 12:31 PM

tried that ...they isnt enough room to lower the engine past the bellhousing!!

.......

tried for the second time with the tunnel removed

Well it ended up being a 2 man job, scottc was in the area and willing to lend a hand- so we split the engine and fitted gear box first then engine-- it was very tight and took a lot off forcing past chassis rails to squeeze in, with a mm spare!!

here are a few pictures and i still need conformation that this will be ok fitted like this!!

1) the gear box shaft comes out over 1inch higher than where the height the diff flange is at (so prop will be on a angle)

2) the gear box mount is right on the edge, will this be ok??

3) the alternator is only a few mm from the rail!

4) and how do i know the engine is level in all axis and shafts are pointing perfect???

5) Gear stick side of box is very near the rails, will this rubbing cause damage??

gear box mount


driver side mount


passenger side mount


alternator clearance


gear stick clearance





[Edited on 21/5/06 by Krismc]

[Edited on 21/5/06 by Krismc]


marc n - 23/5/06 at 07:43 AM

so is it in ????

think gearbox mount may be a tad too tall, could make you a lowering brkt, also machined you clutch adapter yesterday, but the manifold plate has not arrived yet

best regards

marc


G.Man - 23/5/06 at 07:55 AM

quote:
Originally posted by Krismc
tried that ...they isnt enough room to lower the engine past the bellhousing!!

.......

tried for the second time with the tunnel removed

Well it ended up being a 2 man job, scottc was in the area and willing to lend a hand- so we split the engine and fitted gear box first then engine-- it was very tight and took a lot off forcing past chassis rails to squeeze in, with a mm spare!!

here are a few pictures and i still need conformation that this will be ok fitted like this!!

1) the gear box shaft comes out over 1inch higher than where the height the diff flange is at (so prop will be on a angle)

2) the gear box mount is right on the edge, will this be ok??

3) the alternator is only a few mm from the rail!

4) and how do i know the engine is level in all axis and shafts are pointing perfect???

5) Gear stick side of box is very near the rails, will this rubbing cause damage??




1. as long as the faces are parallel, no problem

2. may need to make a plate

3. we have told you that you need a smaller alternator a few times...

4. measure it, a few mm tolerance should be okay...

5. maybe... if its the "hoops" a small squash on the inside wont hurt to badly, but dont crush it...


Krismc - 23/5/06 at 04:14 PM

quote:

so is it in ????

think gearbox mount may be a tad too tall, could make you a lowering brkt, also machined you clutch adapter yesterday, but the manifold plate has not arrived yet

best regards

marc
quote:


yea its in but its bloody tight i struggled to lift it out last night, after i had drilled my holes, i though it was stuck- i was lifting the car by the engine at one point until somthing giveup...ha ha oh well at least i can get it in!

And bracket for gear box mount sounds good i only need 10 mm lower to give me sensible clearance... any thing else is a bonus


And thing is i dont know how the hell ill get the propshaft in!!!! as i need to push the gear box back one inch to get the engine in.... so i cant fit it before... and if i fit it last will it drop through the tunnel??