Eliaquim

Hello!

I decided to go for one of my life's biggest adventures: overhaul my RX330 engine (with my mechanic friend's help).

I have the repair manual and it shows that the engine has to come out together with the transmission. I wonder: is thre a way to remove the engine and leave the transmission in the car? It's AWD. Has anyone done or seen it done?

I ask this because my car is rasty and would like to mess with as little bolts and nuts as possible.

I think it was done in the image on this link, but how? I see the most dificult will be to reach all the 8 bolts linking the engine to the transmission. What is the risk of damaging something on the engine or transmission in the engine tilts when removing?

http://us.lexusownersclub.com/forums...1233794912.jpg

If not possible, what about removing the engine from the top in order not to mess with all the mountings?

Please advice.

fastnoypi

This is one guys method, maybe it will give you ideas. Its an rx300 but should apply to rx330 the same https://www.clublexus.com/forums/rx-...gine-swap.html

Eliaquim

Thank you, fastnoypi! Tha was really informative. I wonder why my searching missed that. Now, I am trying to do the following.

Remove the cylinder heads, then separate the block from the tranny, then pull the engine from the top. Do you thing it is doable and safe? I don't care if it is harder. This way I will avoid messing with too many bolts and nuts, as they are rusty. I already have 1 broken bolt from te condenser adjuster.

I am having a very difficult time removing the wiper arms and the 2 bolts behind the surge tank. Any ideas with the wiper blades? I am going to try Penetrol on monday. Nuts from catalytic converters, exhaust pipes and some frame mountings are also rusty.

fastnoypi

Check out my DIY wiper and cowl removal link in the RX300 DIY stickys thread. It should be the same or pretty close to the RX330. I'm not familiar with the engine differences other than the displacement but i know the layout is virtually identical. I think you should be able to remove the engine in one piece without separating the heads. You may need to remove the intake manifold off for additional clearance and mounting for hoist chains.

I saw a thread on another forum, that they detach all ancillary electronics between the chassis harness and the engine harness and transmission. Mount the hoist chains. Remove the front subframe crossmember. Unbolt the tranny, drop the tranny. then lift the engine out. Those were the rough steps involved from what i recall.


Best of luck, and try to document if you can find a methodical way. I havent found great documentation on the web at all.

RXGS

iTrader: (2)

If you don't mind me asking, why are you removing the engine? Did the timing belt snap or something?

Eliaquim

Thank you again! I borrowed a tool and removed the wiper arms in a snap. The rest was just following the repair manual.

Please clarify: do you think it is possible to leave the transmission and remove the engine alone without removing the heads? Without removing the crossmember? Without dropping the tranny? That is what I'm trying to do.

I will try to document as much as I can. I just disconnected all the hoses and connectors. Now fighting with some rusty stubborn nuts in catalytic converters and exhaust pipe.

Eliaquim

It goes like this: bad oil (they told me castrol was not a good oil in Angola. I disaggreed. Turned out it was not the same Castrol used in the USA or Europe) -> long trip with that bad oil -> low oil pressure light -> bad first attempt at repairing by a mechanics shop (they just swapped bearings from below, without at least ressurface the crankshaft) -> engine noise again -> next shop tells me to buy a crankshaft and at least 2 rods based just on the noise they hear, without openning or testing the engine (hard because I have to import with many restriction in my contry right now. What if it is not what I need?) -> So I say: I'll do it.

I'm not a mechanic, more of a self taught computer guy, but I'm curious, methodic, can learn pretty easily and have the repair manual and some mechanic friends. And I am no more in a hurry. I'm using another car and can take the necessary time to do it step by step.

fastnoypi

I think you can remove the engine without removing the heads. Regarding the transmission, it might be possible to leave the transmission in while supported by a jack, if you can slide the engine towards the passenger side to get off the dowel pins. I haven't attempted this but it's how I can imagine pulling a transverse engine like these.

NateJG

Hi, Eliaquim!

I actually went looking for your original thread a few weeks ago to see how you did with the first attempts (could not find it); so it's good to read that you're trying to fix/save your car.

Like the others here, I'm wishing you success - and hope that you post your activities, photographs along the way, challenges, lessons learned - and most of all - your victory celebration!

Good Luck!

Eliaquim

Thank you all! I will be posting more of my acitivities and pictures. Just know that I have a very demanding job and other responsabilities, so it will be a very long term proccess. Like a 5 months proccess, mainly because I have to import parts, fight rust and study the manual.

And talking about challenges, one of them is getting tools. A wiper arm remover is 30 USD. Go figure. One more thing. Today, for example, I spend most of the morning looking for a spanner wrench and,not only that I couldn't find. They do not know what it is (well I didn't before this project, but I do not work for a tools shop). So tools are going to be a problem.

But I hope it all ends well.

Eliaquim

UPDATE: Today I removed the front valve cover (head cover) and there is lots of sludge. It was sad. It is not just gelly. It has some crusty buildup. Like oil wasn't flowiing up nor down.

Eliaquim

I think I'll be able to remove the engine tomorrow. Heads are out. You asked me to share lessons learned. I tell you this: do what the manual says and drop the engine with the tranny. It's easier under normal circunstancies.

Eliaquim

Hi I havê a question I hope you can answer. When I checked the clearance between the camshafts and the valves, the 0.35 mm (0.0138 in) filler gauge went in with some "effort" but the 0.40 mm did not. The manual says between 0.25 and 0.35 mm is within spec. I cannot check for 0.36. Shall I assume that it is OK or should I Adjust valve clearances with shims? Please note that it is very difficult for me to source parts while considering your answer. Thank you!

fastnoypi

you definitely can adjust with shims or if budget allows..grind a new valve stem tip to spec to set lash. It seems you might be at the upper range of spec.

Eliaquim

Thank you! I forgot to mention that those measurements were for the exhaust valves. Intake are good. Also the problem is not the budget, but restrictions in using credit cards or get dollars to import parts. Please tell me: if I leave the valve clearances the way they are, what will be the consequences? I read many articles and forums where they say that higher clearances help with cooling and performance. Is it?