How long would it take you to swap an engine?

**Springthing** · 06-17-2009, 11:59 PM

Just out of curiosity, I have a two part question. I'm not looking for someone that's wanting to try out for a NASCAR crew, but just wanting to know how long these things would take by different expertise levels.

Part I

How long would it take you to swap out an engine from one of our trucks? By that I mean... on one of the newer trucks (95+ or there abouts) that you're driving down the road... and suddenly seizes up. It's got about 200k miles on it and it's time to call up GM for a crate motor or whatever, so you can replace the heart of the beast and have it back on the road.

Once you have the crate in your shop, the engine hoist and some time - how long would it take you to swap everything and be ready to turn the key to see if everything is working?

Is it much longer after that that you are driving it to the store with no SEL warnings?

Part II

How long would it take you to swap out an engine from an older vehicle? You've gone to the junk yard and totally rebuilt one, or you bought one with all the goodies already attached and as 'complete' as they come.

How long once you have the engine there, the hoist, and time to do it?

Just trying to get some idea of how long something like this takes and/or if it's something that can even be done anymore.

It would take me infinity. I'd be able to take everything off but I'd make a mess of it all and would have no idea what I'd be doing. More-so, I would probably leave things too difficult for anyone to put anything back together again.

Conversations welcome!

**TRPLXL2** · 06-18-2009, 12:12 AM

Part 1 realistically I could do a full drivetrain swap in a month, BUT putting it back together would be almost impossible. The main thing would be all of the specialty tools that are REQUIRED, anyone who has worked on new cars knows this is true if you are going to do it yourself. For example when we did a brand new top half on my S-10, I had to go to Mac tools and buy a special tool to depressurize and repressurize the fuel rail correctly. This tool alone was $250, it had a safety bleed valve and several other adapters for different vehicle setups. It just isn't practical unless you have the right tools for the job, the diagnostics alone will kill you.

Part 2 I have seen my dad back before he got ill, take and swap a 283 for a 350 in one night. That was just getting the engine in and out and disconnecting everything, he could have that motor timed and running in probably a week including a rebuild. The last project we did on his 57' Chevy was Vintage Air Gen III setup, the hardest part of that job was running the air ducts through the car and into the back of the car. In my book it is easier and cheaper to work on an older car than it is a newer one, and that sucks because I love the newer cars to death until they break $$$$$$$$$$$

**redneckarmyMP** · 06-18-2009, 12:32 AM

Part I-i wouldnt even try the 98+..way too many wires for me.swapped a motor in a 95 wrangler about a month ago..it took a while due to the lack of time but it took about 6 full days total.

Part II-currently in the process of swapping motors in a 77 F250.tomorrow will be day 4.its takin a while due to the lack of time again..but its almost done!hopefully tomorrows the last day.its in the engine bay.just needs everything hooked up.(i love older motors!!ONLY 8 WIRES!!!)

**Wrench** · 06-18-2009, 12:58 AM

We swap engines in our shop at around 10-13 hours depending on model year of vehicle and engine. We just did a drain pan on a 2001 Ford F-350(have to actually remove engine to change it) and that took 11.2 hours.

**Z71_guy** · 06-18-2009, 09:27 AM

well i just swapped a motor in a 97 Nissan in about 6 hours including swapping parts from motor to motor, in my 03 i could do it in 8-10 hours

for an older motor could do it in a few hours direct swap

**5speedsilverado** · 06-18-2009, 09:36 AM

1st part = idk about the newer engines, but i know when i get the cash i will be doing a 6.0 or 6.2l swap into my truck.

2nd part = my dad changed out his engine in his 74 chevy pickup from what ever the v6 was to a 350 and then to a 400 small block, he would change between those 2 engine, and it would take him about 1/2 a day

**Crawdaddy** · 06-18-2009, 10:19 AM

A straight motor swap bad for crate could be done in 1 day. Now, it would be a grueling 12-14 hour day, but it certainly could be done. It's all the little modifications and fab to do when swapping one motor for a different model of motor that take the time. Time to complete a rebuild of a motor and swap it out, and/or swapping to a different model could take a few days just because of all the "little" things that have to get done to make it run.

**bry2500** · 06-18-2009, 10:39 AM

I am asuming it would be a two person job, I would never attempt it alone unless absolutly necessary.

Part I: My truck, straight up for a new crate would be around 12 hrs. Best way not to screw up wiring and any vacuum hose is using a digital camera.Take pics of everything.

Part II: My cousin and me did a straight 6 to 350 swap in a 69 firebird he owned. Considering we were 2 highschool kids with some unlawful beverages on hand we did pretty good on time. we were done in 16 hrs. It was engine and tranny. That was a long saturday!! Now i think we could easily cut that time in half.