Part 1. Preparation and safety
Objective
- Connect engine peripherals.
Personal safety
Whenever you perform a task in the workshop you must use personal protective clothing and equipment that is appropriate for the task and which conforms to your local safety regulations and policies. Among other items, this may include:
- Work clothing - such as coveralls and steel-capped footwear
- Eye protection - such as safety glasses and face masks
- Ear protection - such as earmuffs and earplugs
- Hand protection - such as rubber gloves and barrier cream
- Respiratory equipment - such as face masks and valved respirators
If you are not certain what is appropriate or required, ask your supervisor.
Safety check
- Make sure that you understand and observe all legislative and personal safety procedures when carrying out the following tasks. If you are unsure of what these are, ask your supervisor.
Points to note
- Work around the vehicle systematically refitting and tightening bolts and nuts.
- Refer to the notes made during disassembly to ensure correct assembly.
- After each component is reconnected, remove its label and move on to the next numbered event in the sequence.
Part 2: Step-by-step instruction
- Connect underside accessories
Make sure the lower bellhouse bolts are tight and then hook the torque converter back up if the engine has an automatic transmission. Then put the automatic or manual transmission shifter linkages back together.
The gasket set for the engine may or may not have exhaust gaskets. If the old ones are not reusable, fit a new set now. If you have a shield to protect the starter wires from the exhaust, install it now to protect them. Then, set the starter on a block of wood to connect the wires. Put one bolt in the starter then lift it up and thread that bolt in a few turns by hand. The starter will hang on that one bolt, then you can fit the other bolt in. If the starter had shims when you pulled it out, put them back in with the starter. Tighten the two bolts and make sure that all the wires are routed safely around the exhaust, then cover the bellhouse and starter.
Begin at the bottom of the engine bay and work your way up. Connect the fuel pump lines and then the lower radiator hose. Connect the transmission cooling lines if they are not already still attached.
- Connect front accessories
Reconnect the steering pump that was swung out of the way when the engine was removed. Usually, the fan shroud goes in before the fan. If you have a new water pump and pulley you know the belts will line up because that was checked in pre-assembly. If the belts have any sign of wear, it's better to replace them, but keeping the old belts labeled and in order will help you to organize the new belts and get them ready for installation.
When the fan and water pump pulley are set, install the shroud. Don't forget little things like a hidden spacer that was removed from behind one of the alternator brackets. Your notes and photos are very useful for that, and you should refer to them often and keep checking the storage bins or bags.
Make sure the belts are all tight. When all the pumps and accessories are in place, connect the upper radiator hose.
- Connect topside accessories
When you connect the topside lines, wires and hoses, you will rely heavily on your notes and photographs. To make sure everything is back in the right place, you will also need to consult the repair manual with its diagrams and schematics for your engine and chassis.
After each component is reconnected, remove its label and move on to the next numbered event in the sequence. Follow the correct order of events in putting everything back together. If you reconnect something too soon, you may block something else that needs to go on first. Keep referring to your notes and put everything back in the reverse order of its removal.
Take your time reconnecting everything carefully. If a hose clamp for a heater hose goes on crooked, the engine may overheat later on, or if a fuel fitting isn't tightened properly, you could have a fire hazard. These problems can be avoided if you take the time to do it right with the right tool.
If you left the distributor or wires off while you installed the engine, connect them now.
The last steps are usually connecting series of vacuum lines and linkages. Pictures and good notes are vital here, and clear labels are vital, as many of these hoses and linkages look alike. The newer the vehicle, the more complex the top end gets, so check everything carefully as you re-connect the final components.
