Removing the engine and drivetrain from the X is made relatively easy by being able to drop the whole engine and transaxle assembly from underneath the car. Compared to pulling an engine and transmission up and out of a front-engined RWD its super-easy. But there are a few concerns unique to the X, which I will attempt to cover in this tip list. Plan ahead when doing this job. You must have enough room to roll the transaxle and engine out as a complete unit when the car is up on jackstands.
From the top side of the car:
- Disconnect the battery.
- Remove the fuel lines going to the carburetor from the fuel pump. On carbbed cars its best to throw these and replace them later. On FI cars let cost dictate your decision.
- Remove the fuel lines going from the tank sender to the fuel pump. Same as 2.
- Remove air filter housing.
- Disconnect throttle linkage. Secure against the firewall out of the way of anything.
- On carbbed cars, remove carburetor and base plate. This is also not required, but the phenolic base plate is brittle and easily broken. Be sure to disconnect and label the wire going to the fuel-cut off solenoid.
- Remove spark plug wires. This isnt necessary, but makes it easier to access the starter and hoses. Leave the distributor cap on, as its cheaper to replace the cap if you bang it against
something than a distributor. - Disconnect and label or mark all the emissions controls. Its best to replace these lines when youre done, but be certain you have a record of what goes where.
- Disconnect the wires going to the starter, distributor, temperature sender, oil pressure switch or sender, alternator, and the FI circuits.
- Undo the speedometer cable.
- Check for any other wires or vacuum lines that need to be disconnected.
From the underside of the car (bring with you: 7, 8, 13, 19, 21, 22mm sockets and wrench; 22mm box end; flat head screwdriver; metal file; ¼ socket (or appropriate size for hose clamps); set of Allen wrenches; paper towels, and 3 ga. (11 liter) bucket).
- Chock the front wheels and securely jack up the real wheels far enough that you can slide under the body.
- Remove the rear wheels and place them under the passenger compartment to provide backup protection in case of jack failure.
- Disconnect the reverse light switch wires. Use a tie-down to keep them out of the way.
- Pull the speedometer cable out of the way.
- Get a tub capable of holding about 3 gallons (11.3 liters) of fluid and place under the two large flex hoses going to the steel coolant pipes. Undo the hoses and allow the coolant to drain into this tub. Also, undo the third, smaller hose and drain into the tub.
- Undo the shift linkage. Run a file along the side of the linkage to mark where the two parts mate. After disconnecting, turn the transaxle part of the linkage around so that its parallel to the transaxle. Attach the screws and space plate to the shift linkage and move it out of the way.
- Disconnect the ground strap going between the transaxle and the body.
- Check for any more wires and cables that could be in the way.
- Disconnect the half shafts from the wheels. It is not necessary to disconnect them from the transaxle, but it does make it easier to do so.
- Undo the rear bolts from the lower control arms. Keep track of the shims and be prepared to reinstall them in the same locations as how they came out.
- Optional: I find it easier to remove the entire rear suspension assembly, but this is certainly not required. The advantage is that you can replace the bushings that are probably completely worn. These cannot be replaced with the suspension still in the car. To remove the whole assembly, take the brake calipers off the rotors and attach them to the frame. Then, undo the other two bolts holding the lower control arms in. At this point, only the shock absorber will be holding the suspension on.
Back up top:
- Undo the large flex hoses from the engine. These should be replaced and are not expensive.
- Undo the heater hoses.
- 76 on: Open the trunk and remove the access panel. Undo the bolts holding the exhaust system in place. On some the exhaust runs through bodywork and must be completely removed to allow the engine to drop. Check this out before doing soyou may be able to save yourself some work if not. If you must remove the muffler and exhaust, do so now.
- Undo the hose going from the overflow tank to the engine. Remove overflow tank.
- Remove cotter pin, and undo screw holding clutch slave rod in clutch release arm. Undo the two screws holding the clutch slave in place. Move clutch slave out of the way.
- Undo the bolt holding the upper engine mount (dogbone) in place, and swing it out of the way.
- Undo the bolt holding the front end engine mount (located near all the belts).
At this point the only thing holding the engine in place should be the lower engine mount.
Double check that there is nothing else in place, and look for any more wires, cables, or hoses going between the engine, transmission, or body.
- Support the lower control arms, and undo the struts from their mounting points in the engine bay. If you are keeping the suspension in, then swing them out of the way. If you are taking the suspension out, then set aside.
- Place a strong but low dolley underneath the transaxle and engine.
- Using a jack, lower the entire car down onto the dolley.
- Undo the four bolts holding the lower engine support onto the body. The clearance will be a bit tight. These bolts were 13mm when stock.
- If you have an engine hoist, or some method of lifting a fair bit of weight securely, attach the chains to the two hooks underneath the rear bumper and begin lifting. Otherwise, start jack up the car and placing jackstands underneath the drivers compartment. Continue lifting the body off the engine and readjusting the jackstands until the engine is completely clear from the body and you can roll it out on the dolley. You will probably have to start using blocks of wood on the jack to be able to get the rear end up high enough (almost 3).
- Roll the engine and transaxle out, and lower the rear end to a manageable height.
Re-installation is the reverse of this procedure. With a few important notes:
- If you have replaced the engine mounts, dogbone, etc., it is not a bad idea to re-check the throttle linkages for correct adjustment after installation.
- Have a friend help you adjust the transmission shifter. Ensure the transmission is in neutral (the axles should spin freely, counter-rotating in relation to each other). Have the friend hold the shifter lever in the neutral location, and then bolt up the shift linkage almost tightly. Ask your friend to shift between all gears. If there is any binding or other problem, readjust slightly. Once complete, tighten the bolts completely.
- Be sure to use new clamps on all hoses. Tighten with a socket wrench until the hoses deform slightly. Warm up the car and check for leaks.