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Best way to take out the engine 4zc1-t

Posted: Wed Mar 11, 2015 8:17 pm
by PiazzaPhil
Hi guys, ive got to do a bottom end rebuild on the yellow peril and i was wondering if its best to split the engine and gear box before the lift out or afterwards. im also going to take off my front subframe to have it blasted, painted and bushes replaced. any tips/hints are welcome as its the first time i will be doing this to any car ive had.
thanks in advance

Posted: Thu Mar 12, 2015 1:46 pm
by IZU069
Tho I think I split my Piazzas, that was for engine removal. I always prefer pulling engine and gearbox as a unit because getting gearbox shafts thru clutch plates can be a female canine even when the plate is properly aligned. The same may apply to torque converters.
Plus getting to gearbox-engine bolts can be tricky in situ.

Isuzus seem to be real tight wrt gearbox/body fit so gearbox removal and replacement with engine in situ is often tricky. (I know of on Piazza owner that claims to have sold 2 Piazzas because he - or his mechanic - could not refit the manual gearbox. Apparently for Piazzas the trick is a 90 degree rotation to slide in place.)

Removal as a whole does require good vertical space - front wheels raised so the rear of the box can dip down far enough and therefore a high hoist, else car lowering when the engine and gearbox are hanging near vertical (probably a 70 degree angle from horizontal?).


With subframes removed it is sometimes possible to do a bottom drop - not that I know for the Piazza - but IMO that is usually an even bigger pain than an over-the-top removal. And it's usually easier refitting subframes and racks etc with the engine removed.
Even a mere sump removal to do bottom & big ends only is better done by a full removal. Working upside down cleaning gasket surfaces etc... nope, never again.


Maybe others with Piazza experience can confirm. I'm just giving my general Isuzu (& other) experience, plus the hindsight of "easier shortcuts" I once tried. (Like it's easier replacing just the banjo than the whole bluddy differential - at least for a back yarder!)

Posted: Thu Mar 12, 2015 9:58 pm
by PiazzaPhil
Cheers, thats the way i was thinking but just checking it could be done that way. just got to find an engine crane now

Posted: Fri Mar 13, 2015 2:42 pm
by IZU069
BTW - don't forget to pull out the gearstick. Not that I've forgotten for decades, but I did... twice!

And of course check the disconnection of all wiring, cables, links, exhaust etc.
And block off the rear of the gearbox - maybe after draining the gearbox oil. (TIP: Ensure you can undo the gearbox fill plug before refitting into the vehicle. That was another valuable lesson I learned for some Isuzus.)

Posted: Fri Mar 13, 2015 6:29 pm
by PiazzaPhil
Im not sure if its because my car used to be an auto but there is plenty or room around the gearbox fill plug, is the tunnel bigger on the autos? i know the gear box mounts are different i came across that problem when i fitted the maunal box.
Ill be draining all fluids before i take it all out.

Posted: Sat Mar 14, 2015 10:24 am
by Bugle
I would remove the gearbox first too. The bellhousing bolts aren't that hard to get to with the inlet manifold on.

You need to tilt the engine back, I have a pipe clamp which I remove from the pipe and use it as a reverse clamp between the swaybar and sump to hold the engine in the tilted back position as the gearbox comes off/goes on, otherwise the engine will flop forward with due to more weight over the front.

Re-installation is easy, don't need to rotate box 90 degrees, as long as the engine is tilted back just lift the box up to the engine. MUA wasn't any harder to fit than an MSG despite the extra size, except for the extra weight.
Haven't had any problems with the fill plug either with MSG, MUA looks fine too, haven't filled it yet though.