No I don't want to have to remove it if its not necessary. So whats the trick for parting the engine from the trans?
Hi Peterowensbabs,
Make sure you have removed the 2 top bell housing bolts. Place jack under trans to help lift it up and down to achieve best angle( this is when a mate is handy to have around) . Sling your engine, take up the slack until it clears the engine mounts. Then jiggle, jiggle, jiggle until she comes apart. The motor has to come away from the bell housing about 75 to 100mm before she is clear to lift right out. Obviously, make sure nothing is catching as you lift & lower the engine. The below is an extract out of the NISSAN workshop technical manual to follow;(as above just skip the gearbox removal part)
Hope this helps?
Preparation
1. Drain coolant from radiator drain plugs.
2. Remove the following parts.
+ Engine hood
+ Undercover
+ Under protector
+ Battery
+ Intercooler cover
+ Intercooler
+ Radiator shroud
+ Radiator
+ Accessory belt
+ Cooling fan
+ Exhaust front tube
Engine room (Left)
3. Remove air duct and air cleaner case.
4. Disconnect vacuum hose to the vehicle on the engine.
5. Disconnect harness connectors from alternator and air compressor.
6. Remove alternator.
7. After removing refrigerant, remove pipes of air compressor
and inlet/outlet.
8. Disconnect heating hose, install blank cap to hose to prevent
coolant from leaking.
9. Remove heating pipe.
10. Remove heat insulator.
11. Remove catalytic converter.
Engine room (Right)
12. Remove power steering reservoir tank from bracket, and fix
it to the vehicle with a rope.
CAUTION:
Keep the reservoir tank level when fixing to prevent oil leak.
13. Remove fuel feed and return hoses.
CAUTION:
Install blank caps immediately to avoid fuel leakage.
14. Remove all harness connectors on the engine, and move
harnesses to the side of the vehicle.
Vehicle underfloor
15. Remove starter motor.
16. Detach A/T oil cooler pipes from oil pan. (A/T model)
17. Remove rear propeller shaft.
18. Remove mounting bolts to secure the engine to transmission.
1) Remove torque converter installation bolt. (A/T model)
2) Lift transmission bottom with transmission jack, and remove
rear mount members from the vehicle.
3) Lower transmission with the jack, and remove upper mounting
bolts securing the engine to transmission.
4) Lift transmission with the jack, and reinstall rear mount members
to the vehicle.
5) Position the jack to the front side of transmission.
6) Remove remaining mounting bolts securing the engine to
transmission.
Removal operation
19. Remove air conditioner high pressure pipes at the rear of the
engine room.
+
This is due to some inconvenience in the rear slinger installation.
20. Install the engine slingers (standard service part) to front-left
and rear-right.
: 25 - 28 N
zm (2.5 - 2.9 kg-m, 18 - 20 ft-lb)
21. Hook hoists to slingers to secure the position.
22. Remove installation nuts for left and right engine mount insulators.
23. While adjusting position frequently, hoist and remove the
engine.
CAUTION:
+ While performing operation, check that all necessary
wires and pipes are disconnected.
+ Avoid interference with parts on the vehicle.
Installation
Install the engine in the reverse order of the removal procedure.
+ Keep each mount insulator from oil adherence and damage.
+ As for identification and installation direction of left and right
insulators, refer to stamping on the top surface. Refer to
EM-1064.
+ As for a location with positioning pin, insert the pin correctly
to the hole of mating part.
+ While keeping each mount insulator free from twisting,
tighten mounting bolts and nuts for the engine mount.
Inspection
+ Before starting the engine, check coolant level and grease
amount, and if necessary, refill them to the specified level.
+ Start the engine, and check that there is no abnormal noise
or vibration.
+ Warm up the engine to the sufficient temperature, and check
that there is no leakage of coolant, greases, fuel, or exhaust
gas
