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1998 Mitsubishi Montero Engine Swap Proceedures

Tiny
BLAZE45
  • MECHANIC
  • 1998 MITSUBISHI MONTERO
  • 6 CYL
  • 4WD
  • AUTOMATIC
  • 175,000 MILES
I will be doing an engine swap on a Montero shortly and I have a few questions. I am fairly mechanically inclined (a few Honda & Subaru engine swaps as well as headgaskets under my belt) but I cannot seem to find a guide on the internet of how to go about swapping one of these engines out.

1. Should I leave the transmission attached to the engine when pulling the engine? What would be easiest? I will have access to an engine hoist, jackstands, and a floor jack. No air tools however.

2. Easier to pull the engine from the top or bottom? If I come out through the top do I need to pull the radiator or A/C condenser?

3. I know there are always small little things about swaps that are a bit tricky, any special bolts/locations/linkages commonly screwed up tidbits that I should be aware of? Or steps that would make pulling or removing the engine easier?

4. I don't know if the Montero I am getting is a sport or not but it is my understanding that there is a difference between the two engines. Does it matter if the engine I get is a sport or not? I know that one engine is bigger then the other but pertaining to mounts/wiring are they the same?

5. I cant think of anything else. If you know if some links that I could look up that would be great. I would like steer away from buying a manual as I have found first hand experience is much better.

Thank you!

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Wednesday, January 19th, 2011 AT 9:39 PM

33 Replies

Tiny
KHLOW2008
  • MECHANIC
  • 41,815 POSTS
1. The transmission need not be removed and I would leave it on vehicle. Use a floor jack to support it while taking the engine out or installing.

2. Easier to get engine out from top. The radiator has to be removed but not the A/C condenser.

3. Lowering the front axle slightly would enable easier removal and installation of engine.

4. Sport uses 3.0 L engines with a lower engine capacity so power soulld not be better than Montero.
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Thursday, January 20th, 2011 AT 2:54 PM
Tiny
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I have the new engine mounted in the car but cannot seem to get the engine to mount flush with the transmission. It is just far enough apart that I have yet been able to get a bolt threaded to bring the case and block together. There is still about a half an inch of space.

I am not sure if the input shaft just needs to be rotated ( I have tried this a lot when trying to get the gap to close) or what the next step is. The car is in neutral and I was rotating the crank back and forth while trying to get the transmission and engine to come together. Any suggestions would be great!

Other then that, everything has gone smooth so far. Well I did have to swap out the oil pan and pick up and the new engine does not have a pump that supports the current oil cooler on the car.

Thanks!
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Monday, January 31st, 2011 AT 3:47 AM
Tiny
KHLOW2008
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Ensure the torque coonverter is seated fully, if not you are going to damage the transmission if you force them together.

Usually it should slot in easily. Ensure the pins for centralisig the transmission are not clashing, the new engine could had the pin while your transmission has the other, meaning you have one too many.
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Monday, January 31st, 2011 AT 2:04 PM
Tiny
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Do you mean the dowel pins that help align the transmission to the engine block? Too many of those would definitely cause an issue. What is the best way to go about getting the input shaft to seat properly in the converter?

The engine that I put in is not the exact year engine that came out of the car so I am a bit scared that for some reason it won't work? The new engine came out of a 2002 Montero. The new engine came from a Montero, not the Montero Sport. Everything else that I have seen so far ( excluding the oil pan and oil cooler fittings) are exactly the same.

Thank You.
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Monday, January 31st, 2011 AT 3:38 PM
Tiny
KHLOW2008
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You need to turn the torque convertetget it to seat correctly before putting the enig in. If the torque converter had been dislodged, you would have a problem with the engine in place. While turning and pushing the torque converter, you need to lift it slightly to get it to seat correctly.

Engine wise it should not be a problem if the engine is of the same type though different in years.
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Monday, January 31st, 2011 AT 6:18 PM
Tiny
BLAZE45
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So your saying I need to keep turning the crank while using a lift to raise the engine (or transmission?) To seat to the input shaft at which point it will slide together with no gap?

Do I have to have a hoist or can I use a floor jack? This is very frustrating for me that I can't get this to seat properly but I do appreciate your help thus far.
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Tuesday, February 8th, 2011 AT 3:17 AM
Tiny
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Note if the torque converter is pushing against the drive plate. If yes, you would have to remove the engine again.

It is not possible to get the torque converter to seat correctly if it is lined up to the engine. Turning the crank is not going to work.

Turn the torque converter and ensure it goes in fully, it would be very close to the bell housing. Note the depth of the torque conveter in trans housing and measure the distance of drive plate protrusion from engine base where the trans matches. The torque converter should be seated deeper than the drive plate protrusion.

If the torque converter is seated correctly, when the bell housing and engine gaps is closed, it should be able to turn freely.

The trans should go in easily without any turning of the crank as the torque converter and other matching pins would slide in.

A floor jack would be sufficient. Use it to lift the transmission to get the engine and trans aligned while using the lift to get the engine in. Some gentle twisting and manouvering of the engine would be required to get them to slot in.
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Tuesday, February 8th, 2011 AT 12:32 PM
Tiny
BLAZE45
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Here is as close as I have been able to get things to line up. This is still too far apart to get a bolt to thread.

I don't quite understand what you mean by being able to turn the trq. Converter or if it is touching the driveplate/flywheel cause. They are bolted to each other.

As it sits in these photos, it turns freely even if the car is in park.
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Tuesday, February 8th, 2011 AT 9:14 PM
Tiny
KHLOW2008
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You have the process all wrong and this is going to damage the transmission if you fiorce it in.

Torque converter has to be separated from the drive plate and installed on the transmission first. Ensure the torque converter is correctly and fully seated.
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Wednesday, February 9th, 2011 AT 1:08 PM
Tiny
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Well, that is good know! Hopefully I haven't done any damage. Once I set the torque converter on the input shaft, then I ease the engine in and bolt the drive plate to the converter correct?

Strange that you can pull it out all connected but it has to be put in differently.

Its making sense now! Thanks.
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Wednesday, February 9th, 2011 AT 3:47 PM
Tiny
KHLOW2008
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You did it wrong when pulling it out. You should have removed the bolts holding the torque converter and pushed it away before taking the engine out. That way the torque converter would stay seated correctly.

Once the torque converter is on the input shaft, turn it and ease it in as far as possible and ensure it is seated correctly.

After engine is in and is flush with transmission, ensure the torque converter turns freely before installing and tightening transmission to engine mounting bolts first.

Tighten torque converter bolts after above steps.
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Wednesday, February 9th, 2011 AT 4:01 PM
Tiny
BLAZE45
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Well I got a change to work on it today with a hoist. And. It looks like I got it to work! Now it is just a matter of putting it all back together and figuring out all the belts. Ill keep you posted if I need assistance with anything else.

Thank you!
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Saturday, February 12th, 2011 AT 11:32 PM
Tiny
BLAZE45
  • MECHANIC
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Update - It seems to be running ok but sometimes the car's lights will dim and and the car will act like it is going to die to the point where all the cluster lights flicker. Today I cleaned off the positive battery post and it stopped however I recalled that there were 2 things that didn't have a home when I finished the swap. I honestly have no idea where these 2 things belong or what they do. I believe one was taken off the intake manifold somewhere, I have yet to find a plug for it and the other plug is over on the drivers side by the battery and is connected to the wiring harness.

Thanks.
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Saturday, April 16th, 2011 AT 10:23 PM
Tiny
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First component is a capacitor, it should be bolted to ground, somewhere on top of the thermostat housing.

As to the 2nd wire, the picture is too concentrated in one area so I am not able to understand what it is for. Some wires are not used as there are for different markets so if you do not have any issues with components etc, then it should be nothing to worry about. Let me know the wire color and I will see if I can come up with anything.
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Sunday, April 17th, 2011 AT 5:32 AM
Tiny
BLAZE45
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Picture where I am holding the plug is a single red wire with a white stripe and is located next to the battery on the drivers side and goes into the main harness.

The capacitor - I cannot seem to find a plug for it anywhere on the harness by the intake manifold so I didn't plug it in but I do remember unplugging both of these things. The capacitor is a solid blue wire single prong. It is a strange plug style too with a needle like pin right in the center of the inside of the plug.
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Sunday, April 17th, 2011 AT 4:06 PM
Tiny
KHLOW2008
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There should be a connector somewhere near the top rear of engine wireharness that branches out to the TPS and other sensors.

As to the wire, sorry I can't seem to find any reference to it.

I will try to get a vehicle to check and see if I have it. It might take some time as I don't have such vehicles in my shop at the moment.
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Sunday, April 17th, 2011 AT 4:36 PM
Tiny
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I appreciate your help! Thanks.
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Thursday, April 21st, 2011 AT 4:31 AM
Tiny
WLCM
  • MEMBER
  • 2 POSTS
Have a 1998 Montero and was looking to do an engine swap to the 4M40 2.8L Turbo Diesel that came in oversea markets. Any input would be great. Also, the information you all traded in this post was great!
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Thursday, July 14th, 2011 AT 8:41 PM
Tiny
KHLOW2008
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What would you like to know?
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Thursday, July 14th, 2011 AT 9:12 PM
Tiny
WLCM
  • MEMBER
  • 2 POSTS
Are the engine mounts the same for the 3.5L V6 as they are for either the 4D56 2.5 TD or 4M40 2.8L TD? Seems the 4D56 may be easier to get. Also, what about the wiring harness? Do you know of any shops that are very good at this?
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Tuesday, May 22nd, 2012 AT 6:29 PM

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