I am helping my son's friend put a new motor in his 1991 civic, I have never done a sideways motor before and am having trouble understanding just what suspension parts have to come off before the motor can be pulled, can someone direct me to a step by step engine removal procedure for a 1991 Civic manual tranny. Thanks

 

Go to www.hondatech,info and find the service manual in .pdf format for that generation Civic. It has a complete walkthrough and diagrams.

 

Engine R&R is fairly self-explanatory but here are a few tips.

* Remove the engine and transmission as a unit.
* There is no need to remove the hood. It lifts up high enough to take the engine out. Some models even have an extra slot for the prop rod to do that.
* The pin that holds the shift linkage to transmission is usually stuck, in that case drill out the vertical rivet in the U-joint and replace with a bolt (with lock nut) upon reassembly.
* To detach the driveshafts from transmission, support the car off the ground, remove both front wheels and undo the lower ball joints. Pry between the transmission case and the CV joint until it "pops" loose. Then swing the wheel assembly out as you pull the axle out of the transmission. Many books will tell you to completely remove the axles from the car but that is not necessary.
* The alternator must be removed to have necessary clearance to rotate the engine / transmission about 15 degrees clockwise so it can be lifted from the car. It can be tricky to get the alternator completely out of the car, but that isn't necessary. Just set it aside on the frame rail behind the engine until ready to install on the new engine.
* If equipped, unbolt the A/C compressor and P/S pump and move them aside without disconnecting the fluid lines. The A/C system can remain charged during engine replacement.