How to Swap an Engine

An engine swap isn't just picking a new engine, removing the old engine, and putting the new one in. The new engine has to fit, have the right mounting points (and mounts), have a matching transmission, and be able to connect

What is an Engine Swap?

An engine swap is when the current engine in a vehicle is replaced with another one. Most of the time, it isn't a trade between two cars; one vehicle is no longer useful, but has a good engine, while the other vehicle needs an engine in order to work again, so the engine is put into the functional vehicle.

Removing The Old Engine

The old engine must be removed first. Before removing any bolts, however, decide on what parts (like the transmission) will also be coming out. Many front wheel drive vehicles (like the one pictured at the right) can have the whole front assembly (called a K-frame or subframe) removed, which includes the engine, transmission, and front suspension.

In other drivetrain layouts, the transmission may be mounted further back, making it more difficult to remove while attached to the engine.

In addition to removing bolts that mount the engine to the chassis, wires may need to be disconnected (many modern vehicles will have a lot of wire clusters), and sometimes other parts that aren't connected to the engine need to be removed in order to make enough room in the engine bay to pull the engine out.

Putting in a New Engine

Putting in the replacement engine can sometimes be the reverse process of pulling out the old one, but only when the engine is the same model/year. When switching to a different type of engine, it is likely that some different components will have to be used, and they may need to be custom-made. Some parts may have to be moved, modified, or replaced with a different version to allow a different engine to fit.

Examples of Engine Swaps

The following videos are examples of finished engine swaps.