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Engine Swap - 1976 S2

11K views 99 replies 16 participants last post by  bruce1976spider 
#1 ·
I've started the process of changing out my 1976 Spider's engine, transmission and carburetors for these: a 1979 rebuilt engine, gearbox and carbs.
The existing engine is throwing oil everywhere and showing some compression issues. The current gearbox has syncromesh issues, mostly second gear.

I'm going to try to do a good job documenting the process here.

First step was a road-trip from near Cleveland Ohio down to Atlanta Georgia to pick up the 'new' engine. It fit neatly in the back of an Odyssey van...
 

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#2 ·
The 1976 engine uses original-style breaker-point ignition - and the 1979 engine has been modified to use an MSD Ignition 6AL-2 6530 electronic ignition system. Found the documentation for the MSD unit here - https://www.jegs.com/InstallationInstructions/100/121/121-6530.pdf

Now to figure out how the MSD 6AL-2 is being triggered... and find the programming software to check out how it has been configured!
 

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#3 ·
I need to adapt my engine stand to attach to the engine mount point on the side of this new engine (and my old engine later...)
There's some great discussions & photos of other members efforts here http://www.alfabb.com/bb/forums/spi...94/26648-engine-stand-using-engine-mount.html and here http://www.alfabb.com/bb/forums/eng...s-rebuilding/203095-engine-stand-adapter.html

The oil pan on the new engine is a smaller pan than found on a 1979 or 1976 Spider. I will probably swap pans or pick up another full-sized pan for the new engine. My experience is that quite a bit of engine cooling is done through that larger oil pan...
 
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#5 ·

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#7 ·
"New" engine

Hey Bruce, good luck with the fun project. Sounds as though you've jumped in head first with this 76. I remember back at the start, you were all excited. Glad to see the enthusiasm hasn't waned.
Thanks for posting the pdf on the MSD. I picked up a used one with out instrc. so this will apply nicely.
I have parts from a 79 if you come across a need for anything extra, lmk.
thx
g
 
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#10 ·
Still figuring out the ignition - it appears that the original breaker-point ignition is there, but not used (since an MSD ignition module was used!)

I carefully removed the red paint this weekend - to better match my silver spider...
 

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#11 ·
Still figuring out the ignition - it appears that the original breaker-point ignition is there, but not used (since an MSD ignition module was used!)
Thanks to this thread - http://www.alfabb.com/bb/forums/gt-1963-1977/1593-conversion-electronic-ignition.html - I figured out that the MSD ignition setup for this engine used the old breaker points to trigger the firing sequence. It is an easy solution, you just remove the capacitor (since there's no coil current kick back anymore - it's just a low current signal to the MSD module now, not providing the energy for the spark anymore) and tie the point wire to the MSD 6AL-2. It will be grounded when the points close, and floating open otherwise.

The MSD ignition module should handle all the spark advance control, so I would think that the old distributor spark advance needs to be disabled... because you just want it to be a timing marker signal now, and not move with RPM increase!

I guess I'd better research this a bit further...
 
#12 ·
OK - here's a tip:

Be SURE you connect a wire harness to the reverse light switch inside the bell housing BEFORE you mate your transmission to the engine!

...so I'll be separating the gearbox from the engine for a second try.
 
#15 ·
So, anyone know where to get a clutch hydraulic slave rubber boot?

I see that I will need to change out the oil pan as well - if anyone has a nice one they'd be willing to part with... (The smaller pan won't fit around an S2's frame member - it has to be the flat wide pan...)

BTW - I thought to test the reverse light switch BEFORE I mounted the transmission a second time :) It worked fine...
 

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#17 ·
The Oil pan's off now - and all looks good in there (clean & no metal bits).

I'll probably list the oil pan over on the Alfa Romeo Classifieds Forum.

Ran around town looking for metric nuts & bolts to match the existing (or in some cases, replace) transmission mounting hardware. I found a mix of M8 1.0 and M8 1.25 had been used in the past, which needed sorted out. One mounting stud's threads are not in very good shape, but it holds.
 
#18 ·
LAST trip with the current engine/transmission - the fluids come out, and the disconnect starts this weekend!

This is a SIDE RANT - I change the oil on my single-mom-neighbor's car for her, typically. I wasn't available last time it was due, and she took it to a Quick Lube. Time for an oil change again, and I find that the oil fill plug was torqued in so hard that I can NOT break it free!! The corners of the nut were actually smeared by a twelve point socket!! I am going in to the place with her on Saturday to try to explain to the trained monkeys they use about Proper Torque - wish me luck... (That - and the cheesy oil filter they used, ugh!)
 
#19 ·
Weekend progress...

Following step-by-step (where it exactly fits) the official Engine Overhaul manual for a 1979 Spider:
1) Marked and removed the hood - dumped the oil and antifreeze - and there was a lot of oil IN the antifreeze (which is a symptom of why this operation needs doing!!)
2) Removed the radiator & hoses.
3) Removed the carburetors/air cleaner assembly
4) Disconnected the wiring - alternator, starter and sensors
5) Removed all but ONE nut from the exhaust manifolds (there are TWO) - that ONE [explicative deleted here] stud is just turning in the engine block. Guess I need to split the nut off the stud and see about replacing it later.
 

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#20 ·
I did take careful photos of the process. Hopefully, I got all the necessary connections documented.

Here's a start shot, and a final for the day, with the carburetors off.
 

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#21 ·
Progress:

1) Got the nut off that spinning exhaust manifold stud. Split it by cutting the nut on opposite sides with a Dremel cut-off wheel, and a brief hit with my air chisel. After the engine is out, I'll see what's to be done to replace the stud.
2) Dropped the steering centerlink out of the way.

Next, unbolt engine mounts, followed by center console removal (for gear shift removal).
 

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#22 ·
Almost ready for removal - clutch hydraulic line removal seems to require the slave cylinder to spin to unscrew the short flexible hydraulic hose coupling (as it has no free-spinning nut, it's all a solid crimp with the pipe), and that means that the snap ring needs removed... the joy of snap ring plyers in tight places!!

The transmission is loose from the driveshaft, and the mount is off. Turns out the center mount at the rear of the transmission had very little rubber left in it at all - just loosely flopping around there...

Meanwhile, my engine mount on the right side has mushroomed out with age & oil bathing. I need to look for replacements...
 

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#23 ·
Bruce I got my mounts from Centerline. The costs are pretty even across the board. I wouldn't skimp on the mounts with the value of what you will be holding up ( the engine, tranny & drivetrain)
 
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#27 ·
Thanks! I'm going to hang onto the old engine/carbs/gearbox for a while yet - though finding that the serial number doesn't match the car makes me less attached...
 
#28 ·
Starting to fix up the engine well now...

I can't help but notice how the exhaust heat has eaten the paint off the car's left hand side center strut & engine well. I was planning to use POR 15 silver, and now I'm wondering if a specialized high-heat paint would be a better bet...
 

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#31 ·
The oil pan's off the old engine now - and I hadn't thought about it, but the oil pumps are quite different. Or at least, the oil pick ups are. I wonder if I have to swap the WHOLE pump assembly, or just the pick up portion??
 

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#32 ·
Well, I set myself up for a disaster...

I determined that the lower portion of each pump was all that needed swapped, and rotated my new engine upside down to remove it. Bad move - a washer got loose, and fell deep in the engine.

[explicative deleted]

Here's what I learned: Gravity is not your friend, keep the engine sideways at most for such operations!!

The good news is that flipping the engine upright and using a long wand air gun with my compressor was a good tactic for getting that washer back out! It had gotten up in the #1 cylinder....

Oil pump all installed!!
 
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