engine swap and now clutch and 4WD problems

[karinvail]

My husband and I did an engine swap in my 86 EA82 Soob this weekend. We got my motor out, the donor motor out (from an 85 EA82) and then the donor motor in my car yesterday. We finished buttoning up with timing and routing the vacuum hoses and hubby did an exhaust (made one exhaust from the two cars). Runs good, sounds good, but when we went to back it off the ramps, the clutch didn't work. We backed the cable off as the cable on the donor car wasn't as tight as the one in my car. Then, the clutch worked, but it still needs some 'fine tuning'. We will do that when we figure out the other problem that arose I guess - that being the 4WD. The instrument panel says the car is in 4WD when the shifter is in FWD. Then, when you shift it to 4HI, it acts like it's in neutral. Then, shift in 4LO and it is in 4WD.

 

The 4WD worked perfectly until the engine swap. All we did was swap engines (and used the clutch that was on the donor engine since it was already attached). What did we do wrong?

 

We thought maybe we had bent the linkage, but that doesn't look to be the problem. We did have to jack the tranny up quite a bit to get the old engine loose, but it wasn't up against the firewall (not THAT far).

[monstaru]

i'm glad you got an engine!my 4wd light switch in the console on my old wagon did some funny stuff once...........might check that as far as the light goes.

[NorthWet]

...Then, when you shift it to 4HI, it acts like it's in neutral. Then, shift in 4LO and it is in 4WD.

I can't think of anything it could be EXCEPT linkage issues. It sounds like the linkage has been "shortened" (bent, shifted at shift lever connection) so that it is not moving enough to engage the transfer gears (and consequently the 4WD switch) nor the reduction gears until it is moved past 4HI. I would check again under the shift boot/console, and probably just for grins readjust the linkage (slotted mount on shift bracket, IIRC).

 

Glad you got an engine!

[karinvail]

I can't think of anything it could be EXCEPT linkage issues. It sounds like the linkage has been "shortened" (bent, shifted at shift lever connection) so that it is not moving enough to engage the transfer gears (and consequently the 4WD switch) nor the reduction gears until it is moved past 4HI. I would check again under the shift boot/console, and probably just for grins readjust the linkage (slotted mount on shift bracket, IIRC).

 

Glad you got an engine!

 

since I posted, we thoroughly checked the linkage. The linkage that is at the top of the transaxle is all the way back when the shifter is as far down (toward FWD) as possible. It cannot physically go any further back, but the shifter is not in the right position it should be when in FWD. I am totally befuddled.

 

It feels like it's in 4WD when the linkage is all the way towards the rear (and I think it IS in 4WD).

 

Dang, this is the last thing I would have thought we'd have problems with since it was just an engine swap!

[NorthWet]

If you have the trim-work off, it won't hurt to play with the shifter-mount bracket to adjust the lever/linkage. My advice: Don't stare at it and wonder how, just adjust it back and forth and see if it changes things.

[karinvail]

Well, I'm not sure exactly what we did, but it's fixed. I did un-do the exhaust that was hanging on the trans. - that seemed to be binding it up to the side a little - after that, it was able to shift down into 2WD again.

 

At least it's fixed - what a relief!