I have an '86 (I believe) gen 1 Montero with, I am told, a spun bearing on the crank. It has, of course, the 2.6 engine, and an auto transmission.

I have also an '80 Colt Wagon, built by Mitsubishi, with the 2.6 engine, attached to a 5 speed transmission.

I very vaguely recall that the 2.6 engine came with two different bellhousing bolt patterns, designated as 12 1/4 and 13 1/4. Do the bolt patterns differ in order to attach to the manual and the auto transmission? Is my memory correct? Is there any way to switch the engines, put the Colt engine (manual transmission) into the Montero (autotrans)? Can it be made to fit?

Or was there another reason for the different bolt patterns?

I was talking to a guy down the road and he told me the engine in his truck was pulled off an auto, but he wasn't sure of the engine size?? I myself can't find a manual trans to fit my budget but can find auto trans and like you need to know if they are interchangeable motors/trannies.
Infact I'm having a real hard time finding anything for my Gen.1 Montero.

The 1980 engine should be the same wideblock but it is not the same engine. The early auto trans came with a narrow block as well as the late, after 1990 engines.
It is a G54 and the later style in the Montero is a G54B. So what does this mean, the early engine has much smaller valves, the intake manifold has a different mounting pattern. The crankshaft has larger bearings so is not interchangeable.
Very few of the internal components will interchange.
Does this mean you can not use the engine, no but if you do you need to swap the whole engine and intake. You will have less power after doing so.

Just wandered out to check the Colt.

The plate in the engine compartment claims that the Colt has a G54B engine rather than a G54. Thats always been my working assumption also.

I can't get to the Montero at the moment. Its in the garage, packed tight. I'm going to assume, for the moment, that it too has a G54B engine.

My question remains about the difference between the 12 1/4 vs 13 1/4 width in bolt patterns. Should I be able to transfer the Colt engine into the Montero? Is the bolt pattern difference because of age, 6 year difference, or because of transmission type?

Look at the intake to head flange in the car, are the bolts on top and bottom of each port or are the lower ones offset?

The intake manifold bolts appear to be top and bottom of each port, with no offset. Keep in mind, the bottom bolts are a pain to find and see with that carb sitting there, and about 35 yards of tubing of various sorts running everywhere. But I think they're top and bottom. Thats on the Colt.

Looking at the engine in the Montero will be a major undertaking. Its packed tight in the garage. I can't squeeze myself alongside it, have to get in and out through the rear hatch. I can't open the hood because the cherrypicker arm is about six inches above it. I'll have to roll it back a couple feet in order to open the hood.

That sounds like the older engine. The "newer" style is offset. It isn't that hard to tell either, because you can see the bottom ones through gaps in the intake manifold.

Can anyone take some pics of this? I work better with pictures.....Stockton Ca school district <img src="/forums/images/graemlins/shiner.gif" alt="" />

cjm

The Montero will be the staggered intake bolts, they were never produced with the small port engine.

I think we're getting somewhere here.

Given the fact that the two engines are different, even though they have the same G54B designation, will the Colt engine be a direct bolt-in for the Montero? Is that 12 1/4 vs 13 1/4 bellhousing bolt pattern one of the differences? Where does that measurement come into play? Are the two engines interchangeable in the Montero, ahead of that auto transmission?

Someone said above that the Colt engine would have slightly less power. Personally, I thought it had plenty in the Colt. Even so, the power will not be a significant consideration. The Montero, if/when up and running, will be going on an island in Maine, where power and speed are not important.

I appreciate all the answers and thought you all are putting into this.