Well I've never installed the engine while the transmission is still in the truck, I've done it the other way many times, just seems easier to me to mate the tranny to the engine instead of mating engine to the tranny.

While you are in there, I'd replace the transmission front input seal, at 300k miles it probably needs it and you don't want to ruin a new clutch. Also, clutch slave, clutch master, and the clutch rubber line all probably need to be replaced.

 

My advice is to remove the lower halves of the engine mounts while you try and wiggle them back together. It's just a 14mm bolt and nut on each side. You'll probably need to raise and lower the front of the transmission a little until you find the correct angle for the input shaft splines. You might also need to turn the crank a few degrees if it doesn't seem like it wants to mate.

For break-in I did exactly what Jim Putney says to do. There's a write-up on the 22reperformance.com website and as far as I can tell it's all solid advice. My engine's only at 16k miles, but healthy and strong with 170 psi on all cylinders.

 

i have never pulled engine trans together on a truck, when pulling the engine i have always put a ratchet strap under the front of the trans and then when installing the engine i put a bottle jack under the front of the trans.

 

Ive pulled and installed 100's yes 100's of motors. Mostly the 22R and Re. The best advice I can give is install the motor using a picker and put the motor mounts ON the motor prior to install. Leave off the oil sending unit and the knock sensor. Install the oil pickup and oilpan and clutch of course. Leave the tranny in place and put a floor jack under it. Take the hood off the truck. Install the LONGBLOCK minus the intake side and exhaust manifolds. Peel back all the wiring and hoses. slowly lower the longlblock into place. As the block SLOWLY descends downward stop it when it meets the frame motor mounts. At this point look at the tranny bell housing and the motor. You want to have an even distance around the two parts. Line them up and slide the motor onto the tranny shaft. Usually they don't immedeialy seat and come together. Usually you have to jack up the tranny and lower the motor back and fourth a couple times to get things to mate up. When things start to come together you will sort of feel it. I will often grab a hold of the motor and force it back and forth and push and pull until it starts to come together. You have to adjust both the tranny and the motor until they mate. I have had motors and trannys mate up in seconds and I have had them take a couple hours. Be patient! When they slide together and become flush put a bell housing bolt or two in to keep it secure. I usually hear the two mate with a sort of thud sound. After they are mated pull the floor jack out from under the tranny. The picker is now holding up the motor and tranny. move to the motor mounts. Take a long flathead screwdriver or prybar. With the picker SLOWLY lower the motor and pry back the mount from the block on both sides. You sort of go back fourth from side to side as you lower it and the mounts will slide by the block and into place. I have found this is the best way to get the mounts to line up to the block. It is much more easy to line the mount to the block rather than the block mounts to the frame mount. Once they are lined up you are pretty much home free. Dont forget to install the water pipe that runs from the intake side to the exhaust side behind the head. It has to be in place BEFORE you put on the fuel filter. It rests down in the little area of the fuel filter mount. Don't panic if you didn't do that. You can always put the two pipes in place with the motor in the truck. At that point it is putting everything back on. There are other little tips and tricks but it is late and I can't really see what I am typing. You'll see what needs to be done once the motor is in its resting place.
Hope that helps.

 

I like the description of aligning the bellhousing, it works very well this way. Having the right tools makes this a simple job of raising or lowering the transmission and adjusting the engine leveler.

I disagree with dressing the engine inside the engine bay, much easier to-do on the engine stand and you can put the entire engine subharness on at that time.

There are a few places you need to out on multiple parts at the same time and in the correct order. The heater hard-line attaches with one of the bolts in the EGR coolant plate, it also needs to fit into its port on the intake. Another spot is the accessory brackets, keep them loose untill everything is in place then snug them up slowly so you can make adjustments.

 

 

the best tool i ever got for removing/installing Toyota 4cyl engines is a 17MM (iirc) socket with the built in universal for the top 2 bolts on the bellhousing.