Aligning Motor on Mounts

BigBlockBeaumont · Sep 15, 2003

I'm dropping a 396 in my 72 chevelle which I just bought, but we cannot get the pass. side mount to line up enough to get the bolt thru. The motor is sitting up about 1/8" too high almost as if the motor needs to be turned counter-clockwise. We have the driver side in but cannot get this thing lined up. The unfortunate thing is that the headers are on the car and I would rather not try to undo the seized bolts at the collectors. Any tips on lining up the mounts ? The car has 307 perches and I know I bought the correct mounts for it.

Can the actual perches be loosened from the top to help ?

Thanks!!

Redrum · Sep 15, 2003

I suspect you may have frame damage. The crossmember can bend (sag) from use over 30+ years and will cause the exact problem you are having. A clue would be the number of shims left on each side of the car for alignments. If you are down to less than an eighth of an inch in any location your frame has sagged. A good frame shop can pull the frame back down if necessary.

Just_Another_Mike · Sep 15, 2003

Try this:

Loosen the three bolts holding the motor mounts to the engine block so the mounts will still be threaded into the block, but have some space which will allow the long bolts to go through the holes on the perches. One both bolts are through the perches, tighten the bolts that attach the motor mounts to the block. Be careful that when you start this process, you have each bolt threaded into the block deep enough not to strip off the threads. Loosening the perches is not a practical idea because they nuts on the bottom side of the crossemember which are nearly impossible to get wrenches on(possible, but very difficult).

Mike

BigBlockBeaumont · Sep 15, 2003

Thanks guys, I'll try loosening the mount on the block. No doubt the header will need to come out to access the bolts. I doubt there is frame damage as the car has low mileage and is extremely straight - no body work ever to my knowledge. Anything is possible I guess, but I would tend to think the quality of mounts may be the issue. I'll be trying again tonight.

drptop70ss · Sep 16, 2003

since you have 307 stands, have you tried your original 307 mounts? Possibly they are different than the new ones.

TronDD · Sep 16, 2003

I had the same problem. With the front of the car on the ground I had to squeeze under there and remove the frame mount. I bolted the frame mount to the motor. Then as I lowered the motor, I put the frame mount bolts through the mount into the frame to guide the motor in place. Then back under the car to tighten them up.

Only lost one socket into the frame.

You'll need a long extension and a knuckle (what's the real name of those things?) to get to the nuts.

Enjoy

Tim.

BigBlockBeaumont · Sep 16, 2003

Here's the update. We got the pin into the front hole but the back was still out by a lot, we began lifting the motor to try a jimmy it some more and riiipppp!!! the stock pass. side mount split. I am using an Energy Susp. mount on the torque side which lined up perfect - we suspect the quality of the stock mount was garbage "Made in India" We will try an Energy mount on the other side tonight - hopefully it does the trick.

The car had a BB in it which was pulled the day before I bought it - that motor had the same 307 style mounts on it - saw it on the stand. He kept those mounts (torque side was busted anyway). The car was a factory 6 cyl car, so not sure why the frame stands are this type.

Thanks for your support !

Drptop, have you ever had this much trouble ? You have a lot of posts about the motor mount topics.

drptop70ss · Sep 16, 2003

BBB,
sometimes installs can be a pain and sometimes they just fall into place. I think it has to do with tolerances on some of the aftermarket mounts but who knows. I just dropped a 350 in a 71 camaro that was a pain, just because the engine mounts rubbed some on the frame stands and the engine wouldnt sit down straight, it kept cocking over to one side. Some work with the hoist and a floor jack got it straightened out and in place ok.

TronDD · Sep 16, 2003

I had that problem, too. On one side, the bolt went all the way through. On the other side, one hole lined up and the other was about a 1/4 inch off.

I assumed it was the repro frame mounts I bought and filed the hole bigger.

All said and done, I think I was under the car pull and putting on those frame mounts 4 times.

None of the bolt in projects seem to ever bolt in for me.

Tim.

BigBlockBeaumont · Sep 17, 2003

Ok folks, I picked up another Energy Mount after work and that damn thing whent in perfect in 5 minutes!!!! Do not buy those cheap repro mounts they are garbage!!

Thanks again, I may be cruising by the weekend....

Cheers!

Aligning Motor on Mounts

BigBlockBeaumont

Redrum

Just_Another_Mike

BigBlockBeaumont

drptop70ss

TronDD

BigBlockBeaumont

drptop70ss

TronDD

BigBlockBeaumont

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