georgevette526

Hi everyone,

First off, thank you for taking a look at my post. I am posting because I cannot get my motor mount to line up. The passenger side mount slides in and I have been able to get the bolt through but the driver side will not.

The issue is the drive side mount (energy mount) on the engine is about 3/4" too far back from the mounting bracket on the chasis. I am using the mounts i took off the old L81 350 I pulled from the vehicle.

My question before I get my crow bar and come-along later tonight is why the **** are they not lining up? Could it be because I have the car jacked up and its putting an awkward moment on the chasis? Also my oil pan is hitting the bell housing so I am out of room.

Should I just manhandle it in somehow?

What am I missing here guys?

Please see my picture below.

thanks,
George

georgevette526

leadfoot4

I'll take a SWAG (scientific, wild-assed, guess) and say that the engine is twisted a little, in the chassis. The oil pan should be, coincidentally, about 3/4" forward of the bell housing. Try leaving the one side of the engine bolted in, lift the other side a little, and see if you can "pivot" the engine into the mount.

Good luck!

Rescue Rogers

is it connected to the tranny. If it is try pulling the tranny to the side. If its not. Check to make sure your not hooked up on it some how. All my other cars I pulled and installed them as a unit. I've not yet pulled a motor out of a vette so I don't know if its possible, but it makes life simple. You could put a jack with a block of wood or rubber block on it and try manipulating the motor that way. I would get a good flash light and see if its touching anywhere.

When you let the engine sit and get slack on your hoist where is it touching or have you gotten that far?

Is your front end on the ground. If it is maybe you can pull it up onto some ramps so you can get under it and see whats going on. Any chance you have a quick jack?

Rescue Rogers

Im looking at your pics and it looks like the exhaust manifolds are on. Look and see if they're catching the frame on one side or you caught a hose or ac line.

Good luck, hang in there, you'll get it.

leadfoot4

After initially posting on this topic, I later got thinking the same thing. I owned a '96 Z/28, with the same engine, for a number of years. The LH exhaust manifold has a HUGE flange on it, where the catalytic converter bolts up. A 70s Corvette uses a completely different manifold, and it IS possible that there just isn't enough room for that manifold to clear the frame.....

lionelhutz

I think you have the passenger engine mount bolted onto the wrong spot on the engine. I recall someone else having the same problem and they had the passenger mount bolted further back on the block which pulled the engine forward from where it should be.

An easy check for proper mount location is to look at where the mounts are installed. They should be directly in front of the core plugs (freeze plugs) on both sides.

The bottom line is that the LT1 has the correct mount locations and it will fit correctly.

georgevette526

Thanks for the response. I know its hard to draw a conclusion with the limited amount of info I provided but I think you are spot on. Will try to "pivot" it in and keep you posted. thanks for the support.

George

georgevette526

Hello everyone,

The engine and transmission are mounted with a modification. The passenger side mount fit and bolted in. The driver side torque mount wing was in the way of the rubber so I had to cut off the forward wing on the mount for the rubber to hit the engine mount. All in all the motor sits about 1.5" forward with about half of the mount contacting.

The 81' driveshaft actually fit with the 97 LT1 and 4L60E transmission.

Now I am looking for the correct accessory bracket because the compressor will not fit low on the motor. The accessory front drive bracket I have is a 97' LT1 from a firebird and actually wont fit - the bracket is hitting the rear upper control arm. Any suggestions before I start a new thread?

carriljc

....and perhaps a few ideas will pop up. I'm routinely impressed by the forum ideas and answers.