Holding engine up while removing motor mounts
#1
Safety Car
Thread Starter
Holding engine up while removing motor mounts
I'm doing that this weekend on my '94. On my other cars, I have an engine holding device (harbor freight) that sits on the shock towers. A pair of chains bolted to the engine hold the engine up.
On the C4, this seems a little more involved. Not sure if someone has a picture of how they held the engine up while removing the motor mounts ?
I've got to change a leaking freeze plug on the driver side.
-- Joe
On the C4, this seems a little more involved. Not sure if someone has a picture of how they held the engine up while removing the motor mounts ?
I've got to change a leaking freeze plug on the driver side.
-- Joe
Last edited by anesthes; 05-11-2017 at 09:45 AM.
#3
Safety Car
Thread Starter
Ahh. I shoulda been more clear.
I have a lift, and I need to be able to raise the vehicle to work on it. The problem is, the frame is soo low on these vehicles I'm having a tough time using the engine holding tool:
This is the tool I use, the picture is my Firebird.
The Vette doesn't have the same style engine bay.
-- Joe
I have a lift, and I need to be able to raise the vehicle to work on it. The problem is, the frame is soo low on these vehicles I'm having a tough time using the engine holding tool:
This is the tool I use, the picture is my Firebird.
The Vette doesn't have the same style engine bay.
-- Joe
#4
Safety Car
Ahh. I shoulda been more clear.
I have a lift, and I need to be able to raise the vehicle to work on it. The problem is, the frame is soo low on these vehicles I'm having a tough time using the engine holding tool:
This is the tool I use, the picture is my Firebird.
The Vette doesn't have the same style engine bay.
-- Joe
I have a lift, and I need to be able to raise the vehicle to work on it. The problem is, the frame is soo low on these vehicles I'm having a tough time using the engine holding tool:
This is the tool I use, the picture is my Firebird.
The Vette doesn't have the same style engine bay.
-- Joe
Unfortunately I sold it when I moved some years back but it worked out for me.
Good luck
Last edited by hcbph; 04-20-2017 at 04:56 PM.
#5
Race Director
On my back I will use a 2x6 with a towel between it and the oil pan and a jack below. On a lift you could use a tranny jack the same way.
#6
Team Owner
Pro Mechanic
Jack the oil pan...smartly.
#7
Safety Car
Thread Starter
It may come to that, the thing is if I need to raise the car up to get the freezeplug in from underneath I won't be able to. That's why I like using the bridge tool.. Ugg.
I took everything apart last night, unbolted the motor mount, etc. I just gotta remove the rotted freeze plug and press a new brass one in.
-- Joe
I took everything apart last night, unbolted the motor mount, etc. I just gotta remove the rotted freeze plug and press a new brass one in.
-- Joe
#8
Team Owner
Pro Mechanic
Sounds like a suck job.
#9
Race Director
It may come to that, the thing is if I need to raise the car up to get the freezeplug in from underneath I won't be able to. That's why I like using the bridge tool.. Ugg.
I took everything apart last night, unbolted the motor mount, etc. I just gotta remove the rotted freeze plug and press a new brass one in.
-- Joe
I took everything apart last night, unbolted the motor mount, etc. I just gotta remove the rotted freeze plug and press a new brass one in.
-- Joe
Why did the freeze plug behind the motor mount go bad when the other one is out in the open and easy to get to? I had a lot of trouble getting the brass one in. It took a LOT of pounding.
#10
Safety Car
Thread Starter
Do you have the tool? I've never had an issue installing freeze plugs. In this location, you can even use a porta-power to press it in if you had to. The suck part is removing the ac compressor, plugs, exhaust manifold, and clamshell.
I'd like to hold the engine up from up top, because I kinda wanna put the car up on the lift and do the plug from the bottom. Would be just easier due to the angle of the engine.
-- Joe
#11
Le Mans Master
383vett has the ticket. Trans jack under the pan and safe, smart pressure applied. Another option is a cherry picker with a chain and bolt attached to the respective side you want to replace first. Doing the same job myself replacing some squishy rubber mounts with poly mounts this weekend.
#12
Safety Car
Thread Starter
383vett has the ticket. Trans jack under the pan and safe, smart pressure applied. Another option is a cherry picker with a chain and bolt attached to the respective side you want to replace first. Doing the same job myself replacing some squishy rubber mounts with poly mounts this weekend.
-- Joe
#13
Le Mans Master
Well, not gonna lie, if you have jackstands that can get the car up to get a trans jack under the oil pan to gently lift the engine up some, I'd try that. I just gave 383Vett's method a whirl and it was super easy. Just did the driver side. So glad I didn't screw around with the cherry picker.
#14
Safety Car
Thread Starter
So I put the car up in the air, used my pole jack to lift it up off the mount by the oil pan, then cut a peice of wood that fit between the rail on the front of the block and the crossmember. This is holding the engine up.
Got the mount out, started removing the rotted freeze plug.
The mount is split so I guess I need to order a mount for that side.
Are you guys using poly mounts or just OE type?
Are you re-using that heat blanket ?
-- Joe
Got the mount out, started removing the rotted freeze plug.
The mount is split so I guess I need to order a mount for that side.
Are you guys using poly mounts or just OE type?
Are you re-using that heat blanket ?
-- Joe
#15
Pro
I've had good luck with the OE type from the parts chains. They havn't come with new heat blankets yet, but reusing the factory examples hasn't been an issue. If the PS one is cracked the DS one is likely worse.
#16
Safety Car
Thread Starter
Can you get at the PS side without taking the exhaust manifold off?
-- Joe
#18
Safety Car
Thread Starter
#20
Safety Car
Thread Starter
Freeze plug done. What a pita. Swapped the driver side motor mount with a 'solid' replacement (which is really just hard rubber)
Now onto the next problem. Intake manifold and valve cover oil leak, and a vac leak somewhere. Hopefully have the car back on the road by the weekend.
-- Joe
Now onto the next problem. Intake manifold and valve cover oil leak, and a vac leak somewhere. Hopefully have the car back on the road by the weekend.
-- Joe