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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
Last edited by anesthes; May 11, 2017 at 09:45 AM.
See if these videos helps (more videos available at end of showing):
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.
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
Long time ago, I made something with the same functionality but worked a little different. I make a couple of J hooks and had come channel iron that worked from below, the hooks slipped in a couple of holes in the frame and the channel was drilled so the J hooks when through it and they were threaded. I welded up a bracket that aligned with the bottom of the block where the oil pan bolted up (kind of like a bottom mount engine support). The bracket extended down a little to clear the pan and I used a couple clamps to connect the two together. I used an cherry picker to raise the engine a little then tightened up the J hooks till the were snug. I had the engine off the mounts and had double support (didn't have to remove the cherry picker) and able to do all the work needed.
Unfortunately I sold it when I moved some years back but it worked out for me.
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.
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 used a 2x4 on the oil pan rail to hold up the engine.
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.
I used a 2x4 on the oil pan rail to hold up the engine.
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.
I dunno, when I googled it I found a number of LT1 cars had leaky freeze plugs behind the motor mount.
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.
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.
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.
Yeah, if I wasn't using the lift I'd do that. But neither method will allow me to raise or lower the vehicle.
Yeah, if I wasn't using the lift I'd do that. But neither method will allow me to raise or lower the vehicle.
-- Joe
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.
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.
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.
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.
The DS is the freeze plug that rotted, so that's the side that is apart.
Can you get at the PS side without taking the exhaust manifold off?
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Jack the oil pan...smartly.
Holding engine up while removing motor mounts
