Motor mount alignment question

[steveg]

In the process of jacking my engine up to R&R the harmonic balancer, my right-side motor mount holes are now out of alignment and I've started to cross-thread one of the holes (photo).

Photo shows bolt I'm running through from bottom up to straighten the threads.

I plan on jacking the engine up slightly and loosening the nuts ("undo" on drawing). With them loose I figure I'll be able to align the oval holes in the base.

Am I missing anything here?

 

[Bob_Spidell]

I see no problem with your plan. Sure you can't move the engine forward/back/left/right a little with leverage to help with aligning the holes (assume you've removed the gearbox tie rod)?

 

[steveg]

Thanks, Bob,
Nope - have been prying all afternoon and it's about 1/32" shy of where I need it to be for the bolt to go in squarely.

 

[tahoe healey]

If you can, raise the engine high enough to drop a couple of long (6 inches worked for me)carriage bolts through the holes. One bolt on each side of the block. They will work as a guide as you lower the engine. If high enough you can slip the bolts in at a slight angle easily.

 

[steveg]

Following up: was able to undo the 11/16" nuts on the slanted mounts, jack up the engine slightly and able to move the mount just enough to insert the bolts.

Was thinking it might be easier to support the engine and slacken the four bolts from the mount to the block.

Fortunately this was all on the oil filter side of the engine.

 

[Patrick67BJ8]

Following up: was able to undo the 11/16" nuts on the slanted mounts, jack up the engine slightly and able to move the mount just enough to insert the bolts.

Was thinking it might be easier to support the engine and slacken the four bolts from the mount to the block.

Fortunately this was all on the oil filter side of the engine.

I used "studs" when I reinstalled my engine this time. They were a lot easier to work with!! I purchased the ones with a hole at the end for an allen wrench. They solved the alignment headaches once and for all!

 

[steveg]

I used "studs" when I reinstalled my engine this time. They were a lot easier to work with!! I purchased the ones with a hole at the end for an allen wrench. They solved the alignment headaches once and for all!

I had considered using 3/8-24 x 1.25" grade 8 bolts inserted from underneath as studs.

 

[Patrick67BJ8]

I had considered using 3/8-24 x 1.25" grade 8 bolts inserted from underneath as studs.

Martin at Jule Enterprises suggested it to me(is what he does), and remembering all the hassle of trying to get everything lined when "setting" the engine in place just made sense. Worked like a charm. I inserted the studs and then as the engine mounts got close to the studs I only had to apply a small amount of pressure on them with a leverage bar for the final alignment.

 

[steveg]

Martin at Jule Enterprises suggested it to me(is what he does), and remembering all the hassle of trying to get everything lined when "setting" the engine in place just made sense. Worked like a charm. I inserted the studs and then as the engine mounts got close to the studs I only had to apply a small amount of pressure on them with a leverage bar for the final alignment.

Yup - studs sound like the way to go. When I rebuild my engine in a few years, will probably do this conversion.