MGB Truly stuck now

[Boggsy64]

Engine mounts! The plan is simple jack up car, jack stands, loosen mount bolts, jack up motor, replace mounts, put back together... Simple right?
OK now the quandary, puzzle, conundrum, situation. I will not go into the difficulties of getting the old mounts out. The 1977 has two parts a steel bracket on the motor and a "hockey puck" rubber mount. This is different than the older models. So I have the right, passenger, side mount in and cannot get the motor to raise up enough to get the left, driver side, in. As I jack it up, at a certain point the whole car starts to raise. I cannot see what is causing this, and it must be in the tunnel, transmission?
The problem is the rubber "hockey puck" mount, with built in stud, is 1.5" wide and the gap it goes in is 1" wide. I cannot get the gap to open enough to get the mount in. I have tried everything short of cutting out the frame, obviously not an option. This is one place to not have a stud, but a nut within the mount, I just need a 1/2" and this is killing me. If I take the passenger side mount off I can get the drive side in, but then cannot get the pass side in.. Doesn't appear possible to get both in.
I bow to whoever has figured this out and appreciate any suggestions ,other than pull the engine out? By the way this car was obviously in a collision in the past... Don't know if the frame is bent causing the lack of space....?

 

[drooartz]

I'm not as familiar with the MGB system (haven't pulled mine yet) but I would check the transmission mounts -- loosening them might get you that extra .5 inch. At that point you're pretty much pulling the engine out, just not very far.

Other thoughts are ground straps could be too short, or some other connection to the engine is not allowing enough movement.

 

[DrEntropy]

I haven't done the mounts in a "later" MGB for over a decade so can't recall the details but the steering shaft was a real issue IIRC (if I recall correctly).

 

[Stewart]

Yeah the rb engine mounts bring the suck. I would disconnect the rear crossmember from the car but still attached to the transmission and partially pull the engine with the trans angled downward then replace both mounts and then drop the engine back down on the mounts.

 

[Boggsy64]

Thanks Stewart. I had a feeling that I would have to undo the motor mounts at the transmission. One question, how do you balance the motor with the cross member unbolted and then jacking up the motor? I have 2 jacks but don't have a shop crane (motor lift). I was thinking the whole thing would get unstable and fall out.

 

[drooartz]

If possible, you can usually rent/borrow an engine lift from a local parts store or local car guy. I bought mine of a little over $100 bucks -- bit annoying to store but handy to have around. I've loaned it (and myself) out to friends before.

Otherwise you might be able to rig something up with your two jacks and some 2x4s for stability.

 

[Boggsy64]

I think I found the culprit. There is a large bracket on my exhaust just past the firewall, to the right of the tranny. This bracket, I think a homemade hanger assembly, is hitting the side of the tunnel as I lift the motor. Will take this bracket off this afternoon and see how it goes. Spent too much time yesterday on the crawler scoping things out.. and that pesky work thing limiting my time.

 

[Boggsy64]

Finally some joy. It was the muffler clamp used as a home made exhaust hanger hitting the tunnel as I tried to lift the motor high enough to get the driver side motor mount in. I was too lazy to crawl under the beast and dig deep to find out what was stopping the motor from coming up, I just kept trying and trying hoping for a different result..I guess Einstein saw me coming! After getting the mount in I still have to move the motor forward about a half inch and get the rear mounts in the correct location (see my previous post .. John Twist is the man). At least now I have mounts to hold the motor so I can remove the tranny cross member and get things right back there.

 

[drooartz]

Well done. Good to hear it was a relatively simple fix.

 

[PAUL161]

Here's what I use when pulling engine and transmission. You have positive control of the angle at all times. Mine will hold 2 tons,as in a large diesel.

This one is around 50 bucks. PJ

 

[bob67bgt]

Putting access holes in the trans cross member to access the bottom bolts will make that job a lot easier. If you think the engine mount was a pain doing trans mounts on a overdrive car (if your car has o/d) will be just as much fun. I have a 77 o/d MGB in the shop right now with new engine and trans mounts just installed! Keep having fun with the little beast. Bob