Changing Motor Mount Insulators

[Healeyalt]

I want to change the motor mount insulators on my 76. I don't have a hoist. Can I just put a block of wood and a jack under the oil pan to raise the engine? How high do I need to raise the engine and what do I need to disconnect (eg, exhaust pipe, Trany Inuslator Mount, A/C connections, radiator hoses, etc) ? The service manual doesn't seem very explicit on changing motor mount insulators.

Gary

[Kurbycar32]

You cant jack from the oil pan and its been my experience this is true on all cars. I just pulled my motor for other reasons and I estimate you need about 6 inches of lift to get the mount out. To be on the safe side you should disconnect anything rigid. Throttle, AC lines(if you're that lucky) and exhaust come to mind. Personally i would also disconnect the drive shaft but that might not be necessary

[EuroDat]

I did mine with a jack under the sump. Here are the steps I took:

1. Disconnect the battery

2. Loosened the afm and its hoses.

3. Remove fan shroud, let it hang on the fan. Check your top radiator hose has enough slack. Mine did so I left it attached.

4. Support the engine under the sump. Your car jack with a block of wood will work.

5. Remove the bolts holding the engine insulator bracket to the engine. These are the bolts the go into the block.

Note: The top bolt on the passenger side bracket and the bottom bolt on the drivers side bracket are a pita to get back in.

If you don't want to remove these brackets you will need to jack up the engine a lot more. Mybellhousing hit the tunnel before I had enough room.

6. Remove the top bolts from the insulator and remove the bracket. That will give you room to get the insulator out.

The new insulators will be hard to fit because they are new and firm, where the old ones are saggy and softer. They just don't seem to want to work with you.

You will need to be able to get under the car to get at the bottem bolt on the insulator and the bottom bolts on the block bracket.

Do one side at a time, otherwise the engine can move around and damage thing.

Chas

Edited August 4, 2014 by EuroDat

[Healeyalt]

Thanks Chas for writing that all out. So it sounds like by taking the bracket off the engine you didn't have to lift the engine very high. You listed lots of helpful hints, like doing one side at a time so the engine doesn't move on me.

I'll have to look things over better when I get home tonight.

Gary

[Healeyalt]

Just a short follow-up; last weekend I was able to change my motor mounts as outlined by Chas with no problems. By taking the mounts off the engine, I didn't even have to lift the enigne very high and didn't have to diconnect the A/c, etc. Actually, the only thing I disconnected was the hose to my AFM. Gary

[jonathanrussell]

Gary, Chas,

I have a related question. I am rebuilding the front suspension on one of my cars (78 280)- strut inserts, bushings, ball joints, tie rod ends, motor mounts, etc. Like a lot of our cars, mine has very little paint left and a bit of surface rust on the suspension pieces, crossmember, etc. My plan, therefore, is to have the suspension pieces powder coated while I do the project. I would like to avoid removing the engine but would like to have the crossmember powder coated as well. After reading this thread, I am contemplating doing the following.

1) Have a spare crossmember powder coated.

2) Remove everything from the front suspension- control arms, struts, tie rod ends, t/c rods, roll bars, steering shaft, everything.

3) Follow Chas' process above for removing the motor mounts but also swap crossmembers.

4) Proceed with balance of suspension rebuild.

Do you guys see any roadblocks in this plan?

Jon

[EuroDat]

Jon,

I did more or less the same thing you are planning to do.

I used a Z jack so it wouldn't take up too much room and rope from both strut towers stop the engine moving around.

Chas

[jonathanrussell]

Excellent. Really helpful Chas. Thank you.