M-body Motor Mount Inserts and Bolts

[GamblerSeanAZ]

I made the mistake of buying "Made in India" engine mounts from O'Reilly, branded Power Torque. The bolts in my factory mounts appear to be 1/2" in diameter, and the new mounts seem to have 9/16 or slightly larger sleeves through the rubber bushings.



Can anyone confirm that the bolt that goes through the motor mount bushing is indeed supposed to be 1/2"? Also, why did Chrysler put wings on the bolt? So it doesn't spin inside the bushing?

 

[Lightning II]

Can anyone confirm that the bolt that goes through the motor mount bushing is indeed supposed to be 1/2"? Also, why did Chrysler put wings on the bolt? So it doesn't spin inside the bushing?

my gut feeling says that. Maybe so it doesn't try to back itself out eventually?

 

[GamblerSeanAZ]

Any advice on removing the passenger side motor mount? The driver side was straightforward. I have the anchor bolt removed on the passenger side, but jacking from the pan, I can only get the engine raised an inch or so before it won't go up anymore. I can't see why it won't raise up anymore. There's not enough clearance to get to the remaining bolts on the mount.

Help!

 

[Aspen500]

The "wings" are exactly like you thought, to keep the bolt from spinning. That way you can tighten the nut without having to contort yourself to also get a wrench on the bolt. Sometimes the engine can't be raised far enough to get all the way out of the slot. Then you need to unbolt the bracket from the block first. It could be hitting any number of places like the trans tunnel or firewall. Maybe the exhaust is holding it back. Just random guesses anyways.

 

[BudW]

The engine mount to block fasteners (nuts/bolts) do not get tightened until after the engine is in the K-frame. The factory used a jig to get the mounts into position before tightening those mount to block fasteners – which is something most of us can not use.
In most cases, the engine mount is not in the correct position so bolt can't go though the hole. Loosening those bolts should allow mount to get into position. Then you need to figure out how to get those mount to block fasteners re-tight. I've had to use a large (to very large) flat blade screwdriver tapped into place, more than a few times (on the inside fastener, which is typically the nut), while using conventional tools on the outer fastener to tighten.

The main bolt, with wings, was designed to stay in place (keep bolt from twisting). One would stick the main bolt about ½ to 1 inch away from mount, so both edges of bolt would fall into the K-frame perches when engine is set onto it, as a helper. A huge help, I will say, over older (or other) styles.

For anyone who has put (Mopar) engine mounts on an engine before dropping it into car, when the mount to block bolts are loose (or sung), you can grab a hold of a mount and move it inwards/outwards about ½ inch (or about 1 inch on both mounts (12.7 mm to 24.5 mm), to allow for production tolerances when car (or K-frame) was made..

As tempting as it is, do not tighten the mount to block bolts until engine is in the car (or on K-frame, for those who install the engine from underneath the car, like I do).
BudW

 

[GamblerSeanAZ]

The engine mount to block fasteners (nuts/bolts) do not get tightened until after the engine is in the K-frame. The factory used a jig to get the mounts into position before tightening those mount to block fasteners – which is something most of us can not use.
In most cases, the engine mount is not in the correct position so bolt can't go though the hole. Loosening those bolts should allow mount to get into position. Then you need to figure out how to get those mount to block fasteners re-tight. I've had to use a large (to very large) flat blade screwdriver tapped into place, more than a few times (on the inside fastener, which is typically the nut), while using conventional tools on the outer fastener to tighten.

The main bolt, with wings, was designed to stay in place (keep bolt from twisting). One would stick the main bolt about ½ to 1 inch away from mount, so both edges of bolt would fall into the K-frame perches when engine is set onto it, as a helper. A huge help, I will say, over older (or other) styles.

For anyone who has put (Mopar) engine mounts on an engine before dropping it into car, when the mount to block bolts are loose (or sung), you can grab a hold of a mount and move it inwards/outwards about ½ inch (or about 1 inch on both mounts (12.7 mm to 24.5 mm), to allow for production tolerances when car (or K-frame) was made..

As tempting as it is, do not tighten the mount to block bolts until engine is in the car (or on K-frame, for those who install the engine from underneath the car, like I do).
BudW

Thanks for the reply. You basically summarized everything that I learned by suffering through the process with no prior knowledge. I invented new curse words throughout that painful debacle Got the motor and trans mounts buttoned up yesterday!

 

[M_Body_Coupe]

Hmm...I will add the following though: if you measure the distance between the eyes of the engine brackets in the K-frame that will allow you to get the matching engine bracket mounting position pretty well established.

I have to say that this is the approach I took in my last install and the one I'm about to take when the stroker is ready to head back into the "bay".

Granted, the big stipulation here is that you are pulling the whole motor and can easily access the brackets in order to measure stuff out.

 

[BudW]

I don't know many people who measure the distance on engine mounts before tearing into an engine (or has another engine nearby with mounts still on it, to measure after the fact).
Now measuring the distance on the existing K-frame is, um, too simple (and, um, something I should have been doing starting decades ago...).
BudW