dath

Well, I'm getting very close to having my new engine all mounted up, but I ran into a couple of snags... Turns out that taking an engine out seems easier than putting one in... Anyhow, I have two issues that I'm running into (I finally gave up last night around 1am)... Firstly, I tried two different techniques to get the motor mounts and transmission to both align. First, I tried bolting the motor mounts to the engine and then dropping everything in. That seemed quite futile, so I decided it would be best to put the motor mounts on the frame and drop the engine in that way. Now I'm at the point where the trans is bolted to the engine, but I'm having trouble getting the motor mounts to align with the holes in the block. Any suggestions? Is there a different way to do this? Maybe I'll have better luck when I try this again.

Also, I got new ARP flexplate bolts with a 7/16 diameter (seems to be the only choice for Chevrolet on Summit's site) and they do not fit through the holes in my summit 400 sfi flexplate, but they do fit through the tabs on my torque converter. I compared them to the old bolts (which were not for a tab style converter) and the new ones are fatter... Do I just try to thread them through the flexplate, or am I missing something?

Kind Regards,
-dath

tshort

dath - Mine was a little tricky dropping too. What I did (using myself and 2 others) was drop engine and transmission in. Loosely bolt up the trans. With engine mounts already mounted to block, slide bolt thru driver side mount and frame. Now go to passenger side. It took me pushing on the engine from below, my dad from above and a friend sliding the bolt through using a screwdriver on the other side to help line it up. This was with poly mounts which won't flex like the rubber ones.
It just takes a while and a few four letter words and you'll get it.


[Modified by tshort, 1:59 PM 8/4/2003]

MasterDave

Motor mounts on engine, fuel pump off. Will drop right in.

Crash Dummy

Don't think I can help. I left the tranny in my vette and only pulled the engine. I... like Travis... used the poly motor mounts and did have some problems with the passenger side lining up. And getting the tranny case(bellhousing) lined up to the pegs on the back of the engine took a few cuss words, but my main problem was that the tranny had shifted while going out to get other work done on the vette while the motor was out.

I agree... leave the fuel pump out. Hopefully you have a jack under the tranny to get it level with the engine and a engine weight distribution set-up on the hoist as it sure makes shifting weight(tilt) forward or backwards to get everything aligned.

Stewart's74

:iagree:
As for the flexplate, the bolt holes are not threaded. Stock converters, had nuts welded to them. I am assuming this was to make life on the assembly line easier. With an aftermarket converter you may have to get new grade 8 nuts and bolts, I did.

dath

tshort: I'll see what I can do to get it lined up by pushing from below. I hadn't really tried pushing from below on the engine, just the motor mount itself... I also am using poly mounts...

bgrice: I left the tranny in as well. it's just a major pita to get the mounts to line up. We tried for at least two hours with the mounts on the block and were not able to get everything to line up. The mounts would end up resting on top of the mounting point rather than over it. Or I could get one mount to go on, but then the trans wasn't lined up anymore... Major PITA.

How about the flexplate to torque converter bolts? Any clue why they don't fit through the flexplate?

dath

Yeah, I did get new bolts and nuts... That's what I'm saying, they are new, but do not fit as they are larger around than the old ones... I would get smaller bolts, but the ARP bolts that Summit sells all say they are 7/16th for GM. Something seems very fishy to me. I think I'll measure the bolts when I get home to make sure they are really 7/16ths... They do however fit through the flange on the new torque converter just fine. Very strange.

Stewart's74

Just go to a fastener store and get some new grade 8's that fit.

dath

You think that's a good solution? I was wondering about that, but it seemed like the ARP bolts were so nice and they are rated for 190,000 PSI, so I figured they're probably strong enough:D

Crash Dummy

Do you have your old bolts to try? Maybe you got sent the wrong ones.

dath

That's what I'm wondering. I was too tired last night by the time I crawled out from under the car to measure the new bolts, but they are definitely larger in diameter than the old ones when compared side-to-side. The old bolts will not work for the new setup with a slightly thicker flex plate and a new torque converter with tabs instead of the stock style mounting doodads. I need longer bolts with washers and nuts...

joshs78sleeper

When I pulled the motor and tranny...we bolted them both up outside the car. Then when we put them back in, we just jacked up the tranny untill we could get the engine to line up.

dath

Thanks for all of the help! It turned out to be fairly easy to get the motor mounts to line up with the three holes in the block by just loosening the bolts to the transmission until things lined up on one side. The other side I loosened until the bottom bolt lined up and then used that as a pivot point to pry the top of the mount into alignment.

As for the flexplate bolts, they appear to be the 7/16th bolts that I ordered, so I think I'll call Summit and ask them what gives with the bolts being specified for GM use (all of the ones they have for GM use are 7/16th) and not fitting their flexplate. I think I'll also see if they will clear my old flexplate. So how about those grade 8 bolts from the local parts store? Should I go that route, or are they not stout enough?