I just tried dropping in my motor, and it doesn't seem to be fitting right. I've got a bolt going through the passenger mount already, but the driver's mount doesn't seem to want to get completely over the rubber. There appears to be nothing stuck, except for the passenger header which is completely lodged against some big black box. I might have switched the mounts, but aren't they exactly the same? That's the only thing i can think of.... I've got a hoist on the engine and jacks under the tranny and rear, but i still can't seem to manuever the mount where it should be or the header away from that box. Have any of you had similar problems? O yeah, I'm using edelbrock shorties.

 

If nothing else, can anyone say whether the two motor mounts are the same???

 

what big black box??? When I dropped my engine in, I had to loosen the engine to motor mount bracket to get the bolt thru, then retighten bracket.

 

I'm thinking it's the heater box, and the header actually is pressing up against it as much as I originally thought. Nevertheless, I still can't get to the throughbolt.

 

I've got both headers off, and i can't manage to get either mount bracket over the mount. Any ideas? I'm gettin desperate.

 

who else is helping you w/this?

 

My dad, who's been swapping motors since the 60's. It's insane, i'm doing everything i should be, and yet it still won't go.

 

A trick I have to do sometimes is, seriously, climb in the bay and on top of your motor. And jump up and down a few times. well, do this if you still have stock or rusty valve covers and not trying to have a "pretty" job lol.

I just did this in my truck and it works lol. But it was a last resort.

Or another way, less violent lol, is to get a punch or alignment tool to run through the bolt holes. you'll need to use one with kind of a point and is about 1/2 the size of the mount bolt. Use it to find the hole in the frame mount and try to get it started. Then get a big f'n hammer and a few feet of 2x4. set the 2x4 on the engine side mount and smack the other ind with the hammer. While you do that, keep working the alignment tool until it goes through to the other side.

Another option is if you get 1 bolt in, raise the motor a bit and let it drop in. It should slide over the frame mount or get pretty close to do the option above.

Also, if your trans isn't mounted yet, you might have to kick the tailshaft to the left or right to get the mounts to line up.

I've had to do one or all of these in many swaps with no damage, just time.

 

jump up & down on it huh? I'm gladyou didn't help me w/my swap then

 

But it worked lol. That's all I cared about lol. I didn't damage anything, so it's all good. But since I had to yank the motor back out to rebuild it, I'll have to do it all over again, lol. Hopefully I'll only need to use the alignment tool.

 

Well, both headers and dipstick removed, it fell right in to place. How hard is it to get both headers back on? I know I'm going to probably have to jack it back up a little bit.

 

I cant friggin believe this. You tried to install the motor with the headers on ? If You do it properly, it just drops in. The headers bolt on without any jacking and crap like that.

 

Darn the other thirdgenners that steered me wrong What can i say, didn't look like they were touching......

 

Here is how it goes: First You put the headers in (especially if You have long tubes) You position them in their respective places and support them with some wire., so they stay put in their place.
Then, You put the motor in, I like to do it with the trans on, but some might like otherwise, doesnt really matter. Once the motor is in, You bolt it to the mounts. Then, You just unty the headers and bolt them to the heads. Thats it. If it doesnt go like that, something is messed up.

 

Why not, the last two times I put an engine in a thirdgen, I installed it with the headers on? It went right into place, without any of these issues.

That does work, but if you were to drop the engine a few inches unexpectadly, bye bye headers. Much better to either install them on the engine first, or install them after.