Motor mount and engine mount just wont line up

[kurider]

Im installing an Ls1 into a 67 camaro. Im using trans dapt motor mounts which I havent heard anyone talk about which isnt good. But getting back to my problem, I can't get the motor mount to slide down enough on the engine mount to stick the bolt through. I can get one side of the bolt through but the other side is just way off. Everything looks good too, trans is up in the tunnell all the way. Here are some pics

http://s186.photobucket.com/albums/x...t=IMG_1822.jpg

http://s186.photobucket.com/albums/x...t=IMG_1819.jpg

http://i186.photobucket.com/albums/x...r/IMG_1814.jpg

[DCx]

i was using some energy mounts and they fit on the frame stands perfect! but they were causing a ton of other problems because they were 1/4 inch shorter than the stock rubber pieces with no weight on them. so i switched back to the stock rubber mounts and my oil pan to frame and alternator clearance got better.

i also had the problem of only one motor mount fitting like you have there. i used screw drivers and all sorts efforts to get that mount to fit. i dont think mine was as bad as yours. my mount fit but it was covering half of the frame stand hole. i ended up lifting up the engine and boring out the frame stand hole a tiny bit with a 1/2 drill bit. after that i hammered the motor mount bolt in. it went 3/4 of the way but would not exit the other side of the rubber mount. i got mad and then ran a 7/16 drill bit in there, it didnt take much it just elongated the rubber mounts hole a bit. then i hammered the bolt in again. that solved the mount issue.

i have a set of trans dapt plates. i didnt use them because the holes on both of them were just a tiny tiny hair off. im pretty sure all i needed to do was clean then up a bit with a drill but i ordered carshop mounts instead. as far as i know, the transdapt, s&p, and carshop are all the same 1/4 plate with the same mount locations.

i installed the drivers mount bolt first, and messaged the passenger side. i did my mount swapping with the headers still attached. what a pain in the ass. i had to lift the engine higher than the frame stands and pull it forward so i could attach the rubber mounts lower bolt while trying to keep the t56s tail shaft on the crossmember. not a fun one man job. unlike the energy mounts the stockers have an interlocking structure that shields the lower bolt hole, makes it hard to get a socket in there.

ok im rambling now...

[DCx]

where in california are you? i live in san bernardino/highland

[kurider]

Im near Palmdale, CA. Thanks for the info. After looking at the spacing from the back Im sure these adapter plates are the same as you stated. It is definitely tough to try and get the motor in by yourself, I've done it on many occasions and it's no fun. My last resort was drilling the motor mount, but just wanted to check to see if there was a different route I can try before drilling. THanks for the response DCX.

[Rybar]

The S&P plates are actually thicker metal if I am correct. This may be the root of your problems. I used S&P plates with energy mounts WITHOUT the preload plates to fit into my car. Maybe that's something you guys should look into.

[Patrick]

The S&P plates are actually thicker metal if I am correct. This may be the root of your problems. I used S&P plates with energy mounts WITHOUT the preload plates to fit into my car. Maybe that's something you guys should look into.

Ditto---I was having the same problem and after an email to Rybar....I ditched the preload plates and it bolted right up.

[kurider]

Im contemplating on switching to the ATS mount plates.

[streetk14]

I just bolted in my motor after a front subframe swap, and I had to wrestle it into position. I have S&P mounts and I used stock replacement rubber mounts.

I had roughly the same problem as you, the passenger side dropped in perfectly but the driver side was sitting too high and the bolt holes would not line up. I tried lifting the motor and positioning it differently, but that was not working. It took some convincing with a prybar and screwdriver and a buddy helping to get the bolt in while I wedged it into position. It would have been tough by myself.

Andy

[kurider]

Im going to give it another shot. Thanks for all the help

[jannes_z-28]

For the Camaro there are a few variations on the engine stands (the ones that bolts to the subframe)

I had the same trouble with mine when I had the Bigblock stands, changing stands and motorpads to Z/28 parts it just fitted like it came from the factory. I made the plate myself and they use the bottomhole in the pad to bolt in to the block. Plate is 3/8" thick.

Some of the adapterplates has the pad offseted to the front (putting the engine to the back in the car) and slightly up.

In the GM instructions for LS1 conversions they have a diagram of how the adapter should be configured if you want the backplane in the same location as an smallblock. I think that the Hookerplates are done per the GM specs.


Jan

[kurider]

Don't the hookers require the tunnel to be modified?

[Phillip_L]

Sorry this reply is so late.

I had the same problem on my install. I ended up selling the S&P mounts and buying ATS mounts. I was not comfortable running without preload plates on the Energy Mounts. If figure they have to be there for some reason. You ditch the plates on the ATS mounts also, but the ATS plates have a grove in them to act as the preload plate.

[bigtyme1]

Can some body explain what a pre load plate is?