Motor mount issues!

[Jarcaines]

Okay, so I think I really messed up here. I wanted to remove my old motor mounts and replace them with poly mounts from energy suspension. So, I started by jacking up the engine slightly, unbolting the motor to frame stand bolts, and then realized the single bolt on the bottom side of the motor mount on the old mounts was impossible to get to . At this point I decided it would be better to remove the frame stands and slide them out to get to the bolt. So, I went ahead and unbolted one of the frame stands, got the old mount off, bolted the new mount on, and went to re-install the frame stand....

So, my issue is, the two bolts on the higher side of the frame stand are impossible to get into the holes in the cross member. There are small access holes, and I am not exactly a big person, but there was no way I was coming even close. I tried with needle nose pliers and everything and I can't for the life of me get the bolts even close to the holes.

Has anyone run into this situation before? Any ideas what I can do? I am in a panic right now, I need to get my motor off the jack and I haven't even done the other side of the block yet. Any ideas what I should have done so I can do it on the other side?



Thanks in advance.

-J.R.

[b-man]

The last time I was installing the frame stands on my Tempest the engine was out of the car. I had to drill new holes for the Chevelle stands I bought for my LS3 conversion.

The bolts went in from the top side but getting the nuts on the inside of the crossmember was a bit of a challenge.

I ended up using some non-hardening 3M strip caulk used to seal up various things on the body of a car to stick the nuts onto both a box end wrench and an open end wrench.

The nuts and washers I needed to get in there stayed on the wrench, the wrench came off the nut easily after it was tight.

The strip caulk has the consistency of modeling clay, just a lot stickier.

Maybe you could use some of this stuff on the end of whatever appropriate tool to get your bolts in place.

Good luck.

[Jarcaines]

Thanks Bart, I will give that a try. I think I am going to reverse the bolts so the nut is on the bottom, is that going to cause an problem? Seems like the only way I can make it work. I did stick my wrench in there, and if I could get a nut to stay in the wrench, I think it will work.

[b-man]

Thanks Bart, I will give that a try. I think I am going to reverse the bolts so the nut is on the bottom, is that going to cause an problem? Seems like the only way I can make it work. I did stick my wrench in there, and if I could get a nut to stay in the wrench, I think it will work.

The bolt won't ever know the difference.

In my case the bolts absolutely had to go in from the top, there was some inner structure in the way with the new Chevelle stand hole location that wasn't an issue with the old Pontiac stands.

Do whatever works best to get things together.

The strip caulk made a seemingly impossible task much easier.

[MrQuick]

You should have the nuts on top so you can see if they are loose.

I made a bolt feeder out of a section of .028 in thin stainless wire.
Grab a bolt and wind the wire around the lower section of the bolt threads 4-5 turns.
Now feed the other end of the wire up through the frame and out the motor mount hole.
Once it is up through the hole you can hold the bolt with a small driver blade, unwind the wire, drop on a lock washer then spin the nut on.
Once they are all started you can use a swivel socket and extension to hold the bolt and tighten the nuts.

[Jarcaines]

Mr. Quick, I had a similar thought last night, I tied a string to the bolt and fished that through the hole, I pulled the bolt up next to the hole with the string, but I couldn't, for the life of me, get the bolt up into the hole. You guys are giving me new ideas for sure though, Thanks.

[Jarcaines]

Okay, problem 1 solved. I got the bolts back in there, nut on top! I ended up using a 1/4 drive and a swivel socket I think the holes in the cross member where made just for that, it worked great.

I ran across another issue though. Now that I have the mounts bolted in, I can't get the through bolt that connects the mounts to the frame to fit. The holes won't line up for the life of me. They are close, but not close enough to get the bolt in on either side. It seems like the motor is sitting to high to bolt in, even after taking in completely off the jack. Any thing that might be causing this?

[Vegas69]

Extendable magnet is the trick.

[MrQuick]

Okay, problem 1 solved. I got the bolts back in there, nut on top! I ended up using a 1/4 drive and a swivel socket I think the holes in the cross member where made just for that, it worked great.

I ran across another issue though. Now that I have the mounts bolted in, I can't get the through bolt that connects the mounts to the frame to fit. The holes won't line up for the life of me. They are close, but not close enough to get the bolt in on either side. It seems like the motor is sitting to high to bolt in, even after taking in completely off the jack. Any thing that might be causing this?

ahhh these suck. Try leaving the bolts to the engine loose then tighten them with an open end wrench when you get the through bolt in. I know, its a pita sometimes.

[Jarcaines]

Good thinking!, I will give that a try tonight.

I did not think this would be a three night process, but I guess nothing is ever as easy as it seems like it should be with these things. I haven't even looked at the trans. mount yet.

[Vegas69]

ahhh these suck. Try leaving the bolts to the engine loose then tighten them with an open end wrench when you get the through bolt in. I know, its a pita sometimes.

Yep...I do the same thing. Let the engine slide down as low as possible and snug them all up.