John Lee's Front and Rear I6 Motor Mount Replacement

[Sharps40]

Front motor mounts gotta go...this is the PS side, it used to be the DS side but was swapped over during the engine rebuild cause of the exhaust heat damage to it. You'll see later, its a big fail.



New front mounts at Oreillies, $6.99 each, Made in America, finally, an American made part. Only $2.99 from Rock Auto but $40eleven to ship and a 27 year wait...so, Orellies it is.



Here one of the original mounts on top of the new mounts. Holes line up but some differences down near the block...that underside hidden screw is gonna be a booger. Guess I'll pull the stands to, do partial assembly on the bench, tightening only the hiden screw and then rebolt it in as an assembly...top of the block and working my way down as I ease the engine back down on to the stands.



Don't need to shim the engine up much...just loosen all the stand and block bolts and shim it up about 1/8" inch or so. Here I've shoved in onea the new mounts to show, not to high, don't need to raise it much at all.



I pulled the entire drivers side stand and assembly and now reinstalling the new mount to the engine bracket. The only screw I'll tighten before installation is the bottom hiden screw in the U-groove...everything else is loose so I can wiggle all the parts, drop in screws, finger tight nuts and slowely bring the engine down while makeing sure nothing is bound. It was pretty bound/out of alighment when I loosened up the bolts. Had to drive a couple out and the stands sprung back.



Heres the completed assmebly, only the hidden bolt tightened, ready to drop back onto the frame and crossmember.



Engine weight still supported, tighten up bolts to block. Then tighten bolts from mount to stand. Ease the engine down, make sure the stand bolts are not bound in the frame and cross member then tighten them a bit with some weight. A bit more with some more weight. Final tighten the stand to frame/cross member bolts when the engine is fully down. (Don't forget to snug up the big bolt that comes up thru the stand into the bottom of the new rubber mount)

[Sharps40]

Looking up at the new DS engine mount from underneath. It'll rot faster than the PS side caussa the exhaust heat. But cheap, easy to replace, if yer a contortionist and it'll last more than 10 years anyway.



The PS Side mount and stand...not well aligned at all. There are slots in the frame and crossmember to allow for wiggle but this is silly, its very simple to get these together in a relatively straight line unless yer frame is all bent up. This one ain't bent and I intend to straighten out the layup.



The PS Side mount out and on the bench...this one used to be the DS side mount, see the heat damage from the exhaust?



A better look at that heat damaged motor mount. It should been replaced long ago. It has in fact failed. No way it was doin its job isolatin the motor from the frame. Just a matter of a hard turn or two before it tore and lifted off the stand.



Ah lovely. New mount assembled and back on the PS side, all nice and straight and stuff. Looks good. Truck ride tomorrow for sure!



Incidently, its running great. Long ride Sat AM is to check mileage and get a feel for running from 60 to 65 mph for a long run. I need a radio, its lonely in there listening to the tranney whine!

[Sharps40]

Rear upper and lower mounts are in. Old ones were okay but very soft and oil soaked. New ones are firm and
looking good. About as much of a PITA as the front mounts. Not a perfect match for the originals but the fit is
good. Just had to chamfer an alignment hole in each upper mount to guide the pin on the bell housing into place
as the motor came down to rest on the mounts. Once everything was aligned, the bolts slipped in and the new
mounts snugged up solid and secure. Should be good for another 49 years.

Old PS side upper and lower. Release the tang that keeps the bolt from turning.



Back out the bolt, this side is easy....no exhaust in the way.



DS is tight but enough to break loose the bolt and get it out with an open end wrench.



I jacked up the back end to get about 3/8 to 1/2 inch clearance to remove the upper saddle mounts.



The old and the new side by side.



Remove the spacer from the old lower doughnut.



Put the spacer in the new lower doughnut



This pin fits into a matching recess in the top of the new saddle. It helped a lot to chamfer the hole in the upper
saddle with a larger drill to help guide the engine into place as I lowered and wiggled and cussed it into alignment.



The rubber flange on the upper saddle fits snugly into the hole in the cross member.



Installing the lower doughnuts and their lock washer/tabs to retain the bolt.



It also helped to start one bolt in and continue to raise/lower the assembly to line up and start the other side.
A buncha fiddling and cussin as the alignment is not perfect until the engine is on the saddle and then you can't
bend/wiggle/reposition much. Just keep hollerin and eventually the bolts will go in to the bell housing.

Driver side....a tough fit...elevation is barely enough to slip the saddle in with the PS side bolt just started
into the bell housing. But its in, cussed into alignment and snugged into place with the lower doughnut and the
bolt keeper.



All done, I'm happy!