Yukon Jack or other intelligent people-need advise

[jaros44sr]

I'm about to tackle my crossmember clearance problem. YJ, you said you put washers under your big block to get added clearance. Did you put them on top of the motor mount between the engine or in between the motor mount and the engine brace to crossmember.
I am considering making a 1/4" alum. spacer to go between the motor mount and engine brace(tower), just not sure if this is safe. I plan to get a grade 8 bolt 1/4" longer. Any thoughts, help???
Prothane said it should be the same motor mount and the oil pan has the same shape and size on the front half. Just don't know

[RustyParts]

I would agree with putting the spacers between the motor mount and the engine tower. Would rather deal with one bolt than three and it's out of sight. Wish it would warm up so I can start on mine again, I'm turning into a wuss in my old age.

[jaros44sr]

That's why I asked, exhaust manifold in the way and my fingers don't fit. OK I'll start to make the spacer, I can always stop

My workshop is 70 degrees and no lawn furniture

[jojotonka]

It looks like you already have an aftermarket oil pan?? My Milodon fit without any shimming.




However, because I didn't use any shims, now my headers are way to close to the frame rail. But they have never torqued enough to touch yet.

[Yukon Jack]

Who you calling intelligent! Surely not me

Anyway, here are a few pics of the washer placement that I did.



I did have to grind the passenger side frame a bit for the headers.

This is the passenger side, I used more washers on the passenger side



Here's the driver's side



Be aware that this will make your firewall clearance just a bit worse since your lifting the motor up.

I do believe using the 73-87 engine crossmember gets rid of the oil pan clearance issue.

[Big J]

What about pulling the crossmember out and notching or redoing it all together? I just seen someone notch a crossmember someplace. Didn't look too hard. Notch it and box it. If you use the single aluminum block it'd look sweet if you polished it on the sides! Stainless would be cool too.....

[Yukon Jack]

Yep, if you have access to a welder notching it would be a great solution.

[jaros44sr]

Sorry JoJo, should have mentioned that I have 2 1/2" ramhorns, space seems OK to frame, well 3/4" anyway. I don't think the problem is in the oil pan, seems like they just took a stock oil pan and blew out the sides to turn it into a 7 qt.
In the old days, we would just chain the engine to the frame, awhile back I just missed out on a factory torque cable in the classified, oh well

The oil pan is so close to the rear of the crossmember that you can just get a dollar bill in there. My thought was the Prothane motor mounts are thinner than the stock ones, but I have no way of checking since I threw out my old ones

Thanks for the pics YJ, I was afraid you were going to say that you put the washers there, that looks like a real PITA to get them in there. And yes on the '73 and up crossmember, but if I do that I really wanted to buy the one from ORD, their's looks really trick
Looks like I'll go over to the '73 section and see if I can find one...one step forward, two steps back. Thanks for the input guys

[Big J]

What if you did a bit of forming with the OL' Hammer? You only need a 1/8th to a 1/4". With a dead blow or wooden hammer it shouldn't damage the oil pan. I wouldn't think it would, lol. Might let someone else chime in if you consider this route.... Just a thought.

[jaros44sr]

Originally Posted by Big J

What if you did a bit of forming with the OL' Hammer? You only need a 1/8th to a 1/4". With a dead blow or wooden hammer it shouldn't damage the oil pan. I wouldn't think it would, lol. Might let someone else chime in if you consider this route.... Just a thought.

Have you tried to take an oil pan off yetWhat a PITA, dun it once and that was two many.Lots of stuff has to come off , including the crossmember, but I'm not putting you down for your idea, I need them all. But, I have considered your thought somewhat, I was going to raise the engine and put something between the oil pan and the cross member, letting the wieght of the engine squish it a little. Seems a bit drastic. I hope you haven't taken this the wrong way, as I value your thoughts and time
I was just over on the '73 side and no luck, I'll have to post up a WTB

[Big J]

Originally Posted by jaros44sr

Have you tried to take an oil pan off yetWhat a PITA, dun it once and that was two many.Lots of stuff has to come off , including the crossmember, but I'm not putting you down for your idea, I need them all. But, I have considered your thought somewhat, I was going to raise the engine and put something between the oil pan and the cross member, letting the wieght of the engine squish it a little. Seems a bit drastic. I hope you haven't taken this the wrong way, as I value your thoughts and time
I was just over on the '73 side and no luck, I'll have to post up a WTB

Definitely a pain...... I was thinking mark it in front and back of the crossmember then remove the crossmember and beat the .... out of it, gently, lol........ Talking about the weight of it smashing it a bit.... How about lifting up the motor enough to slide a quarter inch piece of wood in there then let the motor back down to smash against that... Lift it back up, put it in place then see what it looks like. The location you need smashed doesn't look like it would affect anything.....

[jojotonka]

Originally Posted by jaros44sr

My thought was the Prothane motor mounts are thinner than the stock ones, but I have no way of checking since I threw out my old ones

Just a thought, I bought new motor mounts at Advanced Auto. They were only about $10 and they had them in stock up here. If I remember right they were a little thicker than my oil soaked, smushed, worn-out, rotted originals.

[jaros44sr]

Originally Posted by jojotonka

Just a thought, I bought new motor mounts at Advanced Auto. They were only about $10 and they had them in stock up here. If I remember right they were a little thicker than my oil soaked, smushed, worn-out, rotted originals.

I didn't realize they were that cheap, if I buy them at least it will answer part of the problem. Usually when something doesn't work, it's because it is something I did, so I always undo what i did last. My old mounts were in 2 pcs. when I took them off, I thought I was doing my truck some good. but it has been a headache ever since. My engine is hanging from the ceiling, so it won't be to much work...Thank you for your thoughts

[jaros44sr]

Originally Posted by Big J

Definitely a pain...... I was thinking mark it in front and back of the crossmember then remove the crossmember and beat the .... out of it, gently, lol........ Talking about the weight of it smashing it a bit.... How about lifting up the motor enough to slide a quarter inch piece of wood in there then let the motor back down to smash against that... Lift it back up, put it in place then see what it looks like. The location you need smashed doesn't look like it would affect anything.....

BAM, BAM, BAM BAM BAM I'm going to check the thickness of stock mounts before I bring out the BFH. Thanks J.
Dang, should have used multi Quote

[jaros44sr]

Originally Posted by jojotonka

Just a thought, I bought new motor mounts at Advanced Auto. They were only about $10 and they had them in stock up here. If I remember right they were a little thicker than my oil soaked, smushed, worn-out, rotted originals.

Thanks JoJo, I just called AA and they have them in stock for 9.72, both sides are the same, so I can find out if my Prothanes are thinner

[Burt4x4]

73+ crossmember under my 454. The back of the crossmember was almost touching the pan, like real close, credit card close.

Then it cracked so I welded the crack but didn't like the fact it cracked so I did this:
ORD

Still very close but at least is won't crack, much stronger hold for my 454.

More ORD

My 454 does not move at all, the frame/truck twist when I rap the BBC

[jaros44sr]

You are who I thought of when I posted up, I read that old article you had posted from a mag. I think the ORD setup is the only way to go, I'll just get rid of the Prothanes. Thanks for the info. About how much clearance did it give you between the oil pan and ORD crossmember?

[Burt4x4]

I wonder if you ask ORD to make the X-member bow down, about 1/2" more or so, if they would do that for you?? I have been keeping a eye on that small space I have inbetween the Xmember & pan, so far the space has not changed. Nor do I see any eviedence of rubbing or paint transfer. Nice and tight

[jaros44sr]

Originally Posted by Burt4x4

I wonder if you ask ORD to make the X-member bow down, about 1/2" more or so, if they would do that for you?? I have been keeping a eye on that small space I have inbetween the Xmember & pan, so far the space has not changed. Nor do I see any eviedence of rubbing or paint transfer. Nice and tight

Yeah, last time I talked to Kurt?, he said they only made them for the '73 and up. Do they make them specifically for the '72 now or did you work with the '73. Good idea on bending it a little more

[Burt4x4]

Kert Cohoon is DIY4X and he makes a different x-member/engine mount setup. Wich will work also. DIY was not making them at the time I needed one so I ended up getting ORD = Stephen Watson
here is a pic of Kert's

Kert's pricing is better than ORD's.

Here is Kert's engine mounts for $85 and ORD's are like $150 and basicaly the same thing..

The DIY4X might be an eaisier install cuz you don't have to use the frame horns from the 73+ x=member setup like you do with ORD's, ORD's is 73 & up only, I made it work hehee

[jaros44sr]

Thanks for the info, I think I like the DIY better, cheaper$, not quality. That looks like it would be a bear to get between the frame rails( never mind I just saw how it goes)...being a one tube design, might give me more room on the pan as well

[myraley]

Hi guys. I was just wondering if you had gone and installed the DIY4X crossmember. I have a 454 too that is hitting the firewall, but I thought I read somewhere that the DIY4X crossmember only worked on small blocks not big blocks. If it fit for you, I'm going to try it, too. How did it go?

[jaros44sr]

Waiting on CA$H....

[Jtrux]

I had a 396 in my blazer and had zero fitment issues with a stock pan and new motor mounts, firewall was my issue though.

[vtblazer]

Originally Posted by jaros44sr

Waiting on CA....

Read through the thread hoping to find where you had gotten with this issue, now I know.

Is that the x-member your going to install?