Somebody please help me...don't know what else to do.

[GS450-Junkie]

Well...thought I could change out my bad motor mounts myself but after 6+ hours I'm ready to sell this piece of shit. Driver's side goes in fine, passenger mount always seems to be 1" off. The holes just won't line up no matter what I try. Jack the engine, don't jack the engine. Pull the mount, push the mount. What am I doing wrong ?!!? I've jacked the engine up so friggin high I'm liable to do damage.... but the mount just won't clear the oil pan so I can pull it down far enough to line the holes up to where it needs to be. It's in line with the engine, but sitting too high up on the frame. I swear I don't want to own this car anymore....too much work, never get to drive it. :mecry: An old muscle car is looking pretty good right now.

[rddmc]

Walk away from it and take a break for a while. I'm sorry that I have no knowledge about how to help you but you can be sure that someone on this list will give you the advice needed and you will be able to finish the task. One of the best things about DeLorean ownership is the willingness of capable owners and vendors to come to the aid of those in need. Let it rest and wait for someone to walk you through a solution. Good luck.

Rod
10921

[Bitsyncmaster]

I've never done it but try loosening up the bolts on the drivers side and you may get more movement of the engine to get the passenger side on. Then tighten the bolts after both have the bolts started.

[Ozzie]

Definitely walk away for a while, or just resume it tomorrow.

I helped a local owner do theirs, and I re-did mine recently. Some things I recall done, to get them in:
- First, check that are you putting them in correctly. I can't tell from my picture how, but I know that was the issue the person that I was helping had.
- Second you can't tighten the pivot bolt on one side only, you have to leave the first side that you put in very loose, in order to "thread the needle" on the other side.
- Third, do NOT tighten the brackets to the frame, until you put in both pivot bolts. Start the frame bolts into the bracket, and make sure enough threads are in, but do not tighten them yet.

Doing above, I recall jacking the engine and using the jack to move the engine not only up but side to side (lil' bit) to get the correct alignment. Then after both pivots are in, then I tightened the frame mounts first, then I let the engine drop (slowly of course) into the pivot cradle on it's own weight, then and only then did I tightened the pivot blots.

Good luck. Stick with it, muscle cars are overrated.

http://dmctalk.org/attachment.php?attachmentid=3240&d=1312674245

Note/disclaimer: I had a lot of access because I happened to have the the Stage 1 headers out, but I hear that you don't have to remove the stock headers to change the mounts.

[ramblinmike]

Pictures would REALLY help in this situation. It went together before and it will again. I would keep everything slightly loose until the engine is seated in the cradle. That way you have some play available to move things where they need to go.

Good luck.

[GS450-Junkie]

First thing....my pivot bolts never came out. I assumed they would slide right out or tap out with a hammer. But after destroying my rubber mallet, and then switching to a steel hammer I had to quit after banging so hard because they were just not budging. So...I figured on leaving them in there and just re-use them because afterall the threads were still good. The mount on the left side is completely loose, I only started the bolts to make sure I wouldn't lose the position. The engine is high enough so that the pivot bolts clear the mounts completely. I kind of figured that the engine must be going "up" kinda sideways and I considered trying to jack it up more side to side- to the left to give me room to work with...but honestly I didn't know how high or far I could jack it up before I wrecked something. At one point the rear wheels left the ramps they are on. I can tell by your picture that my mounts are in correctly. I have never met a more frustrating car in my life....yet I keep going back out there ! :biggrin:

Using your picture.... currently this is where my bolt holes are compared to the bolts in the mount. And that is in all possible best positions. It actually gets worse when you play around with other factors. I'm feeling confident about pulling the motor extreme left to get it in. Let me tell you though...all that creaking and moaning and groaning makes me nervous. I did push the clutch in when I jacked it up. Next time I'll have a helper....

[Ashyukun]

My pivot bolts/studs never came out either when I replaced mine about 3 weeks ago. I'd asked over on DMCHelp about doing them, and Dave from Mid-West had recommended that if they didn't just slide out easily to not force it since it was just as likely to damage something.

He also recommended taking the new mounts and attacking the holes for the bolts that go into the frame with a Dremel or other grinder to open them up- they're really tight and it is hard to thread the bolts into the frame with the tight holes they come with, but opening them up a bit helped a lot. So did using slightly longer bolts than the ones that the original mounts had used. I replaced them one side at a time by jacking the engine up with a wood block and jack under the oil pan and just letting the engine pivot on the bolt on the other side.

[David T]

You may have to loosen all of the mounts till you can get them all started and then tighten them up. Make sure you are installing the mounts in the correct position and the correct orientation. It may help to run a tap into the frame holes to make sure you didn't mess up the threads. Refer to 1-1-0 in the parts manual.
David Teitelbaum

[GS450-Junkie]

Crisis averted..... after another 2 hours of fighting it this evening, I finally figured out the problem. I'm installing a stage 1 exhaust system and turns out the cat on the driver's side was touching the frame just enough when I jacked up the engine.... it was causing the engine to go up crooked ever so slightly. It was just enough to mess everything up (sounds simple...but barely even noticable...in fact I couldn't see where it was hitting...I could only feel that it was somewhat tight on that side.) I took the cats off...leaving only the headers installed and it jacked up a lot nicer. Even after that tho....it was still kinda difficult and somewhat of a bastard. I think the Valley of Death was easier.... :facepalm: So...lesson be learned. Your exhaust system may screw up your plans for engine mount replacement. Wow....

[ramblinmike]

It's amazing how often something so simple can mess things up. Congrats. I'm glad it's done.

[TTait]

Good to hear it...

[Farrar]

So...lesson be learned. Your exhaust system may screw up your plans for engine mount replacement.

Same thing goes with the starter. I have Stage I and if I ever have to replace the starter, the header will have to come off.

Glad you got the mounts on!

Farrar

[DMCMW Dave]

That's interesting - we've changed mounts a bunch of times, but anytime we did it on a Stage 1 or 2 car we did the mounts before putting on the exhaust. You must not have mentioned that in the PMs, in fact I would have bet that the mount isn't even all that accessible with the exhaust in place.

[GS450-Junkie]

in fact I would have bet that the mount isn't even all that accessible with the exhaust in place.

Actually...it's not bad with just the headers on. You really have to have patience though as you turn in the bolts with an open ended wrench as the bolt head turns 1/20th at a time. And no... a ratchet wrench won't work. Believe me I tried.

[DMCMW Dave]

Hope you didn't forget the ground strap. . . . :what_the:

[GS450-Junkie]

ground strap goes from engine mount to pivot bolt to engine correct ?

[TTait]

Same thing goes with the starter. I have Stage I and if I ever have to replace the starter, the header will have to come off.

Glad you got the mounts on!

Farrar

Not meaning to hijack, but...

If you do find yourself in that situation, look at the starter for the Eagle Premier, its a good bit smaller. Not sure if its small enough to access around that exhaust, but its worth looking at. Great starter either way.