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ENGINE INSTALL PROBLEM

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Frankb

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Attempted to install engine in 68 Charger today and had problems. 400 block with Schumacker poly lock mounts. 440 Source engine mount bracket kit. Installing engine with hoist from top. Engine only not engine and trans. No matter what I did I could not get driver side and passenger side engine mount attach bolts installed. The engine was sitting properly in the K member (factory K member never removed from car) but I could only get one side at a time, driver or passenger, bolt to go through. Never both. And just getting one side done was a challenge.

First pic is getting everything ready. Pic 2 is passenger side looking from front of car. Pic 3 is same side except looking at aft end of mount. In pic 2 there is about ½ of hole lined up. Hard to see but in pic 3 but nothing lines up where in the front at least ½ lines up. Your thoughts?

1.jpg 2.jpg 3.jpg
 
In your second picture it looks like there is a slight slant on the engine mount on the Kmember. Not saying thats your issue but it looks like if it were straight up and down the hole would line up. Is it possible that its bent to the right some?
 
Try slackening the bolts holding the brackets to the block - you will need a little wiggle room to align the brackets and mount all at the same time.

A PITA, but sometimes that's what has to happen.
 
Need better pictures of the block mounting brackets. They do need to go on their right side for proper alignment. Also bolts go in from the front on both sides. I think!
 
When I did my motor swap last time I had the brackets on the wrong side of the ears on the block side. It was slightly off and was hard to see. The correct way to install should be the brackets bolted closer to the trans. Just a thought.
 
kiwigtx said:
Try slackening the bolts holding the brackets to the block - you will need a little wiggle room to align the brackets and mount all at the same time.

A PITA, but sometimes that's what has to happen.
Click to expand...
Did that. No joy
 
mopar 3 B said:
Need better pictures of the block mounting brackets. They do need to go on their right side for proper alignment. Also bolts go in from the front on both sides. I think!
Click to expand...

Drivers mount through bolt goes in from the rear..
 
mopar 3 B said:
Need better pictures of the block mounting brackets. They do need to go on their right side for proper alignment. Also bolts go in from the front on both sides. I think!
Click to expand...
I'll look at that but I think one bolt is forward and one aft. Thanks
 
BeepBeepRR said:
In your second picture it looks like there is a slight slant on the engine mount on the Kmember. Not saying thats your issue but it looks like if it were straight up and down the hole would line up. Is it possible that its bent to the right some?
Click to expand...
I put the engine back on the engine stand and inspected the mounts. Visual inspection says no defects. I'm thinking maybe somehow the the interior of the brackets are not right??
 
Zeppelin264 said:
When I did my motor swap last time I had the brackets on the wrong side of the ears on the block side. It was slightly off and was hard to see. The correct way to install should be the brackets bolted closer to the trans. Just a thought.
Click to expand...
Tnanks
 
BeepBeepRR said:
In your second picture it looks like there is a slight slant on the engine mount on the Kmember. Not saying thats your issue but it looks like if it were straight up and down the hole would line up. Is it possible that its bent to the right some?
Click to expand...
Thats because I loosened the nut holding the poly mount to the bracket. I did this because the front and rear holes were not lining up - I mean not even close. I was hoping to get a little better alignment. Didn't work
 
Frankb said:
Thats because I loosened the nut holding the poly mount to the bracket. I did this because the front and rear holes were not lining up - I mean not even close. I was hoping to get a little better alignment. Didn't work
Click to expand...
This is what I meant. I can't really tell from the picture but it looks to be slanted inwards. I can be totally wrong here.. But it looks like if it were straight up and down the holes would line up.
2.jpg
 
BeepBeepRR said:
This is what I meant. I can't really tell from the picture but it looks to be slanted inwards. I can be totally wrong here.. But it looks like if it were straight up and down the holes would line up.
View attachment 1016176
Click to expand...
Yeah I see that. I'll take closer look. I was able to get the front holes pretty much lined up using the hoist and a jack on the back of the engine but with the front hole lined up the back hole was completely un-lined up. Never had an issue like this before
 
Loosen all the mounting bolts, set engine back on the mounting pads. This should get it installed, then tighten all the mounting bolts.
 
Using a long, beefy screwdriver or punch, slide it in the hole and lever the engine around until the tool will go through both holes. As was said, with all bolts loose...
 
Yes on the 'leave everything loose' method.
But! Because aftermarket ....
Take the mounts off the engine and make sure they fit all the way down on the K-frame by themselves first. Sometimes they don't sit quite right and you have to grind on them, just a bit for clearance.
If they go all the way on, you at least know they're okay.
 
They do fit great, but never tighten engine/isolators until the engine is sitting on the k-frame. Once settled in, tighten everything up and your good.
 
5.7 hemi said:
They do fit great, but never tighten engine/isolators until the engine is sitting on the k-frame. Once settled in, tighten everything up and your good.
Click to expand...

Huh? I've installed hundreds of engines & I've never had to do that... If you do have to do that you better figure out what is wrong cause when you tighten the bolts something is gonna be in a bind...
 
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