Busted motor mount - ruined weekend????

hest_c · September 07, 2018, 11:08 PM

Sharing this story just b/c and to update what others have said on much older posts.

Got our 1970 D24 last week and planned a weekend of camping in the mountains this weekend, first trip out and we were excited. I was driving with my dog (wife and kids following later) and got about half way when I went to make a sharp right turn and the motor mount bolts just snapped clean off. Motor dropped and hit the radiator (thankfully in a very small spot that's fixable) but more than that our weekend is now a bust.

I did find replacement motor mounts at Napa, though, and will confirm tomorrow when I pick them up if they do in fact match with the original. P/N BK 6021115.

Now I need to know how to properly lift the motor so I can replace. Anyone???

Rickf1985 · September 09, 2018, 08:00 PM

Lift the engine with a jack and a 2x6 or 2x8 under the oil pan. Be sure to get the board on the front and sides of the pan so you do not cave in the middle of the pan. Put the board grain across the pan so it does not split from no support in the rear. If you are using a bottle jack or a floor jack with a small post be sure to use extra wood to also keep from splitting the 2x6 or 8. Watch your fan shroud as you go up since the fan will probably hit it, may need to take shroud off. Keep an eye on everything else above the engine as you go up. Also remember that the transmission mount just took a hit also and you should also replace that.

hest_c · September 10, 2018, 12:04 PM

Thanks Rickf1985, I was really starting to wonder at the best way to lift it. I think I'm going to pull the radiator to make access easier all around but if I don't have to wedge a cherry picker in there and can instead jack it up from the floor I'd much rather do that!

Good call on the transmission mount, any idea what the part number might be? I'll dig around the forum and hopefully find it.

Should have the motor mounts Wednesday and working on it this weekend, I'll keep you posted!

Rickf1985 · September 10, 2018, 07:48 PM

My theory on getting an old vehicle ready for the road is first and foremost to replace anything that is made out of rubber. Fuel lines, brakes first off with no question, radiator and heater hoses next in line followed by fan belts.. Rubber degrades over time and trying to get by on 20-40 year old stuff is just asking for trouble. Fuel lines can cause a fire and brake lines........ well, I don't think I have to explain that one. You already found out about the rubber mounts.
So since you are going to pull the radiator get yourself new hoses all around while the antifreeze is out of it. Save yourself the aggravation of doing it on the side of the road somewhere. While you are there grab the fan and see if there is any play in the bearings in the water pump, again, you are there and the coolant is already out of it.

hest_c · September 12, 2018, 12:27 PM

Thanks Rick, good advice! I do plan on updating the motor this winter since the 318 will not serve our purposes in the long haul, but definitely worth the time swapping out any of the rubber. I'm usually with you on changing out all the rubber parts, that's usually my first step with the older cars I buy as well, we just ran out of time on this one, thought I'd be able to sneak up 40 miles in the mountains for a quick weekend before the camper is out of commission while I do all this work! Oh well, such is life, live and learn, right?

hest_c · September 20, 2018, 02:05 PM

Update: Spent last weekend under the rig trying to figure out what happened and how to get the new motor mounts in. After a day of trying to figure out why the motor wouldn't line back up I realized that one of the two PO's used two Driver Side motor mounts instead of buying the proper mirror image motor mounts. The end result is that the passenger side motor mount had to be flipped and put behind the dog ears on the motor and only two bolts are securing it in place. While I'm not a fan of this setup I really only need it to be operational so I could get it off the street and since we are done camping for the winter I'm starting to plan my motor swap, in which I will put the PROPER motor mounts in.

Always fun having to fix issues like this from the PO! Thanks to all who chimed in on how I could lift the motor to do this, thankfully I was able to do it with a few jacks and patience, instead of tearing apart the front end and using a cherry picker.

Rickf1985 · September 20, 2018, 03:43 PM

Interesting, I am surprised it even fit on the block.

hest_c · September 25, 2018, 03:51 PM

It wasn't pretty and I'm almost ashamed to have put it back that way but I really needed to get it off the street!

tmsnyder · September 25, 2018, 07:28 PM

motor mount bolted on upside down? Is that why it tore?

hest_c · October 01, 2018, 01:51 PM

tmsnyder, I'm assuming that between the age of the motor mount (not original but definitely been on there for some time) and the fact that it was flipped and missing one bolt is what led at least the pax side to fail, for sure. I've got it rigged so I can at least move it for now but don't plan on driving her anywhere until I can get the new motor sourced and installed. Always an adventure!