uberFoo

I've searched. Searched high and low, but I can't seem to find anything applicable...

I'm putting new mounts in my 86 951 and I can't get them to fit right. I loosely installed the mounts in the crossmember and can get one side attached but the other side won't line up with the mount. It is way off. Is this normal?

I also tried to put the mounts on the engine first and then insert them into the crossmember but this doesn't work either.

I've also tucked the mount rubber into the crossmember and tried to install it that way, but it just won't line up with the engine supports.

Any hints or tips? I didn't think it should be difficult like this - I mean shouldn't it all just line up!?!?!

TIA.

Ski

Is the car level and on jack stands or are you jacking up one side and then the other? Anyway, you may need a pry bar to push the engine around...they will move you a bit.

uberFoo

Yes, it is level on jack stands. I did the oil pan gasket/rod bearings. In fact I'm replacing a lot on the car. The infamous 'while I'm in there syndrome'. Sheesh - I just want to get it back together. I haven't driven it in so long I have dreams about driving...

Anyway, I'm not sure that prying the engine about will help at all. I mean, the engine braces that the mounts connect to are solidly afixed to the block. I'm pretty sure that I'll need to pry the engine about to get the crossmember back on the chasis though.

Ski

so you have the crossmember off and your trying to put the mounts on?

uberFoo

Yup - crossmember is totally removed.

Ski

So what's supporting the engine? Whatever it is, I bet it's cocked over.

uberFoo

The engine is hanging from some chains wrapped around some 4x4's above.

The problem is that the mounts, in the crossmember don't properly line up with the struts coming off the block. I don't see how a cocked engine is going to cause that to happen. I can see how the engine being cocked will not allow the crossmember to align with the chasis though.

I guess I should just pry the motor mounts over until they line up with the engine? And then maneuver the engine until the crossmember lines up with the chasis? I'm just worried about huring the motor mounts - they aren't cheap you know.

Ski

The engine has NOTHING to do with mounting the crossmember and actually from the statement you just made you have everything backwards. The crossmember is held in by 4 bolts, that's it, and it doesn't move and there isnt much tolerance there either. The motor mounts have fluid in them - they move - the engine is capable of moving -.

Your crossmember is hanging on what, the suspension? The engine is hanging on a chain that you tried to get straight, the torque tube goes to the tranny, which has a rubber mount...put the crossmember in then do your mounts. if you still don't believe...get under the car, put your feet and tranny and push; watch what happens up front.

For future reference - you can take the passenger side motor mount loose, undo the exhaust manifolds completely, take a pry bar or a jack under the oil pan and jack the engine over enough to remove the manifolds out the top. You just move the whole engine assembly and did nothing to the crossmember.

uberFoo

Hmmm... You aren't understanding me. I do understand how it works.

I'm not trying to attach the crossmember to the chasis. I'm trying to attach the mounts to the engine and they don't line up: I've got the motor mounts attached to the crossmember and I'm trying to run the four bolts (two per side) through the engine 'struts' into the motor mounts.

After I bolt up one of the mounts to the engine, the other side is about .5-1 inch too far away to mate up with the other engine 'strut'. I've tried to pry the mount outwards to line it up, but it doesn't move very easily and even if it did the threaded holes in the mount would not be in line with the bolts coming out of the 'strut' and I wouldn't be able to thread it anyway. At least not that I can see.

FWIW I already tried to bolt the crossmember up first and then the mounts, but I ran into the same problem - one mount attaches just fine, and the other is _way_ out of line, so I thought it would be easier to get the mounts attached to the engine and crossmember and then move the entire engine around so I could bolt the crossmember up.

Anyway - if you still don't understand what I'm getting at that's okay. Maybe, if you have changed motor mounts on this car, you could tell me how much prying is involved in getting both sides on. I've read some people that have not had any issues at all and I've also heard that it is a PITA. I simply don't like to force things unless I know that it is necessary - and I would not have thought that to be the case in this situation. I mean why, preload the motor mounts?

Ski

Your right in getting them into the crossmember first. Yeah, I've never had any big issues with them, I think you're going to need an extra set of hands.
good luck.

jwl

UberFoo,

I don't know if you can see it in this photo but the top rubber lug of the motor mounts need to be secured into the lip of the cross member. If you don't they will seem to be to narrow for the engine mounts.

uberFoo

Yeah - I had them pushed in the first go around. Maybe they weren't completely seated? I just tried without pushing the lug in and it was even worse. I'll push the lug in again and make sure it is correctly seated. I've tried so many different permutations just trying to get them to fit...I want my car back.

Thanks jwl.

special tool

Okay - I think the first problem is that you use the word "permutations" to describe motor mount installation on a Porsche.

Ski has probably done motor mounts 25 times, my man. Looking at the front of your engine, it is cocked counterclockwise a few degrees - we know this - it is elementary stuff to us, man.
You need to do this:

-Put crossmember on, LEAVE 4 BOLTS LOOSE!!!!!
-Put stud through crossmember - LEAVE NUT LOOSE!!!!
-Put 2 bolts in from top

If you follow my purmutation, you are 10 minutes away.

uberFoo

LOL - too many concurrent math classes this semester.

Okay - I'll do it just like this and report back with my results in 10 minutes.

Thanks.

jc22

I had the exact same problem you are describing. It looked like there was no way they would ever line up but I just used a couple blocks of wood and a prybar to wrangle the engine around until it did line up. Good luck.