VCCA Home Forums TECHNICAL - 1945 AND NEWER 1949-1954 motor mount wont quite line up!

Well, if you look at the postings for the 46-54 chevy's you know I'm working on getting my 51' running again. Since I have the radiator out I decided to replace a broken motor mount (the one near the steering box). Simple enough I thought! Everything was going according to shop manual, and when I lowered the engine down, the hole in the cross-member did not line up with the threads on the lower portion of the motor mount. So I decided to attach the lower portion of the motor mount to the cross member, still no luck! If I was facing the engine, it looks as if I need to pull the engine toward me 1/8"-3/16". But then I got to thinkin', why dont the holes line up in the first place? I rode the car approx 500 miles with the motor mount broke, and the car only did the thud, thud, thud, sounds of a broken mount when I was going from a complete stop on an incline (such as parked on a hill, stopped at a light on a hill). Did this careless use by me cause the holes to un-align? I looked underneath the car and the transmission mount looks like it is in need of replacing, it is dry-rotted, and two mounting bolts were loose to the point where the nuts were about to fall off! Also, the mount is exposed to transmission fluid that is slowly leaking out. I known that before I replace the mount I need to fix the leak, (guess you'll be reading my posts for a while!)but first I would like to feel the gratification of getting the old lady running and on the road for a bit! Looking at all this evidence, (Sherlock Holmes) I think that the torque from driving with a broken motor mount caused the transmission mount bolts to loosen, causing the front mount to become un-aligned. Therefore, do you think I could fix my problem by just pulling the engine forward, ( and with what, a winch? pry bar seems too much like work)? and tightening the transmission mounting bolts down for now? What other problems could transpire from pulling the engine back into alignment?
Once again any help would be appreciated, believe it or not, this whole experience is quite fun, and my wife doesn't have a problem with me having an old car. She thinks she'll be driving it when all the work is done! Little does she know about the old car appreciation course she'll have to take!

Steve,Just pry the engine forward from the transmission area if possible.(Stick or Power Glide??)Install the front mounts and replace the transmission mount before driving.P.G. mount different from stick.These are all common problems-probably has been that way for years.
Transmission leak most commonly at the U joint ball.There is a seal kit made for that.

Gene is right on again as usual. It works pretty well if you have someone prying and the other person putting the bolt in, a floor jack under the engine just taking the weight off, neutral weight is nice. I have also used a long thin tapper punch to line up the holes then hope the engine don't move, this method works with a little positive weight on the front mount. Good luck with your project.

It isn't always the most fun thing being a mechanic on a 54 year old car, Well at least not until you have the project completed and the shining and wiping and the admiring of your brilliant accomplishment being checked out!

I would help if you loosen (not remove) all of the bolts on the other mounts prior to the install, and it will eliminate some spring back when you begin to pry. Is it a standard or an automatic? If it is a stick I would put it in gear and try rocking the car by hand back and forth to see if that moves anything a little bit, it should.
Good luck
John

Hello all,

After loosening the transmission mount I tried rocking the car back and forth in gear, but couldn't get the hole to line up quite right! Tried a come-along, but that didn't work either! Hooked a pick-up to the engine and with an easy pedal pulled it right into alignment! Tightened down the mounting bolts, got the rest of the car together and IT'S NOW RUNNING!! Now I need to figure out if I should fix the gas tank I currently have, (two screw driver sized holes in near where the gas guge goes), find a used one, or try the recoating products on the market! One step at a time!
Thanks again for the help!

I just purchased a new tank for the 52, all steel, and as near as I can tell a replica of the original. $265.00 delivered. If you are interested in more information e mail me. My problem occured when the seal I had a radiator shop install 3 years ago started to come loose and then got rust also.