I'm going through the brand new front end before I finally get this car on the road ('70 340 swinger - mostly stock). I found that the center drag link hits the oil pan on the driver's side and also rubs the TTI manifold downpipe. Fortunately I did find a set of Schumacher mounts awhile back so I might as well install these now and replace the very old mounts. Maybe I still need to shim we will see and I vaguely recall having some Schumacher shims...somewhere. It looks like I will need the raise the engine quite a bit to slide the new isolators in with studs on both sides. Apart from removing the distributor cap is there anything else need to do? It looks like I would need jack it up at least an inch or so to slide the stud into the k frame hole which seems like a lot.
Changing engine mounts with engine installed
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dano
Evil Handy Man
I'd do one side at a time. Unbolt the transmission mount too. I've done it just by removing the distributor cap and watching everything.
It's been a good few years since I last did this job, but I don't recall it being overly complicated. Just take it slow and check the clearances frequently.
Professor Fate
Push the button, Max...
Pull the fan and/or radiator shroud before jacking the engine up.
Check for enough slack in your throttle cable.
Check for enough slack in your throttle cable.
I used shop crane, load distributor and tow straps to lift things up,
There is a procedure in the Factory Service Manual
I’m wishing I hadn’t got rid of my engine hoist. I do have a 4 post lift though so jacking it up from underneath is easy.
Does it require special factory tools?
Wvbuzzmaster
Well-Known Member
I replaced the engine mounts and their isolators with the Schumacher ones in my 1972 Duster with 340 and I do not recall taking anything loose but the front engine mounts and I think picked it up with engine hoist? I don’t recall but I do know I didn’t touch distributor, fan shroud, exhaust, trans mount, etc… but do as they say, I probably got lucky to not damage other stuff. I did it in my driveway from underneath though.
No just some notes about disconnecting some linkages and pulling the dist, etc.
You'll want to disconnect any linkages such as Z bar for a manual or the column shift if it's an automatic. Maybe even disconnect the manifolds form the pipes or the headers from the collectors. We don't know what you have since you didn't say. I always do both mounts at the same time because that way I can jack the engine up as high as it will go and I get plenty of room.
JDMopar
Well-Known Member
If you take the metal brackets loose from the block ears, it will give you more wiggle room and you may not have to jack it up as far.
I am hoping that gives me some room to get the the rubber isolator out. Then maybe I won't have to unbolt so many things like shroud, z bar linkage, exhaust, etc. Its got manifolds with TTI downpipes.
We got 9 inches of snow so I will probably be shoveling instead of wrenching this morning.
JDMopar
Well-Known Member
Hopefully, if you take the 3 ear to mount bracket bolts out, it will give you enough wiggle so you can get it out and swap the isolator's on the bench.
Be safe shoveling snow.
Be safe shoveling snow.
MopaR&D
Nerd Member
Question that may be relevant for the OP, what's the best way to get the upper mount nut loose with it inside the mount bracket on the engine? I'm going to have to replace my pass-side mount here soon, rubber has a crack in it about halfway up.
I got all the nuts off in about an hour. Some you can get from the top and others from underneath. Apart from standard sockets and wrenches I used a ratcheting 5/8 and 3/4 wrench because they are good when you have limited room to swing it. I used a stubby 3/4 for the isolator nuts.
I also found some old Schumacher engine mount shims leftover from another project 15 years ago!
More fun than shoveling snow?
We shoveled last night too. I think we got nearly a foot and its still snowing. We are in our early sixties but in very good shape thankfully. It never seems bad enough to break out the big snowblower which I hate.
67Dart273
Well-Known Member
On a side note, don't be afraid to "make" special tools. I've had a number of wrenches over the years, one, a cut apart and re-welded offset 13/16 box to change plugs in a header equipped 396. I've several that are bent AND SEVERAL WERE DONE with nothing more than a good propane torch, vise, and hammer. Same thing with sockets. I've cut a few off to make a shortie socket. Of course you have to find one that has the nut flats/ splines deep enough first. Use an abrasive saw
like_A_pike
that's not factory
I swapped the 318 mounts on my 340 this way. I don’t remember taking anything but a few distributor wires off. I found a piece of wood that made contact with every oil pan bolt on one side of the pan and used a floor jack and a short bit of 2x4 to push up on the oil pan bolts. One side at a time. I think my headers are smaller than TTI’s however ?? Good luck
We have only seen a light dusting here thus far, and I won't be sorry if we don't get much more.
I've got a floor jack under the oil pan and the front end comes up as I jack. I assume at some point the engine will separate from the mounts? I might try and get a long pry bar in between the mount and crossmember but its awfully tight in there. Perhaps I should try jacking one side at a time to start? I wish I was lifting from the top end as I don't want to wreck the pan.
Shovelled againMore fun than shoveling snow?
It will take a bit to get the weight off the suspension.
like_A_pike
that's not factory
If you have a board across the tops of all the pan bolts on the long axis, it’s like pushing against the bottom edge of one whole side of the engine block, not the oil pan at all.
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