That Darn Engine Mount Question.

68conv455 · August 31st, 2008, 07:12 PM

I've installed a 71 455 with 71 455 Delta engine mounts into my 68 cutlass with 455 pads purchased on Evil bay. I'm having difficulty aligning one of the engine mounts. I'm assuming this is typical alignment tweeking I need to do and not that I've got the formula wrong. Is this true? I thought I'd ask before I spent time trying to wrestle it into place. See Pics.

citcapp · August 31st, 2008, 07:52 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by 68conv455

I've installed a 71 455 with 71 455 Delta engine mounts into my 68 cutlass with 455 pads purchased on Evil bay. I'm having difficulty aligning one of the engine mounts. I'm assuming this is typical alignment tweeking I need to do and not that I've got the formula wrong. Is this true? I thought I'd ask before I spent time trying to wrestle it into place. See Pics.

Just a tweek, loosen the bolts to the engine a little use a pry bar and align the holes and then retighten the bolts

Dapapadon · August 31st, 2008, 09:43 PM

I agree, lift the motor a little and the bolt should wiggle in.

Don

hamm36 · August 31st, 2008, 09:49 PM

I know your are going to hate this. I had to get three different pairs of mounts for my 455 going in to a 72' cutlass. It was the same motor that came out and I even took the old pads up to the parts store. They look identical (out side of not beeing crushed), but just would not match up to pads. I ordered new ones for a 350 and they looked a little bit different kind of notched on both sides of the holes, like the lower side on your photos, but the holes lined up, and that is all that matters.

joe_padavano · September 1st, 2008, 08:35 AM

Sorry, but I fail to understand why this is always so hard. First, the rubber moves over time. Second, the mounts are flexible. Third, there are manufacturing tolerances in the whole car. You cannot simply set the engine in and expect the bolts to line up. Leave the mount-to-engine bolts loose, hold the engine on the hoist, wiggle the cross bolts into place, lower the motor, THEN tighten everything.

71 delta88guy · September 1st, 2008, 10:41 AM

Same issue with my install. Very poor mount manufacturing makes it hard to find mounts that fit. I've found the pad pockets are not made deep enough to allow the bolts to align .In the end I used 1 new which was a perfect match to the old ones,and 1 old. I was not able to find another mount the same after 1 of the same company that was perfect and 3 other companies. What a pain.Good luck.

hamm36 · September 1st, 2008, 07:12 PM

I took some photos today. To show you the ones I had to use. Bending, twisting, forcing and putting a round peg in a square hole is not my way of putting it together. Little easier when it fitts right.

71 delta88guy · September 2nd, 2008, 06:58 AM

looks very familiar. The distance between the bolt hole and the pad on the mount is too small. Is this correct? That's how mine were.

hamm36 · September 3rd, 2008, 07:59 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by 71 delta88guy

looks very familiar. The distance between the bolt hole and the pad on the mount is too small. Is this correct? That's how mine were.

Little hard to follow your statement.
My rubber mounts were a tight fit, but nothing was cut, bent, or done to force it.

mugzilla · September 4th, 2008, 11:34 PM

one word ...

Hammer ...

hamm36 · September 17th, 2008, 05:55 PM

Did you get it fixed?

64Rocket · September 17th, 2008, 09:25 PM

I have found on the '68 Cutlass that you have to use the small block frame mounts and the small block rubber mounts. After market mounts part mumber is #2261. That makes the big block sit just as low as the small block.

Gene

joe_padavano · September 18th, 2008, 09:07 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by 64Rocket

I have found on the '68 Cutlass that you have to use the small block frame mounts and the small block rubber mounts. After market mounts part mumber is #2261. That makes the big block sit just as low as the small block.

Gene

Just to be completely correct, for 1968 and earlier, the was no "big block" or "small block" mounts. There was only one design that was used for all motors (except the L6, of course) in the Cutlass line. Many aftermarket vendors incorrectly label the 69-72 mounts as 68-72. This is not correct, as you have pointed out.

mugzilla · September 18th, 2008, 10:22 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by 64Rocket

I have found on the '68 Cutlass that you have to use the small block frame mounts and the small block rubber mounts. After market mounts part mumber is #2261. That makes the big block sit just as low as the small block.

Gene

will that work for a '70 ...

64Rocket · September 19th, 2008, 12:19 AM

If your Cutlass is a small block, then use the small block mounts. Both frame mounts and rubber mounts. Direct fit on the big block. As "Joe" said '69 to '72. Use the parts for the V8 that came out.

Gene

68conv455 · November 1st, 2008, 06:35 PM

Success!
Sorry for the long wait but this is my life. Mounting the engine took me 2 months and 1 day. Here's what happened (besides the dozens of soccer games, x-country track meets, boy scouts, girl scouts, brownies, and/or helping the in-laws or my folks. Thank goodness piano lessons and hockey are gone from my life (for now).
Anyway... I originally attempted to mount the 455 into my cutlass using the engine mounts that were on the used 455 I purchased. Knowing that my parts purchases were getting excessive, I tried cheaping out and re-using the mounts attached to the motor I bought. Wrong move.
After my troubles, I purchased new mounts thinking the old ones may have settled into whatever configuration they were installed. The new ones were much better. They still involved muscling the engine around to get the bolts lined up but things finally fell into place.
And yes. I left the mounts loose and tweeked the hoist every possible way to allow the engine to drop into place. So my recommendation to you. Don't cheap out.

hamm36 · November 8th, 2008, 05:42 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by mugzilla

will that work for a '70 ...

One word Mugzilla: Hammer...

Warhead · November 9th, 2008, 08:47 AM

Why Olds did this I will never know why, but it should not matter.
Use whatever mounts are called for the car you have (be it a 455 or a 307 car). Remember that the engine wieghs 6-700 pounds, and these are flexible items. YOU WILL have to muscle them in. You may even scratch the frame paint.

A tapered drift punch works wonders here-even a phillips screwdriver works well.
I have done BB/SB crossovers in 65,66,68,70,& 78's (a 260 car that got a 455 no less) and NEVER had a problem with an install.

All Olds V-8 were drilled in the exact same spot for the engine mounts.
Use the mounts for the car as it was originally made (V-8 only).

August 31st, 2008, 09:49 PM	#4 (permalink)
hamm36 Registered User Join Date: May 2008 Location: Dallas Posts: 338	I know your are going to hate this. I had to get three different pairs of mounts for my 455 going in to a 72' cutlass. It was the same motor that came out and I even took the old pads up to the parts store. They look identical (out side of not beeing crushed), but just would not match up to pads. I ordered new ones for a 350 and they looked a little bit different kind of notched on both sides of the holes, like the lower side on your photos, but the holes lined up, and that is all that matters. Last edited by hamm36; September 23rd, 2008 at 06:21 PM..

September 1st, 2008, 08:35 AM	#5 (permalink)
joe_padavano Super Moderator Join Date: Mar 2007 Location: Northern VA Posts: 4,402	Sorry, but I fail to understand why this is always so hard. First, the rubber moves over time. Second, the mounts are flexible. Third, there are manufacturing tolerances in the whole car. You cannot simply set the engine in and expect the bolts to line up. Leave the mount-to-engine bolts loose, hold the engine on the hoist, wiggle the cross bolts into place, lower the motor, THEN tighten everything. __________________ Joe Padavano 64 Jetstar 88 Conv 66 442 L-69 Conv 68 W-30 69 H/O 69 442 70 W-30 72 442 84 Custom Cruiser 86 Caprice wagon (w/307 Olds)

September 17th, 2008, 09:25 PM	#12 (permalink)
64Rocket Registered User Join Date: Sep 2006 Location: Union City Calif.94587 Posts: 301	I have found on the '68 Cutlass that you have to use the small block frame mounts and the small block rubber mounts. After market mounts part mumber is #2261. That makes the big block sit just as low as the small block. Gene __________________

September 19th, 2008, 12:19 AM	#15 (permalink)
64Rocket Registered User Join Date: Sep 2006 Location: Union City Calif.94587 Posts: 301	If your Cutlass is a small block, then use the small block mounts. Both frame mounts and rubber mounts. Direct fit on the big block. As "Joe" said '69 to '72. Use the parts for the V8 that came out. Gene __________________

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August 31st, 2008, 09:43 PM	#3 (permalink)
Dapapadon Registered User Join Date: Jan 2007 Location: Portland, OR Posts: 364	I agree, lift the motor a little and the bolt should wiggle in. Don

September 1st, 2008, 10:41 AM	#6 (permalink)
71 delta88guy Registered User Join Date: Oct 2006 Posts: 80	Same issue with my install. Very poor mount manufacturing makes it hard to find mounts that fit. I've found the pad pockets are not made deep enough to allow the bolts to align .In the end I used 1 new which was a perfect match to the old ones,and 1 old. I was not able to find another mount the same after 1 of the same company that was perfect and 3 other companies. What a pain.Good luck.

September 2nd, 2008, 06:58 AM	#8 (permalink)
71 delta88guy Registered User Join Date: Oct 2006 Posts: 80	looks very familiar. The distance between the bolt hole and the pad on the mount is too small. Is this correct? That's how mine were.

September 4th, 2008, 11:34 PM	#10 (permalink)
mugzilla is Fast Enough ... Join Date: Jul 2008 Location: dogtown Posts: 849	one word ... Hammer ...

September 17th, 2008, 05:55 PM	#11 (permalink)
hamm36 Registered User Join Date: May 2008 Location: Dallas Posts: 338	Did you get it fixed?

November 1st, 2008, 06:35 PM	#16 (permalink)
68conv455 Registered User Join Date: Oct 2007 Posts: 260	Success! Sorry for the long wait but this is my life. Mounting the engine took me 2 months and 1 day. Here's what happened (besides the dozens of soccer games, x-country track meets, boy scouts, girl scouts, brownies, and/or helping the in-laws or my folks. Thank goodness piano lessons and hockey are gone from my life (for now). Anyway... I originally attempted to mount the 455 into my cutlass using the engine mounts that were on the used 455 I purchased. Knowing that my parts purchases were getting excessive, I tried cheaping out and re-using the mounts attached to the motor I bought. Wrong move. After my troubles, I purchased new mounts thinking the old ones may have settled into whatever configuration they were installed. The new ones were much better. They still involved muscling the engine around to get the bolts lined up but things finally fell into place. And yes. I left the mounts loose and tweeked the hoist every possible way to allow the engine to drop into place. So my recommendation to you. Don't cheap out.

November 9th, 2008, 08:47 AM	#18 (permalink)
Warhead Registered User Join Date: Mar 2008 Location: Phx, AZ Posts: 313	Why Olds did this I will never know why, but it should not matter. Use whatever mounts are called for the car you have (be it a 455 or a 307 car). Remember that the engine wieghs 6-700 pounds, and these are flexible items. YOU WILL have to muscle them in. You may even scratch the frame paint. A tapered drift punch works wonders here-even a phillips screwdriver works well. I have done BB/SB crossovers in 65,66,68,70,& 78's (a 260 car that got a 455 no less) and NEVER had a problem with an install. All Olds V-8 were drilled in the exact same spot for the engine mounts. Use the mounts for the car as it was originally made (V-8 only).

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