Anyone ever install solid motor mounts?

[JayBar]

I made two changes at once and don’t know which one caused my problem.
I had planned to install solid motor mounts; I had a machine shop turn down some aluminum stock, the exact size of the rubber mounts. Before I could install them I found a hole in my radiator so I planned to do everything at once.

I removed and replaced the radiator, but I had to remove the oil cooler lines to do that.
I then replaced the motor mounts. I did and oil change at the same time. I made sure the oil cooler was full of oil and that the new filter was also full of oil. I removed the distributor and spun the oil pump (clockwise) to prime the system.

The problem is engine noise. It sounds like valve lifter or rocker arm noise. Almost like they don’t have any oil but that can’t be. The engine also vibrates at 1,800 to 1,900 then quiets down.

So tell me, has this noise always been there and I am just hearing it because of the solid motor mounts? Or could I have screwed up and got air into my oil system (if that is possible).

Any ideas??

[ZOERA-SC7XX]

I asked Peter at ERA and he said solid mounts would be a bad idea. I ran them on a modified race car without problems, but that engine ran between 3500 and 6500 rpm. For a street motor, stock mounts might act like a damper at low/mid-range rpm. You may have a different problem with the engine. I would go with stock type mounts and see what happens.

[DC COBRA]

JayB

I put solid motor mounts on mine(#89). Got them from Reg, just some round aluminum stock with hole all the way thru. I even shaved them down about 3/8 inch for more breather clearance and actually sidepipe clearance thru hole in body. I love them, no problems yet and car is kinda of cool shaking at a redlight, the whole car that is. Mine also seemed to drive better with less jerking during gear shift changes, I figured it would be worse but it is actually smoother the only potential problem I see is that when idling with the hood up, it shakes the hood quite a bit, I don't like that deal.

DON

[JayBar]

DCCobra

Tell me did the engine get louder when you installed the solid mounts?

[mobilenuke]

I thought you had to turn the oilpump shaft counterclockwise?

[craigayl]

Jay

I personally think solid mounts are a bad idea.

As a better alternative, I have installed on my SPF and many others, Energy Suspension's poly mounts. The poly mounts provide a very rigid mount yet provide enough coushion to eliminate engine noise.

I don't know how these mounts could adapt to a Back Draft, but I'm sure it is possible.. If you want to discuss further, please send me a PM at craigayl@comcast.com

Criag

[DC COBRA]

JayB

My car already can wake the dead as it is fairly loud, but did it make it louder NO Sorry I don't think that is going to be the answer to your problem. You could have air in your system, but you could also have a lifter or lifters that has possibly bled down, could be cured with time of driving or adding some ATF to your oil, an old mechanics trick. Also there is the possibility of a bad oil filter, which brand did you use? In my shop I have a few problems with FRAM brand, some people wants to use them when they screw up one of those I told you so. I hate them by the way, personally think they are junk. As for the vibration, being solid mounted you may be feeling some harmonics of the motor that you couldn't feel before with the cushy mounts. Now if there is a motor problem you can throw all this out the window and really start worrying big time.

DON

[Tim Brewer]

Anytime you use solid mounts or strap the engine to the frame you'll feel the engine quite a bit more. It dosn't hurt anything by using solid mounts, in fact sometimes it will keep you from cracking your sidepipes if they are solidly mounted to the frame. Also, to build oil pressure, Mr. Moblenuke is right, the shaft is turned COUNTER clockwise. You didn't need to prime your oil system and you can't screw up and get air in your oil. If you have valve train noise, you probanly already had it. You might go ahead and adjust your valves, you could have some excess slop in the rockers.
Tim

[Carnut427]

Originally Posted by mobilenuke

I thought you had to turn the oilpump shaft counterclockwise?

Mobilenuke is right; by spinning the oil pump clockwise, you had no oil in the engine galleries, bearings, oil filter, etc. and still may not. Pull the distributor and spin the oil pump counterclockwise. You should feel substantial pressure using a 1/2" drill. Can't say how your bearings are...
Best of luck,

Dan

[JayBar]

Some answers, I use a Motorcraft filter. The lifters are hydro and the rockers can't be adjusted.

Carnut 427, I could pull the distributer and do what you recomend but the running engine does that and gives me my normal oil preasure, so I don't think
using the drill at this late date will help.

So I guess I had the noise all along and the mounts allowed me to hear what I had all along. BTW I only have about 2,500 miles on this engine.

Craigayl, The mounts I had made were simple circles of aluminum 3 inches in diameter 2.5inches high with a 1/2 inch hole in the center.

I guess I will go back to the soft mounts an see what is what.
Thanks to all who replied.

[Tim Brewer]

Unless you have some sort of odd rocker setup, rockers with hyd. lifters are adjustable and can get out of adjustment and make all sorts of noise.

[JayBar]

Well my engine builder said my heads AFR 185's do not allow valve adjustment. I don't know never saw the rocker arms or how they are mounted.

[JayBar]

Well my engine builder said my heads AFR 185's do not allow valve adjustment. I don't know never saw the rocker arms or how they are mounted.

[Tim Brewer]

I would take a valve covers off and just grab each rocker and see if anyone of them wiggle,(none of them should, but you will have to turn the engine over a few times to get the valve in the closed position to check for slop) If your rockers have a nut holding them down with an hex in the middle, they're adjustable.

[JAM1775]

I'd suspect the distributor lifting/removal/turning attempt. I'm not sure you needed to do that having already primed the oil cooler and filter. IMO...that's the one thing that could still may be unsettled. Make sure when you returned the distributor down you FULLY seated the distributor. Sometimes we think it's seated, the bolt is tight as can be BUT if you did not rotate the dist properly (if it needed it) on the way down it seems seated, looks seated, the bolt hold down is seated but the distributor can rise up and down while it rotates. Check the lock down bolt and rotation resistance cold.

Solid motor mounts ? Have them for 6 years. Love the snappier throttle response. I love the instant transfer of power to the wheels. I love feeling every pulse of the motor and love the shakin hands over the wind wings at the red lights ! To each his own ! maybe once per season, usually in the spring do i go over the entire car for re-torqing ...then again we all should do that. The past 2 yrs nothing has moved including the (wire tied) header bolts. Good luck!

Unless your mounts are defective or loose where you should feel the motor shift and clunk, I'd look somewhere else at what you did during your mods.