Engine Mount Travails

**aralfa8589** · #1 (**permalink**) 03-16-2008, 04:47 PM

Today I decided to replace my seriously drooping mounts following the procedure in the "Motor Mounts for Dummies" thread. The driver side was a cinch. The passenger side was an abject failure! I absolutely could not get the support bracket loose from the bottom of the plenum. I tried every combination known to man-and I have an impressive array of tools-until I ran out of time. I guess I'll just remove the plenum next weekend. I put the heap back together with one new mount. Sweet...the big flexible intake hose was now too short, since the engine is listing about 45 degrees toward the pass. side. I managed to stretch the intake far enough to get it sealed, but I know it is a seriously agricultural (temporary) fix. This ordeal has left me with a fair gash on my index finger and some very tight jaws. Now I'm going to hit the shower, pour some red wine, and torch off the barbecue. The transmission mount is a walk in the park by comparison.

**alfafan61** · #2 (**permalink**) 03-16-2008, 06:28 PM

It is hard with the Spica pump in the way. I think that is why the passenger side on my car was never changed. I was able to do it from underneath with a box end wrench and a lot of time.

**aralfa8589** · #3 (**permalink**) 03-16-2008, 07:04 PM

Seems like lots of folks with older cars have no problems. Mine is an '89 L-Jet...

**aralfa8589** · #4 (**permalink**) 03-16-2008, 07:19 PM

Another consequence is my throttle linkage is boogered. When I go to work tomorrow it will be like driving a different car. I can't wait to fix this mess.

johnnym · #5 (**permalink**) 06-07-2008, 02:21 PM

I have just done the same, and I thought I should resurrect this thread, as I agree this was the worst job I have ever done in 15 years of alfa ownership. As everyone else has found, the driver's side mount was a piece of cake, but the passenger side mount was a shocker.

Getting the old one off was awkward, painful and long, but eventually I got it free. getting the new one back on, with the stabliser bar attached I found to be almost impossible. After hours of fiddling, pushing, swearing and sweating (in 90 deg Florida heat- not fun) I finally took off the intake plenum. It is now all in place, but just needs the nuts tightening and all of the parts I broke replacing (one of the intector-rail fuel pipes split, and a jubilee clip broke).

One lesson I took away that may be of use to others: make sure you undo the pipe from the radiator to the plastic expansion reservoir, otherwise when you jack the engine up it can press against the variable valve timing thingamajig and break one of them (fortunately for me it was the pipe).

John

Joe Papa Sr · #6 (**permalink**) 06-07-2008, 02:48 PM

Plenum support rod is hard to see while one tries to fit a wrench on the small nut under there. A mirror/light helps to see whats under there.......

**Tifosi** · #7 (**permalink**) 06-07-2008, 04:20 PM

I wish you guys lived here in town.

I'd swap those passenger side mounts out for you with the plenum in place for a six pack and a little conversation.

@John:

If you split one injector hose, replace them all. Might as well swap out the plenum to manifold hoses too while it's all apart as they are kinda notorious for busticating too.

If it's of any use, here's a pic of the bottom side of an L-jet manifold w/plenum and bellcrank attached so you can see how n where that support rod connects. (spica manifold and plenum shouldn't be too radically different I imagine)

johnnym · #8 (**permalink**) 06-08-2008, 05:00 AM

Thanks Darren, but I had the support rod already disconnected from the plenum,ans STILL couldn't get the thing back in the mount, and the mount back on the car.

Anyway, all back together now, and I drove her about last night with no signs of fuel leaking or the massive torque roll of the engine and vibration that I used to get (the sump was actually pressing down on the guard!!)

The last thing to do is put her up on a ramp today and fiddle with the exhaust pipe- my new high- mounted engine has made it rattle against something.

**GraniteAlfa** · #9 (**permalink**) 06-08-2008, 05:24 AM

I just finished mine last night.

Definitely a royal pain in the butt for someone without mechanical experience!
It took me 3 weekends and a lot of swearing but I got it finished, just one step at a time. The drivers side went smoothly for the most part but I had a hard time lining up the top bolt hole were it attaches to the chassis. This used up the the first day (Memorial day) and I let it set for a week.

I spent some time getting the car as Safe and as High as I could, you can do the drivers side with just the front end up but you need all 4 in the air for the passenger side.

I did the passenger side without removing the plenum and all would have gone well except for some ill fitting pieces and stubborn nuts or bolts. I purchased the Spruel Mounts and am quite happy with them but there were some small fit issues. First the space in the mount were the plenum brace sets wasn't wide enough, causing me to spend an hour with one arm down in the engine bay (up to my shoulder) trying to make the brace go into the mount. I finaly removed the brace completely and tried to insert the brace in my new mount only to find the space was to narrow. I put the mount in a vice and hammered the brace in to the space and then pulled it from side to side which opened the space for a good fit.

The second issue was the bolt holes for the plenum brace in the mount, they were not large enough to accept the bolt. I believe the holes in the mount were about 3/8" and the bolt was about 7/16". This delayed me another day since I didn't have a 7/16" drill bit and needed to go buy one.

After that it was just a matter of struggling with nuts and bolts and putting everything back together.

Darren, any time you want to work on my car I'll buy a case and we can have a lot of conversation.

Here are a couple photos of what an old and new mount look like side by side (sorry the drivers side mount was already in the car). You can see the size difference in the brace bolt holes in the second photo.

**ghnl** · #10 (**permalink**) 06-08-2008, 07:49 AM

Just a-wondering here but everyone seems to replace the left side mount first. I guess that is because it is the more accessable one but, (here it comes: ) I wonder if it'd be better to replace the right side first so that the stiffness of the new left mount wouldn't then work against you as you stuggle to get the new right side mount into place?

Or leave the left side mount only loosely in place to give you some wiggle room?