Lost_in_calgary

I resently started a swap of a LQ4/4L80E into a 69 Firebird using BRP mounts and Hedmann headers (motor and tranny) along with a Holley oil pan.

The motor mounts fit great and positioned the engine fine (could have been sligthly rearward more). I'm not sure how far off of the original location they moved the motor though.

I used the 1 7/8" hedman headers which "so far" seem to fit ok. I still need to tighten everything up so we will see if it fits when tightened. Only issue MIGHT be clearance at the tranny crossmember.

The holley oil pan with the BRP mounts leave me about 1/4" clearance between the center link of the steering and the oil pan with the wheels straight ahead. I haven't tried turning the wheels yet, but I think it will fit. HOPEFULLY!

BUT

The transmission crossmember hits the floor. The original floor has indents for the factory crossmember. This crossmember needs to be further back by about 3" which puts it into the floors.

Has anyone had this issue?

stangs4sale

iTrader: (10)

Had the same problem with one of there true and tested 66 nova amounts. It had to be cut apart and FIXED

69 Ghost

I would be interested in seeing some pics on how close the holley pan is to the steering. I am using the same mounts but with a H3 pan and was thinking of changing it out some day. I got the kit very early on before there were many other pan options.

Lost_in_calgary

I check last night and the steering hits the oil pan at full lock. I will try to get a picture soon and also try moving the transmission mount a bit to see if I can gain enough clearance. Driver's side fits with less than 1/16" but passenger side hits before the steering hits the stops.

74ventura

1\4" will hit steering when you go lock to lock. I suggest moving motor back with different mounts. Good luck.

bczee

iTrader: (12)

You should contact BRP and have them fix this issue with the engine pan hitting the steering and Trans mount.. If you paid for it to be a bolt in kit... it should.

just my 2 cents...

BC

69 Ghost

Check the length of your idler and pitman arms. There are short and long versions. Both could be either 5.25 or 5.8. The fast ratio steering used 5.8 pitmans. Short pitmans are 5.25 and some of the replacement idlers are in an inbetween of 5.375. Supposedly the 67's are the ones that had the 5.8 idlers but they might be hard to find. This might get you enough clearance if you happen to be running short arms. The idler may be moved a bit by just loosening the bolts and pushing it forward as far as you can before tightening up the bolts again. When I cut out my notch I made sure that I cut it as far back as I could without affecting the motor mount holes. I can replace the BRP mounts and move the whole motor back about an inch from the location which again would solve your problem. I personally would stick with the holley pan as I think it is the best solution out there.

Lost_in_calgary

Here are the pictures on the steering link to oilpan clearance it is about 3/8" with the wheels straight ahead.

The steering link will hit the oil pan at full lock in either direction. The steering makes contact when the steering stops are about 1/4" away from touching.

There is a little room to move the tranny back IF there was any way to move the engine mounts back.

I have tried everything. I loosened all the mounts and used a come along to see if I could pull the engine tranny rearward then tightened everything back up. I tried to move the idler arm and move it a bit.

I have not check my center to center distance on the idler or pitman arm.

The headers fit fine with the first point of contact moving rearward being the top bolt on the idler arm (which I could just get a shorter bolt to fix). If I could slide the transmission back to the end of the adjustment I should gain another 1/8" which would give me 1/2" straight ahead and hopefully enough for full lock to lock clearance.

Solution:

I think I'm left with removing the engine plates and elongating the holes to move the engine back 1/8"???? IF that isn't enough I could elongate the holes in the frame stands too (but there is less metal there so not big on that idea.)

Other ideas??

Lost_in_calgary

I did send BRP an email last night. I guess I'll wait to see what they have to say.

Hopefully they will say more than, "our kit doesn't work with the Holley oil pan. You need to buy our modified F body pan."

69 Ghost

I don't know if you tried this but you might get away with trying to move the tranny at the mount up a bit. Since it is a long ways away even a 1/4 inch can make a big difference. You will be limited to front of the oil pan hitting the cross member but it could be enough without any further work. I would also check the idler arm measurement as it looks like the linkage is not straight. There is some info on that on pozzis first gen site. I would probably look into some dingo adjustable mounts or something fi that does not work. http://www.pozziracing.com/camaro_st...eering_linkage

Lost_in_calgary

UPDATE:

Ok, I never got a reply back from BRP on this issue. Interesting how they are quick to sell you something and then that's it.

Anyway. I elongated the holes by about 3/8" (which is how much room I had on the tranny mount. I used a 3/8" carbide reamer and it took me about 2 hours to elongate all 8 holes.

I bolted it up to the engine and pushed/pulled the engine and tranny back.

I now have 0.020", YES 0.020" (as in 5 sheets of paper thick), clearance between the oil pan and center link with the wheels turned all the way to the driver's side. I have more when turned to the passenger side.

I don't know what length my pitman arm or idler arm are. I have not measured them, but the car has power steering. I should really measure and post that info.

This is the maximum I can move the engine back with these mounts. The elongated holes are now up against the bracket that bolts to the frame mounts.

I was told by someone that the BRP mounts are made to bolt the A/C in the stock location without cutting the frame. I have not put the A/C compressor on yet so I have no idea if my 3/8" has affected the ability to run the A/C compressor in the stock location. I'm running the truck accessories, do they not stick out further forward from the engine? Made I'll be ok because of that?

LS1 pwrd NOVA

iTrader: (2)

Any updates?

Jimbo1367

Classic BRP . I am soooooo glad I researched them before buying their swap kit.

sprech

iTrader: (1)

***I'm not sticking up for these guys, but here is my recent (Mar/April '14) experience with the BRP kit for my '69 Firebird***

The motor and trans mounts went in with no issues, the headers cleared with no issues, the coil packs don't hit the power brake booster or the factory a/c suitcase, all of the truck accessories fit including the a/c, but I had to go with a Dirty Dingo ALT-PS relocation kit. My experience with their customer service was probably a 7.5 out of 10.

JoeNova

A piece of 36" long 2" square tubing works as a 4L80e cross member with nothing but a cutting wheel and a drill.

Cut 3 sides off of 3" of the ends so that only one side remains. These tabs will sit on top of the subframe. Drill holes and bolt down. Then cut a small pocket out of the center of the crossmember (remove 3 sides, all but the bottom) that's 3" wide and drill a hole in the remaining bottom for the trans mount bolt to drop through. The mount will fit snug between the outer edges of the pocket and won't move.



The red shows where to remove. On the outer edges, you can leave a little lip of the 2 sides to adjust pinion angle and provide strength. I left about a quarter inch of the sides remaining. For the middle pocket, I left a half inch of the sides for the mount to rest in.


The problem with buying a mount is, THERE ISN'T A SINGLE BOLT-IN 4L80E MOUNT THAT ACTUALLY WORKS. I know of 5 of them advertised, and I can show you links to where people have had issues with all 5 of them needing to be cut apart and rewelded. The beauty of square tubing. No welding required, more than twice as strong as an aftermarket mount, and Tractor Supply sells 36" long pieces of 2" square tubing for about 8 bucks. It doesn't fit? Go buy another one. The only issue I've had with these is that you need need to install this while the transmission is out of the car, sit the mount inside of it, and then slide the transmission in on top and bolt the mount to the transmission.