Sebtarta

iTrader: (1)

So add me to the FAILBLOG please. Today as I was finishing the installation of the engine and trans I found the following issue....



Yup my fault and to be honest I never thought about it when lowering the engine. You can even see the yellow flakes that came off the sawzall metal blade as I had to cut the tabs for the engine to sit back. Can you lift the engine from one of the header holes? I really do not want to take the intake off.


I must say this, the engine with the engine mounts from Hooker Engine Swap Mounts 12618HKR fit


Here you can see the driver side header and the Holley 302-2 oil pan with the 4l65e clearance.

Sebtarta

iTrader: (1)

The LQ9 6.2 LS3 and 4L65e are installed (for now). I managed to finish everything. The crossmember was not as easy as one would think, specially the driver side. The crossmember sits over the frame bracket and then you need to fight with the three bolts that hold it. I am wondering if I had a hard time due to the crossmember and transmission not having enough up and down play. In fact when I finished the installation I found that the top of the tranny was hitting the tunnel.



In order to remedy the situation I took the middle plate i had on the trans mount and it dropped to a nice distance i think.



Unfortunately the camera did not want to focus. There is probably 1/8" space in between. So not 100% sure if this is correct. I have a feeling that this might need to get fixed.






The alignment of the trans mount and the crossmember could not be any better. I even checked for the center point on the trans and it was 98% dead center. The one thing I would suggest to Hooker is to have a slight semi circle cut on both sides of the isolator mount so we can torque to spec the bolts that hold the isolator to the transmission case.



The installation of the engine and transmission was a breeze. Once you figure out what is Hooker saying on their instructions plus making sure that YOUR (mine in this case) reading comprehension is top-notch.













Also for the ones inquiring about the bolt behind the heads used to lift the engine up. Once everything was in place I ended up with 1.75" of space between the firewall and the rear of the heads. The bolt that I used to lift the engine up was a 10.9 grade 10x1.5x30mm. In the picture below you can see the space I still have left from the head of the bolt to the firewall. The bolt was in 1 turn.



I might as well brag a little, but on page 3 of the Hooker Exhaust System you will see 2 pictures. Yup those are mine
http://www.holley.com/data/Products/...R10693rev5.pdf

Sebtarta

iTrader: (1)

I was not happy the way the transmission was sitting under the tunnel. Last night when trying to fall asleep, my mind started working as to why the trans was sitting high. I kept going back and forth back and forth. Going over the car since I put the frame back on the body. I was even kicking my self as far as why I didn't just put the trans and engine on the frame before bolting the frame to the body. Would have been 100x easier as well.

Then it clicked. When I was torquing down the the body bushings, specially the rear ones I could see that they were flattening out until the torque wrench gave the signal of 80 ft. lbs. Thus making the rear of the frame and body to be closer that what they are supposed to be. This happened because when the SFC were installed, the bottom bushing does not sit flush with the sleeve of the top the bushing. So you keep torquing down, creating both bushing to squeeze and flatten. The front bushing (under the firewall) are ok as they sit as they are intended to sit. The rear due to the extra metal from the SFC they do not sit flush inside. So now I think I might take everything apart and install some solid mount bushings. As I see it right now I keep throwing money at this car to remedy things that I keep ****** up. But hey, that is the beauty of this hobby, get your self into bankruptcy before you can enjoy your sweat and tears later when you start the engine of your project car.

So I have my eyes on these bushings.

1972 CHEVROLET NOVA Proforged Billet Aluminum Body Mount Bushings 134-10005

1972 CHEVROLET NOVA Global West Suspension Interloc Body Mount Bushings 809

Anyone have any input or preference on solid mount bushings?

user 4737373

Hey Sebastian, I need to also point out to you that the Energy Suspension transmission isolator you are using is taller than the Prothane brand mount that is referenced in the instructions and the one I used to develop the geometry of the Hooker crossmembers. Switching to the Prothane mount might give you the little extra clearance you need.

Sebtarta

iTrader: (1)

You don't happen to have that mount collecting dust or being used a paper weight on your desk do you?
Also why would the isolators be different in height when they are supposed to meet the OEM dimensions?

-TheBandit-

iTrader: (1)

I used the Global West body bushings. They are nice parts. Beware for any of these that the Nova uses about a 1/2" thick solid bushings underneath the two bushings at the firewall; the Camaro does not and most of these aftermarket bushings are sized for the Camaro. You'll need to reuse those bushings or make a new one because the bushings don't normally come with them. Here are pics: wrong, right. And here is a thread explaining it. be sure to hang onto your original bolts because you may need to reuse them (they are longer than the Camaro ones due to the spacer).

rquad

You're experiencing some interesting differences from my installation, but maybe you nailed the problem as being the body bushings. I'm using the Energy Suspension tranny mount, and I used the spacer included with the tranny crossmember. You didn't use the spacer, yet you are experiencing clearance issues. I used Energy Suspension body mounts, and added approximately 1/2 worth of washers under them because the bushings are the short kind and my car has the tall bushings. Maybe your frame-to-body distance is too short.

It's been a while since I've done this, but 80 lb/ft sounds excessive for torqueing the body mounts. I was thinking I did mine at something more like 40 +/- 5, but I don't recall for sure. Those things are only held in with a heavy version of J-clips. I don't see how they could hold up to that much torque.

You've also scared me with your bolt-to-firewall clearance. I used the same bolt you did, but I have 1/4" less clearance to the firewall than you. Makes me wonder now how I'm going to get the bolt out. I guess worst case if it's a problem I can back it out all the way, saw the head off the bolt, then back it the rest of the way out with some pliers.

user 4737373

I don't have on laying around, but the part number is 7-1604. You are right that the are supposed to fit the same OE application but you'll see when you get it that they are different heights. If you compare them to the stock rubber OE mount they are both supposed to replace, you will find that the Prothane version matches the OE part exactly and the Energy Suspension mount is taller than both. I can't say why.

Sebtarta

iTrader: (1)

I have been looking at the GLS-809 but my issue is that I am not running the GLW-SFC which place the SFC over the frame and not inside as the Heidts do. So not sure if the extra thickness from the SFC plate inside the frame will create the same issue I have now with the polyurethane bushings. If anything i can add some extra washers to compensate on the SFC plate thickness.

Yup, ordered one from Amazon with next day shipping. Got to love Amazon Prime I will take pictures comparing both. Wish I had a stocker mount as well to compare all 3. If I can I will go to the Auto shop around town and get one then return it with the excuse it was used for comparison purposes.

user 4737373

I just measured the height of one of the Energy suspension mounts we have here in the shop and it is the same installed height as the Prothane mount IF you don't install the pre-load plate they include with it and instruct you to install with it. I saw that you had the pre-load plate installed in your photo and so don't know if you tried it without or not. Let me know what you find out.

Sebtarta

iTrader: (1)

The picture shows the preload plate but I took it out to gain the space which is still not enough.

rquad

I hope I'm not hi-jacking the thread, but this all seams weird to me. I'm using the ER mount, with the preload plate AND with the extra spacer included. I'm not having any issues other than the bolts supplied by ER aren't long enough to go through the spacer and catch enough threads in the mount to provide a secure connection.

It also seemed to me that my stock rubber mount was taller than the ER mount. I'll need to go back and measure to make sure this is so. Maybe this has something to do with my mount being from a GTO versus some other application.

Sebtarta

iTrader: (1)

To be honest I am not sure. I should be getting the Prothane mount today so I will compare both. Even though Tod has confirmed that both have the same height.

But for some reason in the back of my mind I still think that the rear bushing are too compressed causing the tunnel and trans issue.

Does ANYONE have the stock height of the bushings please.

-TheBandit-

iTrader: (1)

I can measure mine tonight. To confirm, you need the height of the two rear subframe-to-body bushings?

Sebtarta

iTrader: (1)

Yes please if you can. Or if it is not much trouble the one under the firewall and the rear one as well.
Thank you!

rquad

I didn't measure my body mounts, but I did measure the tranny mount. The Energy Suspension mount and preload bar are exactly 2 inches tall. I've added the 1/4 inch spacer that comes with the Hooker crossmember (for a total of 2.25 inches), and after all is said and done, my tranny is kissing the tunnel on the passenger side. Not quite as bad as your situation, but I'm thinking I should ditch the spacer. I have a question in to Holley regarding this.

I see that you're not using the spacer, but you have a worse clearance problem than I do. Again, I'm thinking maybe your body bushings are too short, which will also cause alignment problems when you go to put on the fenders.

Can you measure your body bushing height and post it here? I'll do the same when I get a chance and we can compare.

Sebtarta

iTrader: (1)

The long wait was worth it.



Dakota Digital VHX black alloy gauge cluster.

I also ended up buying the Gloabl west #818 body bushings and I received the Vinatage Air system as well. I am hoping to work on the car this weekend.

-TheBandit-

iTrader: (1)

Those gauges are sexy. I was really excited when these came out a couple years ago. Dakota Digital was stuck in the 7-segment display world for way too long.

I'm sorry I forgot all about measuring my body bushings for you. I'll try to remember tonight. They are the Global West ones though so you will have them in hand soon enough anyway.

Sebtarta

iTrader: (1)

I already have the bushings at home. I figured you forgot or was to busy with regular life. I had to fix the issue either way; I called GW and told them what I had and they said you need the 818 kit. I think the call was 1minute 45 seconds long. hahaha

Sebtarta

iTrader: (1)

Saturday morning I swapped the bushings for the GW 818 set. Height is still the same, nothing changed. I can tell you this though it was a PITA to change them specially with the SFC already in place.

I also used some 1" heat shrink tubing for the gas tank straps. Came out very good. I will try and update with pics later on. I should be getting my angle finder delivered today and see at what degree the trans is sitting and if there is any room to take the spacer off.