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Old Dec 7, 2011 | 04:43 PM
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I will be installing my new combo for 2012 season. It will be a whole lot more power than my cam only motor. Question is should I use my brand new Umi solid motor mounts or install a motor plate.
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Old Dec 7, 2011 | 05:33 PM
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How much more power Marco?
I used an engine limiter for my 441. 700+fwhp.
I don't think you need a motor plate for anything less than that but it certainly couldn't hurt. Thinking about a mid plate as well?
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Old Dec 7, 2011 | 09:33 PM
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Motor Plate is the way to go... I ran 9.5s with just poly mounts with no issues. I no Firehawk441 ran 8.6s with stock gm mounts and a engine limiter
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Old Dec 7, 2011 | 09:42 PM
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are you changing the Kmember, or doing some welding work/firewall/cowl/repaint on the car anyway?
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Old Dec 8, 2011 | 08:26 AM
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Yes I will be cleaning up and cutting cowl area under the hood. And painting. If all gose as plan.
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Old Dec 8, 2011 | 09:55 AM
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Originally Posted by fatboyzcamaro
Yes I will be cleaning up and cutting cowl area under the hood. And painting. If all gose as plan.
Hey Marco, you can use poly motor mounts that's what I did. Hell if I still have them I will give them to you. But the motor plate is the best option. I wouldn't waste my time with solid mounts. I don't like the stress they put on the cylinder walls.
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Old Dec 8, 2011 | 02:04 PM
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Motor plate the car now and you won't regret it. Do the mid plate too, a torsional support too...

This will leave you with so much room to get headers in and out, if you do the tabs right you can lower the motor in the car and still hold it in with 4 of the 8 or 12 bolts, and make pulling the trans really easy to do as well...

I would never bother building a race car with anything other then plates. For ease of working on it... it's by far the best way to go. Adds some strength to the chassis as well too I think, gets the stress off the K member, lets you move the motor in the chassis if you want to, etc.etc. With the cost being the only drawback.
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Old Dec 8, 2011 | 05:52 PM
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Originally Posted by SSPerformance
Motor Plate is the way to go... I ran 9.5s with just poly mounts with no issues. I no Firehawk441 ran 8.6s with stock gm mounts and a engine limiter
Yup, but in only a few test passes on that engine before selling it, I broke the bell housing on a stock case TH400 in 2 places.

We both know someone that went 8.2 without a mid plate and split the block in half.

To the OP.....
Many have run into the high 8's and get away with motor mounts without issue, but I would still suggest anything faster then 9.0 going with a Motor/Mid plate and like JL stated using a torsional limiter along with it.
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Old Dec 9, 2011 | 07:54 PM
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Thanks for all replys.who makes or sell the best motor/mid plate set up.
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Old Dec 9, 2011 | 09:37 PM
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I have a 1 Piece motor plate
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Old Dec 10, 2011 | 12:56 AM
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There's several motor plate setups available out today. Madman's are a decent set. Firehawk bought a set from someone else that were nice too.

One thing I would recommend with a motor plate, is do a setup that has 3 bolts in the front, 2 in the rear on each side (so 10 bolts total), and don't have any tabs that sit on the frame rails, let the load be on the bolts. Reason for this, is that if you want to unbolt the motor and lower it in the car, to get to the trans more easily, you can. If the plates have tabs that sit on the chassis this isn't as possible.

You can unbolt the motor, lower it in the car and hold it in with 1 bolt @ each corner and get to the trans, then just put the trans back in and raise the whole thing back up. Studs in the back of the motor so you leave the plate attached in the back, and just slide the trans off them also makes it easier as well.

A torsional limiter will also be needed, you can make one that will attach to the a/c bracket holes on the passenger's side and run it up to the frame rail very easily, and it's usually out of the way unless you have a dry sump pump attached at that point... in that case the engine mounting holes work fine.

Hope this helps.
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Old Dec 10, 2011 | 08:12 AM
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Originally Posted by JL ws-6
There's several motor plate setups available out today. Madman's are a decent set. Firehawk bought a set from someone else that were nice too.

One thing I would recommend with a motor plate, is do a setup that has 3 bolts in the front, 2 in the rear on each side (so 10 bolts total), and don't have any tabs that sit on the frame rails, let the load be on the bolts. Reason for this, is that if you want to unbolt the motor and lower it in the car, to get to the trans more easily, you can. If the plates have tabs that sit on the chassis this isn't as possible.

You can unbolt the motor, lower it in the car and hold it in with 1 bolt @ each corner and get to the trans, then just put the trans back in and raise the whole thing back up. Studs in the back of the motor so you leave the plate attached in the back, and just slide the trans off them also makes it easier as well.

A torsional limiter will also be needed, you can make one that will attach to the a/c bracket holes on the passenger's side and run it up to the frame rail very easily, and it's usually out of the way unless you have a dry sump pump attached at that point... in that case the engine mounting holes work fine.

Hope this helps.
I would do the exact opposite, I wouldn't install a motor plate without the tabs, it helps align the bolt holes because you know its the exact height. The tabs also add extra strength. Its not hard to get a transmission out of one of these cars. It shouldn't take more than 15min. It would be more of a pain in the *** to lower the engine and inch or two than to use a long extension with a swivel on the end.
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Old Dec 10, 2011 | 09:24 AM
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Originally Posted by LS1SpeedAddict
Its not hard to get a transmission out of one of these cars. It shouldn't take more than 15min.
15 minutes?
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Old Dec 10, 2011 | 11:34 AM
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Originally Posted by Firehawk441
15 minutes?
That's what it usually takes us once its on jack stands, I dont see lowering it helping that much.
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Old Dec 10, 2011 | 12:09 PM
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Originally Posted by LS1SpeedAddict
That's what it usually takes us once its on jack stands, I dont see lowering it helping that much.
I don't take my mid plate off when removing my tranny so I agree with you about lowering it not being that much helpful.

I also applaud you on only 15 minutes. I can't come close to that using a lift.
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Old Dec 10, 2011 | 01:00 PM
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Originally Posted by Firehawk441
I don't take my mid plate off when removing my tranny so I agree with you about lowering it not being that much helpful.

I also applaud you on only 15 minutes. I can't come close to that using a lift.
I can have mine out in about 30-40 min on a lift.
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Old Dec 10, 2011 | 05:55 PM
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Ive never owned or worked on a LS1 4th gen with a motor plate. But last winter I was thinking about selling my BMR street steel Kmember and getting a racecraft 4130 with no mounts and manual rack. And going to a motor plate and mid plate. I thought the AEI one looked the best for me. I could run truck manifolds if I go turbo. And Bob could make it to clear (close, I could do some light grinding to fit) my fast 92 that would be close. His plate is one piece. And his diagonal brace was really nice too. And he has a AC mount Alt. setup, I think Tim99TA was testing that would work too. I think you had to get a little smaller alt, and grind the back a little?
Mid plate I'm not sure about. I thought the burkhart looked nice, It has a firewall tube you weld in then it has to top ears off the you weld on. So you can get to the 2 top bolts behind the heads easier. And leave the plate on the motor. I htink it had a side ear the bolted on too for you could change the starter, and get the passanger header out easier too. I started a thread looking for pics, and info on motor plates. about this time last year.
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Old Dec 10, 2011 | 05:59 PM
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https://ls1tech.com/forums/drag-raci...mid-plate.html

https://ls1tech.com/forums/drag-raci...ics-yours.html

https://ls1tech.com/forums/drag-raci...-plate-ps.html
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