Help! Engine sits too far back!

mpekar · 12-12-2006, 08:51 AM

We are 18 months in to a very complete restoration of a 69 Mustang I have owned for 26 years. Original engine in the car was a 302. We are rebuilding with a 351W that came from a 69 cougar xr7. We bought 351W motor mounts and set the engine in the bay last week. It appears to be setting about 1.5 inches too far to the rear. This is evident because a) the fan is not in the radiator shroud; b) the Shaker scoop sits about 1.5 inches back too far, whcih doesn't allow the hood to close. This is a factory shaker (and very expensive), it is at the forward-most adjustment on the air-cleaner base ,and I am sure the hole in the hood is accurate to within 1/8 inch; c) the lower tubular frame cross-member clearance with repect to the rear of the oil pan is less than 1/4 inch, and there's plenty of clearance between the front of the pan and anti-sway bar. The motor mounts are new, and identical. Compared side-by-side, they also seem identical to the old 302 mounts. Somehow the engine will need to come forward. Does anybody have a suggestion here? We disassembled the engine compartment completely in order to do a very detailed restoration. I reassembled the steel pieces that bolt to the shock towers (to which the engine mounts bolt) exactly the way they were when we pulled the 302 out. I took pictures to make sure it went back together the same way. Is it possible that they will need to be re-installed swapping sides, and is that even possible? Do we need different pieces to attach the mounts for a 351? I'd like to hear from someone who has done it before we re-pull the engine.
Any help will be greatly appreciated.
--Mark

mustangII460 · 12-12-2006, 09:12 PM

Sorry for the grammer lession. But separate your questions into different sentences. Its nearly imposible to read that.

302/351w/351c use the same motor mounts.

69 Mustang/Cougar mounts are the same.

Take new mounts to another parts store and compare them. Or online picture.

Is the tranny bolted up?

Have the tranny mount on lifting the the motor forward?

I suspect wrong mounts if your sure you didn't mess up assembly.

Phillyfanfrombirth · 12-13-2006, 12:29 PM

I see that you found the new CJ's forum...

FrankieTheKid · 12-28-2006, 10:29 PM

like philly said, same mounts, but they're probably installed on the wrong sides of the engine... they're not reversable.

FrankieTheKid · 01-01-2007, 12:27 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by FrankieTheKid

like philly said, same mounts, but they're probably installed on the wrong sides of the engine... they're not reversable.

hi, me again.
not engine mounts, but the brackets that bolt to the frame rail that the mounts bolt into. they are mirror image of one another. if you reverse them it will change the position of the engine.

12-12-2006, 08:51 AM	#1
mpekar Registered Member Join Date: Dec 2006 Posts: 1	Help! Engine sits too far back! We are 18 months in to a very complete restoration of a 69 Mustang I have owned for 26 years. Original engine in the car was a 302. We are rebuilding with a 351W that came from a 69 cougar xr7. We bought 351W motor mounts and set the engine in the bay last week. It appears to be setting about 1.5 inches too far to the rear. This is evident because a) the fan is not in the radiator shroud; b) the Shaker scoop sits about 1.5 inches back too far, whcih doesn't allow the hood to close. This is a factory shaker (and very expensive), it is at the forward-most adjustment on the air-cleaner base ,and I am sure the hole in the hood is accurate to within 1/8 inch; c) the lower tubular frame cross-member clearance with repect to the rear of the oil pan is less than 1/4 inch, and there's plenty of clearance between the front of the pan and anti-sway bar. The motor mounts are new, and identical. Compared side-by-side, they also seem identical to the old 302 mounts. Somehow the engine will need to come forward. Does anybody have a suggestion here? We disassembled the engine compartment completely in order to do a very detailed restoration. I reassembled the steel pieces that bolt to the shock towers (to which the engine mounts bolt) exactly the way they were when we pulled the 302 out. I took pictures to make sure it went back together the same way. Is it possible that they will need to be re-installed swapping sides, and is that even possible? Do we need different pieces to attach the mounts for a 351? I'd like to hear from someone who has done it before we re-pull the engine. Any help will be greatly appreciated. --Mark

12-12-2006, 09:12 PM	#2
mustangII460 Factoy Five Roadster Join Date: May 2000 Location: Sevier Co,Tennessee Posts: 1,681	Re: Help! Engine sits too far back! Sorry for the grammer lession. But separate your questions into different sentences. Its nearly imposible to read that. 302/351w/351c use the same motor mounts. 69 Mustang/Cougar mounts are the same. Take new mounts to another parts store and compare them. Or online picture. Is the tranny bolted up? Have the tranny mount on lifting the the motor forward? I suspect wrong mounts if your sure you didn't mess up assembly. __________________ Frank

12-13-2006, 12:29 PM	#3
Phillyfanfrombirth Registered Member Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: South Central PA Posts: 358	Re: Help! Engine sits too far back! I see that you found the new CJ's forum...

12-28-2006, 10:29 PM	#4
FrankieTheKid Registered Member Join Date: Jun 2006 Posts: 2	Re: Help! Engine sits too far back! like philly said, same mounts, but they're probably installed on the wrong sides of the engine... they're not reversable.

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