Is the 2.8l really what I want?

[3400-95-Modified]

Those are actually where the AC compressor would normally mount.. I'm not sure if they are ideal for a motor mount but I'm sure someone else can answer that question better.

[Guest]

When I was making swap mounts I made a couple 3500 (LX9) swap mounts that used the upper holes you have circled, since they are nearly the same as the 3400 (LA1) position (though they are in a slightly different position relative). And for anchoring the bottom of the mount I made it bolt to the bottom of the pan. This required trimming back that lower mounting point you have circled., but seemed like a better option for the chassis it was going into (J-body, also FWD).

If you have the space below the front of the pan, I would look at using the mount point on the bottom of the pan, like the original installation would have used. I made my own mount to attach there and it's been a great way to get the engine mounted up. A simple strut or two off the side and it's fully supported and works well. Take a look in my swap thread for my 240Z for how I made the overall mount.

[Ghosteh]

That's a possibility, Raven. I already have a front crossmember, although I think it's too far forward to use as a mounting point like you did. I'll have to wait & see where it sits once we lower the engine/trans into the bay.

I know that pan is strong, but it makes me a little nervous to use an aluminum oil pan as the mounting point. Why do it that way if you can mount it on the steel block? I know... the factory did it, but it sounds about as logical as jumping out of an airplane (even though you know the parachute will open).

So you have no issues with the torque tubes? That's also something that I'd not be too confident about.

[Ghosteh]

Here's the photo with the old 2.8, and I should be basically in the same spot with the LX9. Looks like I'll have LOTS of room between the front of the engine and the crossmember. I'll have to think about this a little.

[Guest]

The way I would do it in your car is to make a new crossmember (as simple as a tube) between the frame rails just in front of the mount location and then make a plate to attach a mount too off the back of that.

The oil pan on these engines is actually a structural part, and is is very strong. I have ZERO worries that anything is going to happen to the oil pan, and I'm making more power than you will be (turbo), and plan to make lots more in the future and plan to stick with this mount design. If it proves to not work when I get to higher power levels, so be it, I'll burn that bridge when I get to it.

I also have no problems with the strut. It works perfectly. The only change I'm going to make is to make one that has urethane or rubber inserts to get rid of some of the vibration. I only made it the way I did because I had a different idea completely before I actually dropped the engine in and went this route because I was limited for time to get the swap complete.

I looked at making mounts that attach to the block, but decided that it wasn't worth the effort, since each side is different, and BTW, the mount points on the passenger side do not match the gen1 block you removed, nor the 3400. They are close to the 3400, but still slightly different. For my purposes it would also get in the way of the headers I made, or at least severely limit how they could have been laid out.

I like the oil pan attached mount, it's clean, hidden and uses otherwise wasted space and could be a lighter mounting system than making the block attached mounts, and easier to make.

[Ghosteh]

My buddy cut a custom pilot bushing so the T-5 will work with the LX9

[Ghosteh]

flywheel, clutch & pressure plate mounted. I had to use the old flywheel, and we cut the cast weight of & will take it to a speed shop to have it neutral balanced. Unfortunately, the pressure plate wouldn't mount to the new flywheel I bought, so that's going back to the parts store.

[Ghosteh]

turning down a bushing for the hydraulic clutch. It's exact, so no shims needed.



Here's the hydraulic clutch, without the bushing installed. Luckily my buddy had just installed one of these in his pickup, and knew exactly what was needed to get it to fit perfectly.

[Ghosteh]

moving to the front end, there was an issue with the water pump fitting onto the block. We had to drill out 2 holes on the pump and timing cover, so the correct 10mm bolt could be threaded into the block. I wasn't anticipating this issue, but we got it fixed.





... and together! (no gaskets yet. This is all trial-fitting)

[Guest]

Are you using a T5 that wasn't originally behind a 660? The stock pilot bushing should have worked without modification.

You're not running a cooling system bypass? Going to rely on the heater core for that duty?

[Ghosteh]

I know that slotting the manifolds would work, but I wanted it a little cleaner looking because we've done so much already. So we added a little material to the headers & adjusted the holes to fit on the LX9

[Ghosteh]

Are you using a T5 that wasn't originally behind a 660? The stock pilot bushing should have worked without modification.

You're not running a cooling system bypass? Going to rely on the heater core for that duty?

Not sure what the T-5 came out of, but I didn't have a bushing. Went to the auto part store with the ID and OD measurements, but they had nothing close. My buddy turned one down quicker than it would have taken to drive to the next part store to look for one.

I'm not quite sure how the bypass will be laid out, but yes, we're going to use the heater core.

[Ghosteh]

We had to adjust the starter position a little, which meant drilling the holes on it and adding a shim. It's still not perfect, and we'll get some thicker sheet stock to cut another one.

[Ghosteh]

Engine & trans together as one unit.



Here's the Healey, waiting patiently for it's new heart transplant...

[Ghosteh]

and finally, after all this time, we get the engine/trans sitting temporarily in the bay!

Tomorrow we're cutting the trans mount off the car & moving it back about an inch, so the engine will sit back a little more. Biggest concern there was that there was maximum space available at the front for the intake. We didn't want to come out of the TB with a 90degree elbow!



Adjusting the height, so we'll have plenty of clearance for the hood. We're at 3degrees off level, which should be fine. Man, I am totally smiling at this point, because it looks like it's all going to fit comfortably!



We'll probably be cutting off the old "towers" that the motor mounts sat on, and using the crossmember/front pan mount that Raven suggested. Tomorrow we'll crawl around some more and see what will work best.