One problem solved, another created!
Discussion
After reading about S3Paulo's problem with his sump being holed by his ARB due to his worn engine mounts I thought I'd have a closer look at mine while I've got every thing dismantled for a front end refurb. I had incidentally noticed a small 'rub' mark on the underside of the sump so had flagged a potential problem already.
I took off both front 'hockey stick' sections of the exhaust and the S3c decatt pipes and jacked up the engine (off the sump with a massive wooden block). I decided to remove both mount brackets as they really needed a paint and I thought in for a penny in for a pound. Both mounts where replacement Ford items and a bit worn to say the least. One was a 50mm but the other was 35mm.
Purchased the 50mm Rally Design ones which are made of a much firmer rubber and fitted them back in position with the newly painted mounts. Had all the fun that everyone else who has attempted this job has had but managed with every swear word I know to get them in place in the end. I left the mount nuts loose as the sages recommend for a settlement period.
Now my problem surfaced when I began to re-fit the exhaust. The engine now sits nicely about 20mm above the ARB (result) but I found that I had to physically jump up and down on the engine (literally!) to get the exhaust joints back together. The curves of the ‘hockey stick’ sections touch the underside of the lower chassis rail. Is this normal and will the engine settle fairly quickly? As I feel that currently there is almost no possibility of the engine being able to rock in the new mounts.
Anyone had a similar problem? Hoping that someone can put my mind at rest and tell me that a one or two millimetre gap between chassis and exhaust is normal.
I took off both front 'hockey stick' sections of the exhaust and the S3c decatt pipes and jacked up the engine (off the sump with a massive wooden block). I decided to remove both mount brackets as they really needed a paint and I thought in for a penny in for a pound. Both mounts where replacement Ford items and a bit worn to say the least. One was a 50mm but the other was 35mm.
Purchased the 50mm Rally Design ones which are made of a much firmer rubber and fitted them back in position with the newly painted mounts. Had all the fun that everyone else who has attempted this job has had but managed with every swear word I know to get them in place in the end. I left the mount nuts loose as the sages recommend for a settlement period.
Now my problem surfaced when I began to re-fit the exhaust. The engine now sits nicely about 20mm above the ARB (result) but I found that I had to physically jump up and down on the engine (literally!) to get the exhaust joints back together. The curves of the ‘hockey stick’ sections touch the underside of the lower chassis rail. Is this normal and will the engine settle fairly quickly? As I feel that currently there is almost no possibility of the engine being able to rock in the new mounts.
Anyone had a similar problem? Hoping that someone can put my mind at rest and tell me that a one or two millimetre gap between chassis and exhaust is normal.
"Hockey sticks" want to be as close as possible to chassis for best ground clearance .Engine shouldn't move much with new mounts so just a few millimetres should be fine ( IMHO )
How far do they go into the manifolds, can you not pull them out a little but still leaving enough in to clamp ?
phillpot said:
"Hockey sticks" want to be as close as possible to chassis for best ground clearance .Engine shouldn't move much with new mounts so just a few millimetres should be fine ( IMHO )
How far do they go into the manifolds, can you not pull them out a little but still leaving enough in to clamp ?
The S3C is different from the others - the cats have bellmouth flanges on each end, so when you decat it (as the OP has) you put in a straight bit of pipe with the same flanges. They are therefore fixed length - you can't slide them in or out like the other joints in the exhaust.How far do they go into the manifolds, can you not pull them out a little but still leaving enough in to clamp ?
I decatted my car ages ago, with new cats and "hockey sticks", and the decat pipes fitted straight in. Later, I bought new "hockey sticks" (different supplier) because the old ones had been flattened on too many bumps, didn't change anything else, but the decat pipes were then too short, and I had to get them lengthened by about 10mm. Even then, the exhaust sits right against the chassis (to maximise ground clearance as somebody mentioned earlier).
So it would seem that not all manufacturers make all parts to be compatible...
Thanks everyone for your comments.
As Tvrgit mentioned the decat pipes are bell flanged so there is no real adjustment available there. I suppose if the gap between chassis and hockey stick bend doesn't increase (which I think it will as the engine settles) then I can just take the route outlined by Tvrgit and get the decat pipes lengthened a little.
As Tvrgit mentioned the decat pipes are bell flanged so there is no real adjustment available there. I suppose if the gap between chassis and hockey stick bend doesn't increase (which I think it will as the engine settles) then I can just take the route outlined by Tvrgit and get the decat pipes lengthened a little.
There I go poking my nose in again, didn't realise cat exhaust used flanges !
Anyway, re engine mounts, these are the Rally Design 50mm items after about a year. not too clear from photo but they have "settled" a bit, where the studs were originally inline they are now out of ligh about a studs width (8mm).
Anyway, re engine mounts, these are the Rally Design 50mm items after about a year. not too clear from photo but they have "settled" a bit, where the studs were originally inline they are now out of ligh about a studs width (8mm).
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