replacing/accessing motor mounts

[airkooledchris]

lets say you needed to replace your motor mounts.

do you have to remove the whole cooling fan assembly? and if so, how much of the tinware on top needs to come off?

now let's say you were building up a motor and forgot to install the f'ing things - because that's where im at right now. getting closer to buttoning it all up and really trying not to take it all down to the flippin block again.

[Lanval]

I can't imagine the engine placement is that different between the bay and vanagon. We (mainly Colin) did the engine mounts with the engine in place. As I recall, we had to support the engine (Colin's bottle jack) and then we removed the mustache bar and replaced them. I believe we removed the bar because we were doing the heads, and it had to come out anyway, but I think it would be possible to merely loosen the bar in order to replace the mounts.

On the air cooled vanagon, I seem to recall that you could do this same action without removing much, if any, of the tin. More experienced hands will chime in I'm sure.

ML

[SlowLane]

I think, but I'm not certain, that at the most you'll need to remove the fan housing, at the least the fan. Depends on whether you can "see" the tops of the mounts through the hole in the housing with the fan removed. You shouldn't have to remove much tin, if any, but you may need to loosen some up to get enough wiggle room.

Of course, even aircooled Vanagons differ from the baywindows in this respect: the fan housings are different. So take advice with large grain of salt.

I seem to recall that the biggest problem I had reassembling the back end of my engine was in fitting the oil fill tube and the fan housing at the same time. If you installed one first, it got in the way of installing the other. Very frustrating.

[airkooledchris]

thanks for the replies guys. I think ive settled down a bit since last night thankfully, and hopefully with your words and a calm attitude I can tackle this thing in short order.

I just started having visions of re-doing all of the GD fuel injection stuff after having to take off the tins on top and really didn't want anything to do with all that....

[Amskeptic]

thanks for the replies guys. I think ive settled down a bit since last night thankfully, and hopefully with your words and a calm attitude I can tackle this thing in short order.

I just started having visions of re-doing all of the GD fuel injection stuff after having to take off the tins on top and really didn't want anything to do with all that....

It is ugly.

You do have to remove the fan housing and a heat exchanger to do it "correctly".

Incorrect Procedure A is to remove the fan and see if you can access the upper engine mount nuts from the top. Then you can drop the mustache bar (which will need to be released from the "wings" that hold it onto the frame) if you have a heat exchanger off.

Incorrect Procedure B is if you do not want to touch the exhaust system, a real possibility. In that case, remove entire fan housing and jack the engine up until the mount through-bolts clear the mustache bar. You may need to release the mustache bar from the frame wings anyway, to get it as low as possible so you don't have to jack up so far.
ColinInAlbuquerque

Colin

[Amskeptic]

I can't imagine the engine placement is that different between the bay and vanagon. We (mainly Colin) did the engine mounts with the engine in place. As I recall, we had to support the engine (Colin's bottle jack) and then we removed the mustache bar and replaced them. I believe we removed the bar because we were doing the heads, and it had to come out anyway, but I think it would be possible to merely loosen the bar in order to replace the mounts.

On the air cooled vanagon, I seem to recall that you could do this same action without removing much, if any, of the tin. More experienced hands will chime in I'm sure.

ML

Air-cooled Type 4 engines trap the mustache bar over the heat exchangers, a pia.

[airkooledchris]

well, I went ahead and did it the right way and it wasn't all that bad really.

new roadblock instantly ran into:

those missing exhaust studs on one side were missing because they pulled/backed out and new ones aren't tight. when I screw the new studs in they bottom out and then still wiggle a little and turn even more. so they are stripped.

ill need to research next how to get oversized studs in there...

[Amskeptic]

well, I went ahead and did it the right way and it wasn't all that bad really.

new roadblock instantly ran into:

those missing exhaust studs on one side were missing because they pulled/backed out and new ones aren't tight. when I screw the new studs in they bottom out and then still wiggle a little and turn even more. so they are stripped.

ill need to research next how to get oversized studs in there...

German Supply has step studs. If you already have 9/8s, he might have 10/8s.
Colin

[airkooledchris]

i have 8/8's right now, so im waiting for a package with some 9/8's

[locoqueso]

It is ugly.

You do have to remove the fan housing and a heat exchanger to do it "correctly"...

Incorrect Procedure B is if you do not want to touch the exhaust system, a real possibility. In that case, remove entire fan housing and jack the engine up until the mount through-bolts clear the mustache bar. You may need to release the mustache bar from the frame wings anyway, to get it as low as possible so you don't have to jack up so far.

This made me sigh as I remembered how I spent the 2012 IAC visit and why I decided to restore the exhaust system in 2013.

[Amskeptic]

It is ugly.

You do have to remove the fan housing and a heat exchanger to do it "correctly"...

Incorrect Procedure B is if you do not want to touch the exhaust system, a real possibility. In that case, remove entire fan housing and jack the engine up until the mount through-bolts clear the mustache bar. You may need to release the mustache bar from the frame wings anyway, to get it as low as possible so you don't have to jack up so far.

This made me sigh as I remembered how I spent the 2012 IAC visit and why I decided to restore the exhaust system in 2013.

Was it the contented sigh of fond recollection, or was it the contented sigh of fond recollection?
Colin