Date: Mon, 31 Dec 2007 16:24:24 -0500
Reply-To: ***************** <vw4x4@VERIZON.NET>
Sender: Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From: ***************** <vw4x4@VERIZON.NET>
Subject: Re: Dropped my motor...almost..
In-Reply-To: <682e48ed199c40fb96bc1b4dc4119427.dhanson@gorge.net>
Content-type: text/plain; charset=UTF-8; format=flowed
Late problems like this are all to common with engine swaps. One more
reason
why engine swaps should never be driven by none mechanical people..
I've seen that
strap removed from almost all diesel, and inline 4 cly I've ever worked
on. Not
sure that this was the real cause. If it was, there would be many engine
falling out of vanagons. I'm sure it contributed to the issue. Good
luck with a
replacement. You need to design something that can take a beating if it
get dragged on the ground but not to strong to destroy what it is
mounted to.
All part of the problems of building a engine swap van. Good luck.
dhanson@gorge.net wrote:
> Yesterday I was running through the desert in my 84 Gas/diesel inline four conversion and enjoying
>the dips, then I came to a stop sign and noticed my exhaust note had changed..The gear shifting was
>not right, either, so I pulled over and crawled under to find the passenger side of the motor was
>hanging low...Hmmm!..So I tossed out all the stuff in the back hatch area, after inspecting all the
>motor mounts underneath..
> Now, this motor has always seemed a bit "loose" in the van, ever since I bought the already-done
>conversion about 30k thousand miles ago. I've repeatedly checked the motor mounts, bought new ones
>and stached em after I found the current ones to be just fine...I simply assumed that it was normal
>for the inline four to be able to rock around back there...Not great, but perhaps just a poor design.
> I found the right side rear cast aluminum motor mount had sheered the mounting bolts right at the
>block..leaving the right side of the motor hanging.....As I began trying to see how to fix that, I
>happened to find, in the Bently, a short 2 page write up on the diesel motor install/remove...and
>Whoa!..right there in the book it shows a thing they call the Engine Support mount...Mine NEVER had
>one...And I, for one, have never encountered any installation that uses the oil pan as a stressed
>mounting member..a weight-bearing part of the engine mounting set up...It is kind of a transverse
>strap, from rail to rail that the flat bottom of the diesel motor oil pan just sits on...takes up
>some of the weight, I guess and keeps it from rocking? We shall see...
> So anyhow, I limped back to my campsite and using some construction wood I had around and some
>extra motorcycle tiedown straps...I have now a fine looking '2x4 engine support mount'...Gotta love
>the vans...
> If I were home with all my tools, I could have done a permanent fix with ease...but since I am
>camping, I will have to depend on the local mechanics to try to "easy-out" the broken mount bolts
>out of the block, and to fabricate a strap to sit the pan onto rather than my 'special' 2x4 racing
>mount...
>
> Happy new year everyone,
> Don Hanson
>
>
>
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