Why my engine went clunk clunk clunk

[Kirby Schrader]

Or... Another weak spot on the car?

I could hear the engine moving in the car and could see it in the rear view mirror slightly. Checked the motor mount bolts to the block and they were OK. Checked the long bolt connecting the upper piece to the lower piece.
It was OK.

Hmmm.... so I took the upper piece off completely and then I found myself wondering why the lower piece was moving. I found the problem.

Sigh.... Time to do some welding, but I find the methodology of mounting it this way pretty poor... Any movement 'up' of the engine puts a bending moment on this piece with those three little bolts hanging on for dear life.

FWIW,
Kirby

 

[Seymour Snerd]

Is there not a ~1/2" hole in the plate that is at right angles to one with the three ~1/4" holes? If so the mount is really supposed to be retained to the frame via a bolt throught that 1/2" hole and through the little "step" that kicks out from the frame. Paul at Olthoff warned me that a lot of people forget or don't know that the big bolt is the one that matters, and to make sure it's tight.

 

[Kirby Schrader]

Is there not a ~1/2" hole in the plate that is at right angles to one with the three ~1/4" holes? If so the mount is really supposed to be retained to the frame via a bolt throught that 1/2" hole and through the little "step" that kicks out from the frame. Paul at Olthoff warned me that a lot of people forget or don't know that the big bolt is the one that matters, and to make sure it's tight.

Yes, you are 100% correct. I had reached that conclusion myself once I cleaned up everything and looked more closely. Came in the house to answer my own question and there was yours.

Once upon a time, there was a bolt there, but no sign of it now. I base that statement purely on the fact that the paint is gone where a washer once resided....

So, I've welded the piece, painted it and put a bolt there with a lock washer and a nylock nut.

Examining the left side.... yep... there was a bolt once upon a time, but it ain't there no more! Off back to the garage to take it off, check the bracket and put a bolt in it, too.

I can only assume that the bolts that were there worked loose and came out at some point. I have never taken that part of the car apart.

Thanks for the feedback.
Kirby

 

[Mike]

Added to the list of things to check thanks

 

[Kirby Schrader]

Added to the list of things to check thanks

The right side was broken, as I noted previously.
Fortunately, the left side was not. It was just loose and needed a bolt in the same place.

But what a pain... the right side is pretty easy and accessible.
The left side is not. At least, on my car.... The shift cables are in the way, the wiring is in the way and my remote oil filter adapter is in the way.

In any case, I'm good to go now. Everything fixed and tight again.

Later,
Kirby

 

[Jac Mac]

Do these cars use the factory Ford SBF engine mount with the long 7/16 bolt thru the tube, if thats the case the chassis bracket should have a flat pad for the mount to set on to avoid distortion of the rubber block.

 

[Kirby Schrader]

Do these cars use the factory Ford SBF engine mount with the long 7/16 bolt thru the tube, if thats the case the chassis bracket should have a flat pad for the mount to set on to avoid distortion of the rubber block.

Jac,

Yes, from your description, that is the case.
I didn't take any pictures, other than the broken bit, but Alan's pictures should show you what I was talking about along with my pictures.

I took the rubber pieces out and replaced them with solid mounts.
I used the upper brackets that go to the block and then welded on pieces to replace the rubber piece.

With the rubber mounts, my engine would raise a good inch under acceleration. It doesn't do this anymore... well, since I fixed the broken part.

FWIW,
Kirby

 

[Seymour Snerd]

The FE version is the only SPF mount I'm familiar with, and yes it does use the tube with long longitudinal bolt. In the SPF FE case the two ears that get pinned to the tube by the long bolt are on an aftermarket polyurethane Chevy mount (see below), which is itself bolted to another mount that bolts to the usual three points on the FE block. Needless to say that's a lot of fasteners (I think I counted 11) just to connect one side of an FE to a GT40. I like the way the real Mk IIs did it much better (single flexible cylindrical bushing on the motor side mount with a long version of Kirby's favorite bolt running through it.).

 

[Jack Houpe]

I will be checking mine today. Thanks Kirby!

 

[Robert S.]

Did some of the SPF cars come with engine mounts? I always thought those were acquired by the engine/trans installer, whether it was a shop or owner. I know my installer built the mounts for my engine, and SPF did not supply any.

Thanks, Robert

 

[DaveM]

Robert,
I'm not sure of your question. As pointed out above the engine mounts consist of multiple pieces. The piece that Kirby broke is supplied by SPF with the chassis, although I'm unsure whether it's the same part for FE and Windsor engines. The piece that bolts to that is usually an aftermarket Chevy urethane 'insulator' that the installer supplies. At any rate Kirby thanks for bringing the mount issue to our attention. Checked mine and that 1/2" bolt (actually metric 13mm?) is tight on both sides.

 

[Seymour Snerd]

The piece that Kirby broke is supplied by SPF with the chassis, although I'm unsure whether it's the same part for FE and Windsor engines.

I'm pretty sure all three variants come with the same piece the Kirby fixed. My SPF, originating as a 351, variant, did not have the chevy insulator, but it did come with a pair of additional engine mount parts (see below). I got my FE mounts from Othoff and so have the 351 pieces on the shelf. But the upshot is that aside from the step and holes built into the frame itself, I suspect most SPF GT40s have three pieces on each side that can lay claim to the phrase "engine mount".

Attached is a parts kit document representing the 351 version. Note the "engine mount brackets" at the bottom of page 1. Not being familiar with the 351 block I am not certain how this is used, but I bet it's intended to have the Chevy insulator bolted to the three holes on the upper surface as photographed and then to be rotated about 90 degrees so the other surface is level and can bolt to the underside of the 351 block. Perhaps someone with a 351 can confirm.

View attachment GT40 Hi Tech Parts Kit.pdf

 

[Jac Mac]

Attached is a parts kit document representing the 351 version. Note the "engine mount brackets" at the bottom of page 1. Not being familiar with the 351 block I am not certain how this is used, but I bet it's intended to have the Chevy insulator bolted to the three holes on the upper surface as photographed and then to be rotated about 90 degrees so the other surface is level and can bolt to the underside of the 351 block. Perhaps someone with a 351 can confirm.

View attachment 63657

Yes that is a correct description of how it would fit to the SBF block....interesting that they chose the Chev mount and went to all that trouble when they could have made a setup similar to the OE SBF setup that would also work on the FE block...is that the 1% that is not original GT40 spec.. Photo from Brian Stewarts car at Classic Car Developements in Invercargill NZ

 

[Kirby Schrader]

Yes, that is correct.
My engine is a Ford Racing iron block, i.e. a 351 Windsor style.

The piece I had to weld is bolted to the chassis as per the pictures, it just didn't have the bottom important bolt on either side. Dunno' why, but they are there now!

The Chevy rubber mount (pictured above) has the long bolt through it.

The rubber mount then bolts with three bolts to another bracket and this in turn is bolted to the block. That bracket is shown in the PDF numbered 00-006-00466. Bracket, Engine mounts, P/B

Normally, there would be 10 bolts from the engine block to the chassis holding it all together.

In my case, I have taken the rubber Chevy part out of the equation and welded tabs onto the bracket that goes to the block. That took the rubber out of the mount and also removed three bolts.

FWIW,
Kirby

I'm pretty sure all three variants come with the same piece the Kirby fixed. My SPF, originating as a 351, variant, did not have the chevy insulator, but it did come with a pair of additional engine mount parts (see below). I got my FE mounts from Othoff and so have the 351 pieces on the shelf. But the upshot is that aside from the step and holes built into the frame itself, I suspect most SPF GT40s have three pieces on each side that can lay claim to the phrase "engine mount".

Attached is a parts kit document representing the 351 version. Note the "engine mount brackets" at the bottom of page 1. Not being familiar with the 351 block I am not certain how this is used, but I bet it's intended to have the Chevy insulator bolted to the three holes on the upper surface as photographed and then to be rotated about 90 degrees so the other surface is level and can bolt to the underside of the 351 block. Perhaps someone with a 351 can confirm.

View attachment 63657

 

[Robert S.]

Robert,
I'm not sure of your question. As pointed out above the engine mounts consist of multiple pieces. The piece that Kirby broke is supplied by SPF with the chassis, although I'm unsure whether it's the same part for FE and Windsor engines. The piece that bolts to that is usually an aftermarket Chevy urethane 'insulator' that the installer supplies. At any rate Kirby thanks for bringing the mount issue to our attention. Checked mine and that 1/2" bolt (actually metric 13mm?) is tight on both sides.

"I see, said the blind man" I get it now, thanks to Alan and your explanations and photos. My installer obtained the booklet, which I never saw, and I assumed he fabricated all components of the mounts.

It was and remains scary and worrisome to view that "tear" in the steel plate. :shocked:

Thanks!