Thread: Engine mounting

Tweet

I was mocking up my engine today to see how it fits and it brought up some questions. I have a 6" ride height with a 5.5" z in the front so this is what I'm thinking: I want the tranny pan 2" above the bottom of the frame, with the cross member in it should be level. The engine mounts will be about 1" below the z'ed front rail putting the oil pan a little above the lower frame rails (about 6.5"). It fits but not much room to spare and I was thinking of a tubular crossmember mount that would end up with about 5" clearance.

Oh yea it's a SBC with a t400. Also when I put the 3 degree's down on the tailshaft the carb isn't level. Is this a problem or am I mixed up, the rear axle is 3 degrees up. I'll post some pictures but does anyone think this is too low, my body is going to be channeled so I'm trying to get extra foot space!!!

Heres some pictures:

http://www.flickr.com/photos/12817213@N06/?saved=1

Thanks,
Sean.

the carb does not have to be level, it can be a little off, not a lot but a little. its hard to understand what you are asking, pictures would be a big help on this one. if you are wondering if 5.5 inches of ground clearance is enough, then yes unless you will be driving through potholes and over speed bumps all day it should be fine. ive got less then that and am cautious of what i am driving over and take my time at bumps.

i see the photos now, as i look at this one is this the angle you want for the motor in relationship with the rearend?? it apears to be a straight shot, if so there maybe another problem also, and it will wear out U-joints left and right. they need an angle in them to keep constant pressure on the needle bearings, or they will wear quickly.

I'll admit I didn't even think of that yet. About how much angle is best. The axle is 13" to center and the tranny shaft is 14 1/4"

I was actually wondering if the engine looks too low, the air cleaner should be just slightly above the cowl.

Thanks,
Sean

I like the pinion angel to be about 3 degrees down with a four bar, and the carb level..... Seems to hook up good.... Under acceleration, the pinion angle is going to change so check it thourghout the range of travel.

Jeez, I thought I read somewhere that the pinion angle should be up 3 degrees at ride height. Am I wrong here??

Well, in a short answer, yes & no!!!!! Some go with the school of thought that up will improve the ride and handling.... I'm a Hot Rodder and a racer. I like to have the pinion angle down 3 degrees at "launch" height, or normal ride height. As the car launches the pinion has a tendency to climb up the ring gear, and move towards zero...actually, under acceleration I would choose to have it at 1 degree down. Under normal setup conditions with the carb mounting flange level at 0 degrees the transmission will be slightly down or level.... Now, others say that the sum of the transmission tailshaft angle and pinion angle when added together should come out to zero. Along with this most prefer the tailshaft centerline to be above the pinion centerline. This is not always easily attainable when running a raked chassis, and is compounded when running the "big and little" tire combos..

Back to your original question.... I do not like a pinion up angle at all....Guess maybe if someone could convince me that it is advantageous to handling, launch, or ride I might go for it. But, IMO and in my experience, a pinion angle of 2 to 3 degrees down at ride height works great....

The main thing is, as Mooneyes brought up, the driveshaft angle from the trans to the pinion should be down. U-Joints do no operate correctly or last long with a "flat" driveshaft.....

So would the inch and a quarter I have be enough of an angle on the drive shaft. I have to have one built and I was considering a CV driveshaft like I have in my Jeep but then I guess I need another slip yoke eliminator kit also . Hopefully this will work, it's more of a cruiser I don't PLAN on racing.

Sean.

Any angle will do, as long as it isn't flat. I built a drag car for a guy in '97 that is still doing the Super Gas thing and about 100 passes per summer and the only driveshaft tune up it gets is an annual replacement of the U-Joints-----The car sits very low with the transmission tailshaft being 1" higher then the pinion and the pinion angle is a 3.5 degrees down. The rest of the suspension is nothing more then coil overs and ladder bars with an adjustable lower link that we use for a bit of "preload adjustment" to dial in for track conditions.....

You may have a slight vibration, but if there is any at all it will be somewhere between very slight and totally un noticeable..... Get someone good to build your shaft and balance it very, very close!!!!! A few more bucks spent on the build will save you a ton of grief and expensive problems later.....