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MG MGB GT V8 Factory Originals Technical - SUMP/ STEERING AND DUD ENGINE MOUNTS

It should take some years before an engine mount softens sufficiently to allow the engine to touch the steering column or the sump to bounce on the rack or cross-member. New V8 mountings sold with a little red spot by M*** Europe seem to have a very short life expectancy.

If your car is showing the symptoms - the problem may be the mountings and not your conversion.

... and don't you just hate changing them !
Roger

Roger,

I think an engine steady bar helps keep the engine in place, it's the engine torque which wrecked my mountings, but it has'nt happened since I fitted a steady bar.

Mike

Michael barnfather

Damn! My brand new engine mounts are afflicted with the red spot. Since I've got less than one cm clearance I'm going to watch that space anxiously from now on.
Peter

Oh great. My car is in the Garage AGAIN for the fourth time in two years having the engine re-levelled and maybe the mounts replaced. An engine steady sounds like a good idea I suppose but surely there must be a way to stop these things moving around? I have around 150hp in mine it's hardly a monster!

Only reason I'm doing it now is because my Starter motor packed up this morning and my manifolds are leaking... AGAIN. LOL ;) At least it did all three repeats at once.

Perennial V8 Bugs:
Block hugger Manifolds Leaking
Engine Mounts sagging
Starter Motors burning out or heat fried (even with heat shield)

V.tempted to cut some holes and fit RV8 headers!

Fun fun fun.. ;)
N
Neil Cotty

Neil,
There are several sizes and grades of engine mountings, I found out when I bought 2 from diierent sources and they were less than identical in size and hardness.

Using RV8 style manifolds definitely cures the starter motor and rubbing problems, but it took me a long time to seal the manifolds satisfactorily, I suspect that the metal exhaust gaskets will solve this problem ( I spent ages with a tube to my ear, and loads of exhaust gasket cement)

Mike
Michael barnfather

Michael - good advice thank you - the difficulty is where to fit it - my propulsion is RV8 now and there is not a lot of room.

Yes I had heard there are different sizes as well grades of rubber - I am using the thin lefthand RV8 mount to get the range rover plenum chamber under the RV8 bonnet (even so there is not a lot of room).

I am sorry to say that the wider picture behind this sorry little story, is a market where there are many poorly made parts - our suppliers do not demand the quality control of the OE MG/Rover.
Roger

Yep confirmed two broken engine mounts. They were replaced around 6 months ago when we did the clutch. There sure is a QC problem. Does anyone have any UK supplied mounts they are happy with?

Cheers,
Neil
Neil Cotty

Can somebody give me a sketch from the steady bar and placement. I do not have the problem of the sagging motor mount rubbers but the engine rocks and the altenator fan rubs on the hood when shifting in reverse. As rubber mounts I use the original 4 cyl. MGB ones. Never gave any problem.
Werner
Werner Van Clapdurp

Neil

Yes - I have a John Eales engine giving about 220 bhp @ 5,000 rpm & 265 ft lbs @ 3,000 rpm on UK engine mounts last replaced mid-1997.

Supplied and fitted by the MG Barn near Wickham in Hampshire.

Nigel
Nigel Steward

Roger,

I fitted a steady bar from the Rover P5/P6.

On the original Rover it ran diagonally down from the n/s front of the block or head (can't remember) to the chassis rail.

I fitted mine,(with a little modification to the brackets,) from the N/s rear cylinder head ,horizontally to n/s square section to the left of the heater, where the master cylinders would be on a LHD car., and where my washer tank is.

The bar has sturdy rubber bushes at each end, so does not transmit vibration, and it holds the engine very steady.

Mike
Michael barnfather

On my 3.9 block there is a projection and a bolt hole through it on the forward LHS, I think it is for an air con compressor mount (does anyone know for sure?). It lines up 5 cm above one of the front crossmember bolts/nut. I figure to bolt a bush onto this projection and weld that to a short section of 5cm angle iron (which I will attach to the crossmember bolt ). Can anyone think of a reason that this would be a bad idea?
Peter

Nigel,

Must have seen you on the M27 at least once or twice. I'm in Gosport, mechanic is Phaeton in Emsworth. Mine is Black Tulip CB - 740, Twin driving lamps - although it mostly looks grey and covered in dirt. ;) What colour is your car? I think you probably got the last OEM mounts in existence back in 97 - that or you don't plant enough right welly to break 'em. ;) With 220hp how could you not? :) What gbox/diff are you using?

Cheers,
Neil
Neil Cotty

Neil

Very close; I MUST have seen you.

Red factory GT V8 with alloys, registration NJS5 on bonnett, sometimes (immediately before or after a rally) names of driver & navigator in white on front wings.

Lights vary depending on rally we are about to do or have just done.

It gets lots of welly when rallying, as you might guess.

Standard - but recently rebuild 3.07 diff, R380 gearbox.

E-Mail me off-board if you wish.

Regards

Nigel
Nigel Steward

Peter in Melbourne,
This lug is also present on my '63 Olds 215 block, and like you, I have considered running restraint between there and the forward crossmember bolt. I inquired on this board as to that lugs purpose, and someone responded that they had seen a picture from the factory assembly line where it had been used as a lifting point to hoist the bare block onto a workbench. I'd love to use it for an anchoring point for a steady bar, but am unsure as to the strength of the lug. I'd hate to have it tear out of the block! Still unsure as whether to try it or not, but still a ways from having the car running. It would be swell if it's strong enough; judgement call. Let me know if it holds up! Best, Joe
Joe Ullman

Right, I got my new mounts installed and used a thick spacer shim Paul H. made up for me a couple of years ago. Put that on the RHS against the chassis. Thin steel shim on the LHS. Using Clive Wheatley mounts. The two old engine mounts had seperated from their vulcanised plate side.

I also got my starter rebuilt and Paul H. will be glad to know my V8 with dual 12V's now turns over at least as fast as his car does. *Champagne moment*! ;)

One nasty side effect found today is the bloody crack/small hole in the inner wing caused by the headers impacting not to mention the high heat.

Anyone care to place bets how long the motor stays upright this time? ;) lol

All fingers and toes crossed.

N
Neil Cotty

Peter, Melbourne

I have fitted exactly what you describe to my 3.5. I bought it from AA Automotive (Adrian Akhurst)at Marryatville South Australia. (Suburb of Adelaide)

I think it does transmit some vibration, but it certainly stabilises the engine and there is no way the engine could move forward through the radiator. It really is such a simple solution.

Others may say the steady needs to be at the rear of the motor, but I cannot see why.

cheers
Ian G Buckley

Neil - that hole in the inner wing was an MOT failure on mine, I'd been unable to keep paint on the engine side nor underseal on the wheel side due to the heat and eventually it went through. I cut the weak area out and welded a plate back in from the wheel side, then fabricated a heat shield from an old stainless steel house door threshold strip (if you haven't found a use for something yet you haven't kept it long enough, further sections available for a small fee ...) screwed to the inner wing. It does reduce the clearance 'tween manifold and wing slightly but protects the inner wing.
Paul Hunt

On the strength of attachment needed: Using a couple hundred ft/lbs of torque as a starting point, that lug is probably about a foot from the crank centerline, maybe less. So the lug has to handle a couple hundred pounds janking and pushing at it, double that for safety. Mounted with a solid link it's more like a hammer smacking it so it wouldn't hold up as well, but with a more pliant link it should do fine.
Jim
Jim Blackwood

I'm thinking along those lines Jim. I'd like to use a section of very heavy rubber for the link itself, similar to the type that you find in those heavy duty bungees that have a rectangular cross-section, but as yet haven't been able to come up with a way to attach such a short section at either end. Something to think about. Joe
Joe Ullman

Guys,
Re: lifting lugg,I think I'll give it a go, its such a easy, neat and tidy solution I can't resist. I'll use a spare polypropylene front suspension bush I've got.
I spoke to Adrian at AA some time ago )about his manifolds) and he struck me as knowing what he's doing & obviously Ian hasn't had any problems (no cracks or anything Ian?). I suspect the bolt on the end of the projection would tear out before the base would snap off.
It's a pity that no one makes overlocking mounts like the Suparu. Side steps the whole issue.
Peter

SUBARU
Peter

This thread was discussed between 10/12/2002 and 20/12/2002

MG MGB GT V8 Factory Originals Technical index

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