Motor mounts - stuck!

[M3Fan]

I'm right in the middle of attempting to change my engine mounts. I've been following the 101 projects book on this project (which they describe as "couldn't be easier", btw) and my motor seems to disagree with raising the full 4" needed to get this mount in. I have a jack under he oil pan with a piece of wood between the jack and the pan.

I'm doing them one at a time, FWIW. I got the old pass side mount out, but it was compressed enough that I was able to slip it out with the engine raised to this height. The new mount is much taller than the old mount and there is no way it will fit in unless I jack the motor up another 3/4". It's already snug against the firewall, fan is above the top of the radiator, lower radiator hose is getting tight, I can feel lots of resistance with the jack, etc.- I just don't know how much further this thing is going to go before something lets loose.

Should I undo the other mount? Or do them one at a time like this? I don't want to break the pan, or anything else, by raising the motor so high. I'm open to any tips or tricks on this one- it's been a PITA so far, just like everything else I've done on this car! Par for the course.

[jlevie]

Remove the engine fan and radiator hoses. Support the engine with a hoist or engine brace and remove the transmission cross member. Then lift the engine and allow it to tilt enough to replace both mounts at the same time.

[kishg]

try removing the other side and see if you gain any clearance but definitely support the motor with a hoist or brace as jim suggests.

[M3Fan]

OK, quick update here:

Removed the lower radiator hose and the intake boot. I was able to raise the motor enough to squeeze in the passenger side mount. Turns out the driver's side mount had sheared in half, which was the reason I was changing these anyway- the motor "rattled" when you turned the car off. This must've been the reason!

Here's the next challenge though: The motor does not want to align itself with the new mount on the passenger side. When I lower the motor down, the engine needs to go about a half inch towards the driver's side in order to be aligned with the top stud on the mount. The trans crossmember is out as I'm doing the trans mounts, linkage, flex disc, CSB, etc. at the same time. The car is very "apart". Any hints on moving the motor to one side or the other? I could probably persuade it a bit with the jack, but I don't want to let the engine rest on the stud. Help!

[Dirtbleed]

might try to drop the subframe on the passenger side 1/2" or so.

[jlevie]

With the passenger side mount loose, but attached, use a pry bar on that side to shift the engine towards the driver's side. Having both the top and bottom nuts of the mounts just attached provides more wiggle room when setting the engine.

[M3Fan]

Update- Got the passenger side mount in place. The key was to lower the engine down off the firewall and to persuade it over with a large prybar. Now for the driver's side mount!