Engine Mount

The front engine mounting of the LD 10

(Metalastic part No. 31/128) has rubber components which are kept permanently in shear.

Located here

As the mounting gets old the engine drops until the fail safe device on the mounting prevents the engine from dropping further. Failure is observed when the engine has dropped sufficiently for the dynamo pulley to rub on the steering box bolts when the engine is pulling hard and when the clearance between the crankshaft pulley and the chassis is so small that it is impossible to change the fan belt without putting a jack under the engine. The fallen engine can also put weight onto the mechanical brake rod and make it much stiffer to operate.

The correct solution is to have the metal parts of the mounting re-rubbered by the people who now have the original mould. I think they are in New Zealand and I would appreciate their address if anyone has it.

An alternative, but very effective, solution is to remove the two steel spacers which are 3/4in. o.d., 7/16in. i.d. and 1.1/2in. long from the two bolts which fasten the mounting to the engine and replace them with Ford Cortina rear suspension void bushes (Ford part No. 79BB-SK789-AA), which are l.1/2in. o.d. 7/16in. i.d. and 1.3/4in, long. It would be better to reduce the length to standard but this is not necessary unless the original mounting is in good condition.

The bushes should be fitted with the voids at the sides i.e. the bush is marked "TOP" and should be fitted this way. This puts the weight of the engine onto the rubber and not onto the void, it also makes the bush easier to fit. The engine weight will have to be taken off the mounting before the bushes are fitted and when lowered the fail safe stops of the original mounting support the outer steel sleeve of the new rubber mounting, the rubber of which is in compression and not shear. I have repaired my mounting in this way (without altering the length of the bush) and, if I fitted a new mounting, I would still support it with the above method to prevent early failure. I am extremely pleased with the result. A new gearbox mounting (originally Metalastic part No. 31/234) can be made from a standard mounting which is available (part number not known) simply by filing the holes in the mounting to move the hole centres about 1/8in. further apart

The sketch to the right shows an alternative engine mounting, believed to be suitable. Which one Owner Tom Riddell has chosen to implement and share with other owners (Thanks Tom) schematics of which can be found here It consists of two metal brackets, the lower one made from 5mm mild steel angle 50mm by 50mm, with triangular ends welded in for strength, which bolts to the A frame using the existing holes. The other is also 5mm mild steel, cut from 75mm angle, also with triangular bracing, which bolts to the existing holes on the engine. Sandwiched between is an off the shelf failsafe engine mount, and a 5mm steel plate to support the mount. I used a mount from AV vibration mounts, part 3007, which has a height of 35mm and load capacity of 140kg. It is best to buy the intended off the shelf mount first, because the placing of the bolt holes in the brackets will depend on the mount dimensions. The mounting holes in the two new brackets, once assembled with the new engine mount between them, need to have a 30mm height differential between them so as to match the mounting holes for the original engine mount in the top of the A frame and the front of the engine.

Notes on removing the front engine mount for the LD10

To remove the existing engine mount with the engine still in the car:

Do not undo any of the engine mount bolts at this stage – the engine would fall down to the cross frame with potential damage

1. Open the radiator drain tap and drain the water from the radiator.

2. Remove the top and bottom hoses.

3. Remove the two radiator stay rods.

4. Remove the two hexagon headed screws from the top of the radiator top cover, the two vertical screws from the angle plate which attaches the cover to the top of the grille and loosen four locknuts, two of which are at each side of the radiator top cover.

5. Remove the top cover.

6. Undo the two nuts underneath the radiator, these are on studs which protrude through the support through which the radiator drain tap protrudes.

7. Slide the radiator upwards out of the car and place it somewhere safe.

8. Support the weight of the engine under the sump, using solid protection such as thick wood between the jack and the sump. If the old engine mount has failed the engine will need to be jacked up – there should be about 25mm clearance between the “ears” sticking out each side of the engine mount, and the sleeved mounting bolts going through to the block.

9. Remove the two hexagon headed screws which are below the engine mounting and which attach its centre plate to the mounting frame.

10. Remove the two long bolts which fasten the engine mounting to the engine, taking care not to lose the spacers which fit between the front and back plates of the mounting.

11. Lift out the mounting.

12. Fit the new mounting and spacers in place by refitting the two long bolts which fasten the mounting to the engine.

13. Refit everything, by reversing procedures 1 to 9 above and the job should be finished.