Measurement question

[V8Square]

I have, what many of you may think, a stupid question. On my build, I am using a sbc 350. Question on the motor mounts. Are they both at the same height on the block and the same distance back from the front of the engine? Water pump. Is the water pump hub/shaft in the center of the engine? I know these may sound like stupid questions, but I had to ask anyway.

One last thing. If I have may chassis level, at the ride height I want and set my engine in place, with putting a level on the carb mounting base of the intake, if the level shows level, should that give me the proper engine tilt, front to rear?

Thanks for help

 

[Blue Eyed Devil]

Your chassis should be set at the rake it will have at ride height with your wheel/tire combo. Then your carb should be level, which puts the transmission tailshaft at 3 degrees down.

 

[skull]

degree

on the engine level part.

most intakes have a + or - degree built in for the carb. the best way is to get a measurement off of the block. l did this with a long level and placed it across front to back with the intake off. if you have a short level, use a 2X4 to span the gap.

l think the motor mounts bolts are the same measurement from the front of the block,

remember that SBC has long and short water pumps and they have different accessories mounting variations to accommodate alternator/air conditioning and other stuff.


Later

 

[V8Square]

Your chassis should be set at the rake it will have at ride height with your wheel/tire combo. Then your carb should be level, which puts the transmission tailshaft at 3 degrees down.

Thanks. That's kind of what I thought, What about,down the road, if I decide to put a taller tire combo on the rear? Also, what about the other 2 questions I had/ can you help me on those?

 

[rainman]

Yes, yes, and yes!!
If I'm understanding your question!

 

[V8Square]

Thanks for the replies. I know a lot of you builders may think I am some sort of stupid person. To a degree, I am. When I came home from overseas in the service, in 1969, I started at a VW dealer as a mechanic. Yeah, we were called mechanics then, not technicians. Graduated up to Porsches. So something that had water in it was greek to me. Since I retired, I always wanted to build something different. That is why I am doing the V8 Squareback.

Being it was 106 degrees today, I went into my "cave" cranked the A/C on and started on the project. 1) Chassis is level, at ride height 2)Lowered engine and trans assembly into chassis 3)Set level on engine hoist plate that is bolted to intake and madesure all was level front to rear at that point 4)Set level on thermostat housing and made sure level left to right 5)Attached motor mounts to engine and made sure measurement are same on both sides to frame and same from frame front to mount

Does it look like I forgot anything? Gotta go inside now, little chilly (ha,ha)

 

[rainman]

You kind of lost me on all those points, all you need to do is, check for level,front to back, and side to side where the carb sits on the intake!

Then make sure the engine is centered in the frame, bingo, mount it!

I use the crank bolt to get centered in the frame!! Hope this helps!!

As BED said when you get it level, ther will be a slight slope rearward,
(usually about three degree's at tailshaft) this is normal!!

PS: I center the rear at the trans, shaft!!

 

[V8Square]

You kind of lost me on all those points, all you need to do is, check for level,front to back, and side to side where the carb sits on the intake!

Then make sure the engine is centered in the frame, bingo, mount it!

I use the crank bolt to get centered in the frame!! Hope this helps!!

As BED said when you get it level, ther will be a slight slope rearward,
(usually about three degree's at tailshaft) this is normal!!

PS: I center the rear at the trans, shaft!!

Thank you for all your help. I really think I hav been making too much out of this.

 

[butchman_3]

nice seeing this asked

nice to see questions like this asked, ive seen guys build some amazing rods, rat and hot rods, that would be having carb problems or that they had problems with leaning out a couple of cylinders due to improper leveling of the motor, drove them nuts, and honestly, to some of the new guys, a small piece of advice like this can make a big difference on them being discouraged. i always bolt the trans to the motor, and like someone else said, use the crank bolt and the trans output shaft for your center points to line everything up and get your center, then level it, factor in everything else, ride height, rake of the frame, and set accordingly,

 

[V8Square]

nice to see questions like this asked, ive seen guys build some amazing rods, rat and hot rods, that would be having carb problems or that they had problems with leaning out a couple of cylinders due to improper leveling of the motor, drove them nuts, and honestly, to some of the new guys, a small piece of advice like this can make a big difference on them being discouraged. i always bolt the trans to the motor, and like someone else said, use the crank bolt and the trans output shaft for your center points to line everything up and get your center, then level it, factor in everything else, ride height, rake of the frame, and set accordingly,

Thanks for the advice. Now I'm going to throw in another question. What if, down the road, I want to install taller tires on the rear? Not saying I will, but how much affect will that have? I am running the same size tires and wheels all the way around now. Mainly because I am trying to make this look like a real sleeper.

 

[rainman]

Unless you have to raise the suspension the difference will be nominal
and shouldn't have much of an effect on it!! If you think you will be raising the rear, you could build an extra degree in the system! It isn't rocket
science, close in this case is usually good enough!

I wouldn't mind hearing some other opinions on this myself though!!

 

[butchman_3]

agree rainman

i agree with ya rainman, but there is one other factor to take into consideration. is it a 2 barrel or 4 barrel carb, 4 barrels allow more angle since it has bowls on each end, 2 barrel is a little less forgiving, a degree or 2 out isnt a big deal, its when there is 10+ that starts screwing stuff up (speaking from past experience with dirt racing)

 

[rainman]

i agree with ya rainman, but there is one other factor to take into consideration. is it a 2 barrel or 4 barrel carb, 4 barrels allow more angle since it has bowls on each end, 2 barrel is a little less forgiving, a degree or 2 out isnt a big deal, its when there is 10+ that starts screwing stuff up (speaking from past experience with dirt racing)

I agree, but I've never gone as far as 10 before!!
I usually go around three!!