Thanks derf. It's always been kind of noisy at idle (changing the top motor mount helps). But I don't think it vibrates excessively.

I wish I could tell exactly what happened. The threads at the tops of the holes were definitely messed up. The threads lower in the holes appeared to be pretty good. The bottom part of the bolts had the jb weld type stuff on it.

It seems unlikely all of them were cross threaded, but that would make sense.

I wonder if they worked loose and unscrewed some over time and then finally ripped out.

Whatever the case may be I will monitor them regularly now that I am using the car again.

 

And just think - the 91 had no upper mount.....

I think they used the same style lower mount on the passanger's side as the bottom tranny mount on all other years.

Wasn' t a good idea.

 

I beg to differ. (5 speed at least)

Trainy Mount is a square rubber block with some metal backing.

Lower mount passenger side and upper driver! side are dog bone type mounts. Driver side is just a dog bone. Passenger lower side is a dog bone with a bracket to facilitate mounting and probably for strength. Never really thought about it.

Doubt automatic trans vehicles are different as these are engine mounts not transmission mounts except for the transmission mount.

 

But the 91 was different. It had no upper mount on the passenger side - which sets the engine elevation in regard to the frame. I never inspected a 91 lower passenger side - but a dog bone would allow the engine to drop - just like the OP. It has to be different.

 

91 is a freakshow in many ways. It has nothing to do with this thread so why are we discussing it? I wasn't and I'm still not.

For your last post, you're talking about all other years. That they used the bottom passenger mount as a trans mount. I don't believe that's correct. I also don't believe 91 is relevant. Appreciate there are differences, but I don't believe they're not relevant to this discussion.

 

Keep in mind, that the place where those mounting holes are located is NOT the engine block. Those holes are in the top of the timing chain cover, and you can pick up a replacement cover at your local junkyard. Just make sure you get the right one: twin cam vs single cam. And it doesn't have to come off a running engine. Get if off a defective core engine.

While you have the chain cover off, you might as well replace the timing chain, 2 guides and tracks, and chain tensioner. It's not that hard to do once you have the cover off, and it's really not that expensive either.

Preston

 

I would never attempt a timing cover replacement in vehicle. I know it can be done....
I'm just too attatched to my knuckles......

I would drop the drivetrain for the job..

But that' s me.

 

Well, until you leave a pound of flesh and a quart of blood on a vehicle, you never really, truly own it!

 

These timing chain covers are a pain to work with. You get to make your own gasket from a tube, and if it gets distorted enough it will never seal. The only source is from junk yards, so I'd have at least two on hand before attempting this if you do.

 

The hardest part of removing/installing the cover is getting the serpentine belt tensioner out of there. Most of the hard work can be done through the wheel well after you pull the plastic splash guard out of the way.

After the serpentine belt and engine mount are out of the way, the rest of it is just bolt and unbolt work. And it can be done in the car MUCH EASIER than removing the whole drive train from the vehicle!

It really isn't that hard!

Preston