FE Motor Plate

[6667fan]

Looks like serious business there Dennis.
Giddy up!

[Heo]

Its important that not have any paint on the block under the
plates to get maximal friction and paint will wear down and
loosen the tension from the bolts

[Towd56]

Do you have a picture of the plate that you want to use?

Haven’t got that far

[TomP]

I would not trust the water pump holes to seal coolant and mount the engine both. I made a plate behind the timing cover and water pump. Uses 11 bolts, including the 7/16" alternator hole. It moves the seal out farther on the spacer and the oil pan front four holes need to be slotted but it won't stress the water pump gaskets.

Here it is partly finished and mounting a block in my 64 Comet,  also the one i made in 1983 for my 289 Pinto.

[blykins]

I would not trust the water pump holes to seal coolant and mount the engine both. I made a plate behind the timing cover and water pump. Uses 11 bolts, including the 7/16" alternator hole. It moves the seal out farther on the spacer and the oil pan front four holes need to be slotted but it won't stress the water pump gaskets.

Here it is partly finished and mounting a block in my 64 Comet,  also the one i made in 1983 for my 289 Pinto.

It does work fine.  Done many by water pump bolts and no leaks or issues.

[Towd56]

Thanks everyone for your thoughts and pictures. Jay - I will have a look at your timing cover also. Hoping to have this in place within the next few weeks.

[Tommy-T]

I am leaning towards using a front plate for the 427 in my Fairlane. It seems most only use the 2 Water pump bolts on each side. I did discover a timing cover from Dove, I believe, that also uses bolts from the timing cover? I can’t find it for sale anywhere though?

Looking for thoughts on just using the water pump bolts and to see if someone has a better idea that would incorporate some additional mounting points .

Any ideas or info on the timing cover is appreciated

I have a the Dove timing cover that you're talking about. It is a copy of the Ford C7 cast iron cover that the motor mount bolts to the 4 front cover bolts around the crank snout. I also have the cast iron cover too. If you are interested in either you can pm me here.

[AlanCasida]

Do you guys who are using a front motor plate use a mid plate too or can you get along without one?

[blykins]

Do you guys who using a front motor plate use a mid plate too or can you get along without one?

You don't have to use a mid plate.

[JamesonRacing]

Do you guys who using a front motor plate use a mid plate too or can you get along without one?

You don't have to use a mid plate.

Brent - current have the two piece front plates, mid-plate, and a factory transmission support on my C4.  Do you think I'd be fine removing the mid-plate and just using the front and trans mounts?  If no mid-plate, should I add a fore-aft limiter to keep the drivetrain from shifting backwards when launching the car?

[blykins]

Do you guys who using a front motor plate use a mid plate too or can you get along without one?

You don't have to use a mid plate.

Brent - current have the two piece front plates, mid-plate, and a factory transmission support on my C4.  Do you think I'd be fine removing the mid-plate and just using the front and trans mounts?  If no mid-plate, should I add a fore-aft limiter to keep the drivetrain from shifting backwards when launching the car?

I've got guys using front engine plates and regular trans mounts.  The rule of thumb is that you don't want the trans mount more rigid than the engine mount as the engine will wrap up and the movement will crack the bell or trans case.  I've seen this happen with rubber engine mounts (with no viable limiter) and a polyurethane or solid trans mount.

If you're already setup with a front/mid plate combo, I don't think I'd change it. 

[fairlaniac]

S&W Chassis recommended to me to use a mid-plate and limiters. I'm putting tabs on my crossmember below the radiator core support and fastenening to the engine to eliminate fore & aft movement. That's the plan.

[Rory428]

Not sure if it was related, but years ago, I had a 390 in my 64 Falcon, mounted using 2 "ear" style aluminum motor plates using the water pump bolt holes, with studs. I also used a factory rubber transmission mount, and no mid mount. After a while, the C6s bellhousing cracked, as did the flexplate.  A chassis guy I know, suggested that the large span between the front of the engine block, to the trans. mount allowed the engine/transmission assembly to sag enough to cause the cracking, and he recommended installing a midplate to give additional support. I never did, as I sold the Falcon as a rolling chassis shortly afterwards. I can say the aluminum plates, with a gasket on either side, with RTV, never had any leak issues.

[Heo]

Not sure if it was related, but years ago, I had a 390 in my 64 Falcon, mounted using 2 "ear" style aluminum motor plates using the water pump bolt holes, with studs. I also used a factory rubber transmission mount, and no mid mount. After a while, the C6s bellhousing cracked, as did the flexplate.  A chassis guy I know, suggested that the large span between the front of the engine block, to the trans. mount allowed the engine/transmission assembly to sag enough to cause the cracking, and he recommended installing a midplate to give additional support. I never did, as I sold the Falcon as a rolling chassis shortly afterwards. I can say the aluminum plates, with a gasket on either side, with RTV, never had any leak issues.

Ford found out with the flathead, that with the front mounts and transmount that it saged enough to decrease bearinglife. So the Y block with front mounts got mounts on the bellhousing. Thats what i read anyway

[winr1]

On a 59 Corvette I changed the bolts to studs on the front engine mount

The studs were solid where they went through the mounts and were snug in the holes

Stopped water from weeping where the pump bolted on

I figured the slight back and forth movement with the looser bolt threads sheared the gaskets and lost tension as well



Ricky.