135 replies to this topic

[mshue]

Sheeeesh... you know its been a while when ya build thread makes its way to the bottom of the second page in the Members Projects forum!!!

 

Errrr... got to find some time... 

 

But a very quick update... The purple hatch in the photo above... Sold to real nice bloke over in Melbourne... RX3 Coupe - sold... Bunch of spare parts for various cars - Sold... I've been cleansing the shed and made myself a promise to stop buying cars... at least for a while and just get on to the two Hatchbacks I have.

While looking under my streeter on the hoist, I had to really have a think about what I was doing on it last time I was working on it... That's right... Extractors... and the power steering rack I bought from Lenny waaaay back (sorry I didn't get back to you about that second rack to, Lenny!). Anyways, I have a SBC in there and the sump has quite a square bottom on it (as apposed to the rounded bottom ones) and the sump is hitting the power steering rack. Just wondering if anyone has a SBC with one of Lenny's racks installed with a square bottom sump that can post a picture of the clearance they have.

I'm figuring my options are:
1. Cut the sump for a relief as per the white paint marker lines

2. A little "massaging" from a ball pein hammer (not my style, but and option)

3. Redo my engine mounts and raise the engine higher up (and possibly back a little)

4. Move the engine toward the passenger side about 15-20mm.

 

Any thoughts fellas?

  

(its been that long I can't even remember how to add an image to the post!

Alright... I worked it out....

[mshue]

....

Attached Files

•  Power Steering Clearance (1).jpg   191.74K   11 downloads
•  Power Steering Clearance (3).jpg   136K   8 downloads

[axistr]

G'day Marcus, have you checked to ensure that the mounts aren't different between sides. Its common for Chev to HQ mounts to be offset to the left. Holden used offset mounts from factory in various chev to Holden combinations.

 

Is your engine currently bolted in or just sitting there for the photos?

How much clearance do you have now?

 

Looks like your sump has already been modified. I would probably go for a mod on the engine mounts to move the engine to the left slightly as this should be the quickest and easiest way to obtain more clearance. I can't judge from the photos but doesn't look like you need much. Clearancing this way you wont need to remove the engine or touch that shiny sump. In comparison my hatch with SBC has approximately 30mm clearance from the power steering rack mount bracket. I also have the original rag joint steering coupling and 1 7/8 extractors. 

 

P.S please put a bung or similar in that open power rack hydraulic supply fitting before something gets in there.       

Edited by axistr, 07 January 2025 - 02:49 PM.

[mshue]

Hey Lenny,

Thanks for your reply.

 

The engine is mounted. I have Tuff mounts, but only used the engine side and made my own k-frame sections so that the motor was centered. I dug out the original tuff mount parts yesterday and I'm hoping to get them installed tomorrow to see how it sits. From memory, they move the motor over to the passenger side and a few measurements suggest it will sit a little higher with the tuff mounts compared to the ones I've made.

 

The bung for the port - I actually knocked it out just before I took the photo's drawing that white line with the paint pen would you believe. The little bugger fell in between the rack and the k-frame. I fished it out after I took the photo's and reattached it.

 

Yep, the sump has been modified by ASR to cater for a Daley Eng external wet-vac pump.

 

I'll post the outcome...

 

Much appreciated.

Marcus

[SmacT]

Looks good Marcus - I have an ASR sump/tuff mounts combo on my Holden engine in my LX, and despite both companies assuring me ahead of time there would be stock spec sump/crossmember/steering rack clearance, there wasn't. I needed to make up some spacers on the Tuff Mounts to sit the engine higher for the clearance I wanted. So maybe there's something in that, even though you have a different combo. The products are great otherwise, just a shame I had to space the engine higher, as it caused other problems (header clearance, etc.)

[mshue]

Hey Sam,

 

Yeah, I'm hearing you... Which is exactly why I'm working on getting the engine mounts sorted along with the gearbox crossmember (so I can consider the diff pinion angle/Uni working angle - avoid vibrations) before working on the headers and exhaust. 

I'll slip the other mounts in and see where things are at. Hopefully its all a match as per Lenny's arrangement he's mentioned. 

 

Appreciate you guys chiming in!

 

M

[mshue]

Ok. So Tuff Mounts installed. She's tight with only a handful of millimeters of space. A little tight for my liking, so I'll shim behind the engine mounting plates with some fat washers.

Attached Files

•  Power Steering (5).jpg   100.45K   5 downloads
•  Power Steering (6).jpg   113.24K   5 downloads
•  Power Steering (7).jpg   142.24K   4 downloads

[SmacT]

Ah, I didn't see Lenny had answered. Just do whatever he says!

I had the same clearance as you, so cut and drilled a standard engine mount flat section to space the tuff mount up, and all is good. 👍

[mshue]

Hey Lenny,

If you happen to be crawling around under your car at some stage, wondering if you can measure the depth of your SBC sump?

 

I fitted up the Tuff Mount engine mounts (longer one on the driver side) and I still have clearance issues. While it does move the engine over to the passenger side it still touches on the aluminum casting of the power steering rack (see yellow arrow on 2nd photo - not the best image, but...). I'm thinking that this sump pan may be deeper than others.
The 1st image shows a tape measure butted up again the sump flange at the engine side and a 300mm ruler flush against the bottom of the pan. The tape measure shows it to be 99-100mm at than point. Would yours be a little shallower than this?

 

Attached Files

•  Power Steering (8).jpg   184.85K   4 downloads
•  Power Steering (5).jpg   117.83K   3 downloads

[axistr]

G'day Marcus,

 

See attached photos for reference. 

 

I have 9mm clearance between the power steering rack cylinder and the sump (directly above cylinder).

My sump is 90mm in depth measured from the block sump rail to the top of the rack cylinder. 

The clearance between the right-side power steering mount and the sump is approximately 20mm. However my sump is slightly rounded in this area and yours appears to be more squared off due to the sump modifications.

 

My sump looks to be an original HQ350 sump. 

 

 20250114_105723.jpg   170.47K   3 downloads 

 

 20250114_105807.jpg   177.2K   3 downloads

 

[mshue]

Thanks Lenny. 

 

Your description and images answers the quandary. 

I'll consider my options.

 

Whatever route I take, I'll post for other peoples reference.

 

Much appreciated. Thanks for taking the time to take the pics and make your post mate.

 

M

 

 

G'day Marcus,

 

See attached photos for reference. 

 

I have 9mm clearance between the power steering rack cylinder and the sump (directly above cylinder).

My sump is 90mm in depth measured from the block sump rail to the top of the rack cylinder. 

The clearance between the right-side power steering mount and the sump is approximately 20mm. However my sump is slightly rounded in this area and yours appears to be more squared off due to the sump modifications.

 

My sump looks to be an original HQ350 sump. 

Edited by mshue, 14 January 2025 - 04:29 PM.