ERA folks...please help / getting frustrated

[Kramer]

Hey folks...I am hoping you (or Bob) might wiegh in and help me. With the help of a builder here in Denver, we finally got 739 fired up today. However, I have an issue with the sidepipes now. We got them installed a few weeks ago but and they were coming through the body centered though the hole but could not get them lined up in the back. After talking to Doug and other ERA folks I used ALOT of persuasion to get them to mount up in the back. Today, after running the car for a few minutes, I noticed the passenger side pipe seems to have migrated such that pipes coming out of the space in the body are all the way at the top of the hole if not touching the body...we quickly shut it down b/c this surely would damage the paint. So now I am pissed b/c I can drive it. Any thoughts?

Note: Had the folks at ERA weld the tabs and coat the pipes black.
my thoughts are...
1) get new pipes (without coating or tabs and try to make them fit, weld new tabs, then recoat and hope everything matches0
2) use the sidepipe I have and try to fab a space in the bracket)

I'd like to get this fixed tomorrow.....help?

[JWheaton]

My cars previous owner had that issue. The engine was torquing the pipe up toward the top of the opening.

The solution was to chain the engine to the frame.

I don't think you need new pipes. It is not their fault that they are attached to the engine.

[Kramer]

appreciate the quick feedback...since the pipes where centered before the engine fire at least now it make sinces...i thought i was loosing my mind...

so know I know the reason...how do I fix it?

[CHANMADD]

I have never heard of chaining an engine to the frame of any car. If the motor is jumping around you need new engine mounts and if you have so much torque maybe solid mounts,but chains???

[PatBuckley]

Did you make sure the engine is sitting level in the car?

[JWheaton]

Originally Posted by CHANMADD

I have never heard of chaining an engine to the frame of any car. If the motor is jumping around you need new engine mounts and if you have so much torque maybe solid mounts,but chains???

Torque strap - chain same difference.

Engine mounts were fine. The engine had a good amount of torque that was released by the lifting/twisting of the engine on the frame. All was tight.

On the ERA a small amount of flex will result in the pipes lifting enough to hit the body work.

Chain (and only 1) goes from drivers side rail to block. Engine does not budge. accomplishes the same thing as the strap.

[Hans-Olof Blom]

Modify the left engine mount according to:

http://www.erareplicas.com/427man/en...tmod/index.htm

[427Aggie]

If the pipes are centered and the engine is sitting level in the car you may need a Torque Strap.

We had about 7 ERA's around here at one time and all of us had to put them on as we gradually got these wonderful little round rubbings in the bottom of the pass side hole and top of the driver side from the engine torquing over. Rather than a chain you can get a regular or Stainless Steel eye hook buckle that you can turn and adjust...mine went from the driver head to the shock mount.

[Kramer]

The engine was sitting level in the car before we fired it, but that is the first thing I am going to check in the morning...I should have come to that conclusion earlier but guess between my frustration and inexperience I just didn't think about it.

427Aggie...do you have any pictures of what you are referencing?

[cobred]

The motor mounts on the frame are slotted. If you loosen the nuts on both sides and put a jack with a block of wood under the oil pan you can shift the engine a little. When I first built mine I had ERA weld the rear brackets on the pipes and one side would not line up. I just drilled a new hole in the chassis and moved the hanger. Good luck and dont get frustrated, there will be some new car bugs. Take them one at a time.

[Kramer]

JWheaton, do you have a picture of what you referencing?

This may sound like a stupid question but here goes:

The engine seems to have shifted in such a way that the passenger side sidepipes are up against the top of the body hole. My question is a lot of you suggest modifying the drivers side, with a change in the mount or this torque strap. If I modify the drivers side, I am thinking that will help with the engine movement, however won't I still have the same issue remaining with the pipes on the passenger side?

[Kramer]

something like this????

[Doug I]

Take the weight of the engine with a hoist.

Loosen the engine bolts and recenter everything

Make sure the engine mount bolts are tight, both to the frame and to the engine. Check that a mount is broken, torn or bent.

HTH's

[Kramer]

Doug...I plan on starting that route first...and then moving to the torque strap (of mortor mount argmentation ) if need be.

[JWheaton]

Kramer. I will email you a picture today.

[Jim Holden]

The solution that Hans refers to (a bolt through the engine mount per ERA) is the way I have done both my big block and small block cars. Much less obtrusive solution than puttin a boat anchor chain from the frame to the block...

Jim

[JWheaton]

Originally Posted by Jim Holden

The solution that Hans refers to (a bolt through the engine mount per ERA) is the way I have done both my big block and small block cars. Much less obtrusive solution than puttin a boat anchor chain from the frame to the block...

Jim

You are embelishing my chain. Not a boat anchor chain. The size chain I have would only be on a something that would referred to as a ship.

[cobrajeff]

I know my situation is not quite the same, as I have an ERA FIA with a small-block in it, but, what I did to fix this issue on my own car was to open up the holes in the body.

I could see witness marks on the pipes where they were hitting. I drew outlines on the body with a grease pencil, and trimmed the holes to give me about 3/4" clearance top and bottom. I used an air saw, and finished the rough edge with Dremel tootsie rolls, then touched the raw edges up with brush-on touch-up paint.



I actually did this twice - the first time with the side pipes still on the car. Naturally, it was a little difficult working around the pipes while they are still protruding through the hole. The next time, I took the sidepipes completely off (I do that anyway about every third year, to respray the side pipes with VHT White paint). I know it's not an elegant solution (do I mess up my $800 ceramic coating? or my $10,000 paint job?), but, the witness marks on the pipes were really bothering me. I hardly notice the holes in the body being larger.

regards,

Jeff

[John Martin]

I had the "tork up" rubbing with my first motor (390)in my ERA , so when I wanted to changed engines (427) I would compensate .With only the motor in the engine bay , trans was connected but the trans mount bolt left loose , I put the 24" level from one valve cover to the other , parallel to the fire wall . I make the engine level and centered , then pushed down the one side ( the other side will come up as you are turning the engine )1/4 " or so , then tightened the one big nut on each the motor mount .

[imagine2frolic]

You can also use a turnbuckle to stop the torque, and it is adjustable.

When you say you used persuasion. Does that mean you forced the pipe into place? If so then some heat anywhere along the system will relieve that stress, and fall into it's natural place.