While working on my stock drivetrain '85 4-4-2, I decided to replace the original motor mounts with fresh units, found them on Rock Auto, and expected them to fit based on the writeup on the website including " Dimensions tested / approved using CMM (machine which takes readings in six degrees of freedom and displays these readings in mathematical form)."
I took my time getting to the replacement of the mounts thinking there was nothing to be concerned about. Unfortunately, I found out the hard way that apparently "six degrees of freedom" just weren't enough. The mounts in question are manufactured by Marmon Ride Control (formerly DEA Products), part #A2328.
I finally got to the motor mount reinstallation. I bolted them to the engine block, torqued them to the proper specification, then lowered the block back onto the frame pads, finding that the 'ears' that wrap around the frame pads were not manufactured properly. The ears only had 3/16" of 'ear' length between the top of the through-bolt hole in the ear to the body of the mount. The factory mounts require 1/2" of ear length in this key dimension - apparently left out of the six degrees of freedom, or should that be spelled "freedumb."
I've attached pictures of how the mounts (subsequently unbolted from the block) failed to line up with the frame pad through-bolt holes. Also note in the IMG_4810 you can see the letters "DEA" molded into the rubber of the mount (nearly straight up from the bolt hole in the ear).
I worked over the phone with Tom, the manager of the local O'Reilly's Auto Parts store, who made measurements for me on the mounts he had in stock. Of the two he had, one was bad and marked "DEA" and one measured to have the proper 1/2" of meat in the ear. Tom then ordered two more mounts for delivery the following morning and called me to inform me they were both bad. He offered to order more mounts for delivery by lunchtime. He called me back again, and this time he received another bad mount, but this time had a good one as well. All of the bad ones had the same "DEA" letters molded into the rubber.
I'm just putting this info out there as a word of warning - be very careful when ordering replacement mounts and measure all the critical dimensions, even if you have to exceed six degrees of freedumb.
Now that that's done, I'm dealing with needing to make an adapter plate to go between the fuel pump and the block since the Delphi replacement pump uses a different casting design that does not clamp fully on the block face since they decided to widen the hole the pump arm sticks through, most likely to save 0.003 seconds time in assembling the pump. It never stops.
I took my time getting to the replacement of the mounts thinking there was nothing to be concerned about. Unfortunately, I found out the hard way that apparently "six degrees of freedom" just weren't enough. The mounts in question are manufactured by Marmon Ride Control (formerly DEA Products), part #A2328.
I finally got to the motor mount reinstallation. I bolted them to the engine block, torqued them to the proper specification, then lowered the block back onto the frame pads, finding that the 'ears' that wrap around the frame pads were not manufactured properly. The ears only had 3/16" of 'ear' length between the top of the through-bolt hole in the ear to the body of the mount. The factory mounts require 1/2" of ear length in this key dimension - apparently left out of the six degrees of freedom, or should that be spelled "freedumb."
I've attached pictures of how the mounts (subsequently unbolted from the block) failed to line up with the frame pad through-bolt holes. Also note in the IMG_4810 you can see the letters "DEA" molded into the rubber of the mount (nearly straight up from the bolt hole in the ear).
I worked over the phone with Tom, the manager of the local O'Reilly's Auto Parts store, who made measurements for me on the mounts he had in stock. Of the two he had, one was bad and marked "DEA" and one measured to have the proper 1/2" of meat in the ear. Tom then ordered two more mounts for delivery the following morning and called me to inform me they were both bad. He offered to order more mounts for delivery by lunchtime. He called me back again, and this time he received another bad mount, but this time had a good one as well. All of the bad ones had the same "DEA" letters molded into the rubber.
I'm just putting this info out there as a word of warning - be very careful when ordering replacement mounts and measure all the critical dimensions, even if you have to exceed six degrees of freedumb.
Now that that's done, I'm dealing with needing to make an adapter plate to go between the fuel pump and the block since the Delphi replacement pump uses a different casting design that does not clamp fully on the block face since they decided to widen the hole the pump arm sticks through, most likely to save 0.003 seconds time in assembling the pump. It never stops.