engine and drivetrain tii engine clearance questions

[jgerock]

Based on my limited (1/4") clearance between the fan hub and radiator, I'm wondering if my engine is somehow too far forward on the subframe.

Any of you tii owners mind doing some comparisons for me? Much appreciated.

[bnam]

Will post some from my car this evening.

B

[c.d.iesel]

normally you have the thickness of your hand between the fan hub and radiator. Think - if the fan is too far from the radiator core you loose air

flow efficiency - which is why having a fan shroud improves air draw

by the fan through the core.

your front sub frame can only attach in one place under the front

body rails so that is fixed. The drivers side motor mount is fixed

on one spot with no foward or back varience. The passenger motor mount

can move slightly foward or back but finds its tension free

location from the drivers side mount and the trans mount.

more common is lack of front radiator-to-fan clearance because of

body collision repairs to the front nose panel.

Your photos of positions looks fine.

what you do want to be sure of with your fan-to-radiator

gap is that your passenger side motor mount has the

proper travel limit stop bracket and it's adjusted correctly.

[FB73tii]

As CD said important that passenger side motor mount travel limiting bracket be in place and adjusted correctly. However 1/4" clearance to the radiator is way too little. A hard stop (such as at the end of an autocross or emergency situation) will put your fan into the radiator, it has happened to me. Poly mounts will help, old (soggy) rubber motor mounts will allow too much longitudinal shift under heavy deceleration. As you can't easily move the engine back (without significant custom mods), I would suggest a fan delete and an electric pusher fan mounted in front of the radiator. As least reduce the 3mm clearance on the limiting strap to 1mm and use poly bushings.

Fred 74tii

[jgerock]

Passenger side limiting strap is almost touching the mount now

Driver's side mount

My air cleaner is also not in-line with the throttle body - as some others here have noticed on their tii's.

Wonder if my radiator mounting tabs were welded on too far forward. Note how much of a gap there is all around the radiator to the nose opening.

How much clearance is there supposed to be between the fan and radiator fins?

Fred - I have A/C in my car...

[jimk]

Your photo of the tape on the valve cover acorn nut to the firewall of just under 12 3/4" maeasure the same as on my car.

[jimk]

Your photo of the tape on the valve cover acorn nut to the firewall of just under 12 3/4" maeasure the same as on my car.

[Preyupy]

It is hard to tell from the pictures but it looks like it might have a 3 row core in the radiator. Stock is 2 rows. Someone might have put a thick core in because of overheating issues in the past

[Kpeters]

I got the same clearance on the fan and radiator.

[SteveJ]

I'll try to take some of the measurments on my car tonight. If it's not too cold, or raining, or I get called into work.

The skew for your air cleaner looks to be a bit much.

Are you running a 5 speed or stock set-up?

[jgerock]

I'll try to take some of the measurments on my car tonight. If it's not too cold, or raining, or I get called into work.

The skew for your air cleaner looks to be a bit much.

Are you running a 5 speed or stock set-up?

Clearance at the hub was about 1/2" with the 4-speed and now is about 1/4" with the 5 speed OD tranny. The gap at the outer tips of the blade is about even to the fins.

[jgerock]

It is hard to tell from the pictures but it looks like it might have a 3 row core in the radiator. Stock is 2 rows. Someone might have put a thick core in because of overheating issues in the past

There are only (2) vertical tubes inside the radiator. The car runs about midway on the temperature gauge in normal driving and jumps to about 3/4 when the A/C is (rarely) used in the summer months.

I do have a new Silicon Garage (Mark P. ownership) 3-row unit I'm saving for another project so I will compare it to the one currently in the car. The radiator certainly sits farther back than others I've seen.

[SteveJ]

I was wondering if the driveshaft was left a touch long after modification and that's pushing things forward?

Mounting points to review-

Diff lower mounting bolts

Center Bearing

Trans mounts

motor mounts.

I know this was hashed over before on the FAQ: What about losening the diff mounts to see if things move backwards? We're talking a 1/4" wiggle.

[M3M3]

as mentioned in his recent guibo threat, his drive shaft is actually too short. by just under a quarter inch. diff all the way forward still leaves a two washer gap on the tranny.

[jgerock]

I was wondering if the driveshaft was left a touch long after modification and that's pushing things forward?

Mounting points to review-

Diff lower mounting bolts

Center Bearing

Trans mounts

motor mounts.

I know this was hashed over before on the FAQ: What about losening the diff mounts to see if things move backwards? We're talking a 1/4" wiggle.

New driveshaft was too short by 3/16", even with the rear diff pushed all the way forward (I have (2) washers at the guibo (see my other thread). CSB is closer to the rear adjustment slots than my old 4-speed DS.

When I recently installed new tunnel brackets, I raised the tranny with a transmission jack and put the new mounts in. The engine and trans combination was not moved front/back.