Engine brace, please hear me out

Forcd4 · Post by **Forcd4** » Wed Jul 06, 2011 4:24 am

I was at a maztech dyno day many moons ago and a then mate of mine had a old school drop top Lexus rare 2 door, 7mgte, imported, with about 8 of us heavyweights all over the car it cranked over 500kw at the wheels and I may have ejaculated in my pants. One thing in the engine bay stood out to me. From both strut towers to the head were think purpose built steel braces that apparently were installed to stop engine twist and breaking engine mounts. I've busted countless mounts through engine twist would this work with a front wheeler?

Callumgw · Post by **Callumgw** » Wed Jul 06, 2011 7:11 am

Its a little more difficult because the radiator support panel and firewall aren't very stiff - but it could be done.

the next issue, for the n12 anyway, is that the existing mounts aren't strong. For example, the rear mount through the gearbox commonly breaks - through the gearbox aluminium! thats with out braces. You brace it up and the load then escapes through the weakest link...the standard engine mounts.

So I'd rate it as possible, but maybe not helpful.

C

Forcd4 · Post by **Forcd4** » Thu Jul 07, 2011 1:41 am

Dude I thought the same thing on this lex something gotta give. But I've split many a mount and when you see the twist on the dyno is it a bad thing. Meh splitting hairs maybe. But alot of hot rods are engine plate mounted no rubber.

Callumgw · Post by **Callumgw** » Thu Jul 07, 2011 7:03 am

Its certainly do-able. If your building a drag car or horsepower hero - do it and prepare to beef up the material in the gearbox case (and other places).

But I wouldn't do it for a road car. The guys with 'solid' engine mounts say they are bad enough....

Post by **shanec86** » Thu Jul 07, 2011 6:45 pm

just somthing like this...?

http://justjap.com/store/product.php?productid=17675

Forcd4 · Post by **Forcd4** » Thu Jul 07, 2011 10:32 pm

nah it was solid... no give just solid steel thick as fuck

Damo · Post by **Damo** » Fri Jul 08, 2011 4:43 pm

That would be almost undriveable for any lenght of time!

It would be like driving whilst a dentist is drilling all your teeth at once.

The F50 has its V12 bolted directly to the subframe, and that is supposed to be on the limit of what you could possibly use as a fortnightly drive. Now picture someone doing the same with a 4cyl non balance shafted engine from the 80,s

, masochist much.

Damo

Forcd4 · Post by **Forcd4** » Fri Jul 08, 2011 4:45 pm

well mines balanced, but i still dont like the idea. was one of those mods i've seen that left me wondering if it would be worth doing

Post by **tassuperkart** » Fri Jul 08, 2011 4:48 pm

Errrm, well, i have intimate knowledge of this.
I used to race a hillclimb car for a M8, It was a "Spridget" (half a Sprite half a Midget) With a stove hot "B" series engine bored to 2 litres.
The engine/transmission was solid mounted at 4 points to the chassis and that thing would go close to loosening your teeth!

L8r
Oracle

Post by **tassuperkart** » Fri Jul 08, 2011 4:54 pm

Forcd4 wrote:well mines balanced, but i still dont like the idea. was one of those mods i've seen that left me wondering if it would be worth doing

Balanced means nothing.
However, I like the idea of restraining the engine/transmission from rotating.

However, solid mounting without any cushion at all is brutal on transmissions and stripped diff gears would be the most common failure.

Give the engine "some" controlled movement via rubber bushes (NOT urethane) would probably give you the control you want and help with traction and transmission life.
The more rigid you make the entire show, the more likely you are to break traction and this is a luxury you dont have on a powerful FWD.

L8r
Oracle

Callumgw · Post by **Callumgw** » Sat Jul 09, 2011 8:39 am

Forcd4 wrote:well mines balanced, but i still dont like the idea. was one of those mods i've seen that left me wondering if it would be worth doing

There's "balanced" from an engine builders sense, which means they have set all the mass a "balanced" as they can. Then theres the bit that is "as good as they can". 4cyl engines will have a natural imbalance that gets more noticeable as the capacity gets bigger. Thats why the large 4's (normally in the 2lt + range) start to run balance shafts. These are shafts with mass that spins in the opposite sense to cancel out the natural vibrations of the engine.

C

Callumgw · Post by **Callumgw** » Sat Jul 09, 2011 8:42 am

ohh, all that said, things like that bigg damper shock that Shane put up are a good compromise, they help the poe delivery, but you can keep your filling!

So the solid mount theory has merit, just practical limitations. If you're happy with the compromise or want to experiment - go for it!
For my sake if you do it I'd like to hear how it works so post up.

C