Creating and welding homemade b16a engine mounts

Brand new out of the box or homemade ?

My DOHC ZC engine gone, I’m sitting in front of my computer looking for informations about a B16a installation into an EF chassis. What’s available on the market, what did guys in different countries …

First observation : good news, there are engine mounts kits available on the market. Originally, the B16a comes with a cable actuated gearbox and lot of the available kits are designed to install the engine with this kind of gearbox. In my project, the target is to use a hydro actuated gearbox with a housing slightly bigger than a cable one.

After more researches I was finally able to find a brand selling a mounting kit for hydro gearbox. Second thing is a bad news : when using those engine mounts, you have to modify the shape of the main reinforcement located just above the end of the gearbox … by punshing it enough with a big big big hammer … not an exciting solution I must say !

At the end, I made a simple decision : go for homemade engine mounts. This solution was made based on those important specs :

• I DON’T want to hit my car’s body with a hammer to fit a gearbox !!!
• I have welding tools availables to do the job. But it’s been a long time I’ve not welded something ^^.
• I can install the engine 10 millimeters lower than the original position. This will help me lower the general center of gravity of the car and increase the general car handling.
• To improve engine response and gearshifting under high loads on track, mounts will integrate 90 A-shores hardness bushings also taylor-made.

And the lowered engine position will also help me keep my OEM bonnet without using hood spacers.

More space in the bay and I took time to clean it a little bit !

Suspensions removing.

B16a engine and gearbox assembly

B16a and S9B gearbox fitted together.

You must know that the OEM B16a clutch system CANNOT be used with this hydro gearbox as the mainshaft diameter is larger than the B16a original gearbox.

So you have to buy / find a complete clutch kit which suits the gearbox (B18c).

Back in the bay

The new engine at home ! It’s maintained in position by using the OEM timing side mount. A jack located below the oil pan allows to adjust the height position.

Gearbox mount to create from scratch.

You can see the washers that helps me lowering the original position of the engine. They are located between the engine bracket and the OEM bushing mount.

Lowered position : 10mm

Let’s check the clearance on the back of the engine to avoid bad surprises !

Drawings, homemade fabrication and result

Samples of the drawing I made to design my mounts. Not CAD designed but it’s nice to do it old-school style … and it’s very easy to put a sheet of paper into the trash and try again !

The finished gearbox mount with a first protective paint. All engine mounts are created with 5mm thick steel.

Timing engine mount, same treatment.

And the engine maintained with its two new mounts !

In order to not damage the polyurethane bushings, I used temporary rigid bushings machined into a Nylon bar.

Starting the rear gearbox mount …

… and finishing it on the car. The area is not easy to access but doing it directly on the car was necessary there is only a few possible adjustments on the engine position.

Some kryptonite for my spaceship ! Polyurethane bushings.