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KA Doesn't Fit?? Hockey Pucks inside:

Started by Saavedro88 · Oct 16, 2010 · 20postsSMF 2010–26

Saavedro88Oct 16, 2010, 4:22 pm · #1

Ok. So I dropped the KA into my 85's bay last weekend, got one side bolted in fine:

posted image

That's the left side. It was the lower side when the engine was on the hoist, so it got bolted in first. Then the right side came down...

posted image

And it's like, not even close. There is no way that I can move things or jiggle things around to where it will sit flat. That is how it sits with no extra support (off of the hoist). Has anyone else had this problem? I'm thinking it's because I had the Turbo engine, instead of the N/A CA? Are the mount locations different? Like further apart? Any help that anyone can give would be fantastic...


Post Merge: 04:35:31 PM / 16-Oct-10
Took some rough measurements (best I could do without pulling the KA back out), but it looks like the subframe engine mounts on the S12 are 19 inches apart, while the mounts in the S13 are 17 inches apart?? I'm really confused now, I thought this was supposed to be a direct swap?
DjayS12Oct 16, 2010, 5:15 pm · #2

I think that your problem is that with a hockey puck mount, you have one solid bolt going through two hockey puck, so If the mount are too short or long there is no flexibility you can get to make it fit, when an OEM mount is two different pieces that hold the mount to the engine and the subframe, allowing you to twist/bend the mount to make it fit.

I would say either get some OEM engine mount or shim your mount with washers or add 1/2 puck on each side.

Saavedro88Oct 16, 2010, 5:21 pm · #3

I feel like people have done this swap before with the pucks? I can't find any threads with this problem.

vegasS12Oct 16, 2010, 5:26 pm · #4

i know henry did a KA swap and used hockey pucks look for his thread!

sideways_s12Oct 16, 2010, 7:25 pm · #5

It's gonna be waay in the back lol

Saavedro88Oct 16, 2010, 7:43 pm · #6

I've practically memorized that thread. He used a DOHC and his fell right in...

Phisherman09Oct 16, 2010, 11:22 pm · #7

mine fell right in, dont bolt down the one side all the way. you gotta leave it loose, like one thread started on the bolt, just so it doesnt fall out, then i use a jack to jack up one side and dancemaster 3000' the motor on the the other bolt.

RoofOct 17, 2010, 12:17 am · #8

I just swapped a ka into my friends s13 the other day with him and we used two and a half hockey pucks for each side.   So maybe that's the problem you need that half puck.

Saavedro88Oct 17, 2010, 12:19 am · #9
Phisherman09 on 11:22:56 PM / 16-Oct-10mine fell right in, dont bolt down the one side all the way. you gotta leave it loose, like one thread started on the bolt, just so it doesnt fall out, then i use a jack to jack up one side and dancemaster 3000' the motor on the the other bolt.

That was how I was doing it the first time and it never fell into place.

I finally got it tonight... I looked up underneath and found both of the torque plates from the engine to the transmission were literally sitting on the steering rack. I took 'em off, but I'm nervous about not having them there. How necessary are they? After I took the plates off, I tried again, and it was better but it STILL didn't sit right. Looked underneath again and found that the Oil pan was resting on the steering rack. I got pissed off, so I stuffed a bunch of washers in between the pucks and the engine mounts and got it up off the rack and high enough so it was KINDA sitting right. Bolted that bitch down tight. It'll work.

Lemme know if this pic works:
posted image

Post Merge: 12:19:44 AM / 17-Oct-10
Roof on 12:17:18 AM / 17-Oct-10I just swapped a ka into my friends s13 the other day with him and we used two and a half hockey pucks for each side.   So maybe that's the problem you need that half puck.

That's probably true, I can't believe I've never heard of anyone having this problem though??
vegasS12Oct 17, 2010, 1:39 am · #10

The pic works...

myth_S12Oct 17, 2010, 1:40 am · #11

yeah, i was about to say use some fat washers.
i also used 2 pucks with 2 fat washers on each side. i also dropped in a DOHC.

rageOct 17, 2010, 8:38 am · #12

man even stock mounts don't always line up correctly, i've had to pry/hoist/jack them in sometimes
good to see you got it though

xxstreetbikesxxOct 17, 2010, 2:22 pm · #13

really? i did a ka swap (sohc) and used 2 hockey pucks.. just so it can be a little lower.. your supposed to use 2.5 to retain stock hight.

But unbolt one side, and you need to swing the engine over.. buy longer bolts if you need to, but one side needs to be really loose, for the other one to bolt in..

It wont be perfect (mine is more on one side, than the other), but its nothing to worry about.. just buy real mounts, whenever you get the money.

-EDIT, im an idiot, and skipped the part when he said he got it in.

MaxpowOct 17, 2010, 6:32 pm · #14
xxstreetbikesxx on 02:22:39 PM / 17-Oct-10
-EDIT, im an idiot, and skipped the part when he said he got it in.

Hai there big boi~
EternalSwapOct 28, 2010, 6:41 am · #15

LOL

these cars are old, sometimes shit is fucked up

Saavedro88Oct 31, 2010, 6:17 am · #16

No foolin.

I got just about everything bolted up today. My modified transmission mount didn't quite fit so it's mounted diagonally with only two bolts right now. It'll get fixed before I drive it. Hopefully gonna start it tomorrow. Gotta figure out what to do with the PS lines and all...

DjayS12Oct 31, 2010, 12:54 pm · #17

Did you add the half puck on each side? I'm sure you can bolt the engine without it, but that's what I would call bad engineering, meaning you are giving unecessary stress on the engine mount and the crossmember by forcing it to go like that.

tommyOct 31, 2010, 2:31 pm · #18

If your transmission yoke and differential are not align, you'll be out for a drive shaft very soon... if the engine is sitting crooked on the motor mount, space it where it sits lower in order to align all your drivetrain component.  Normaly, you should use the same spacing on either side for it to be straight, but as someone stated, you never know what happened to those 25years cars... if you need to space one mount more then the other, do it, as long as everything sits well in line after

Saavedro88Oct 31, 2010, 9:16 pm · #19

Nothing is crooked in the driveline, I just didn't modify my tranny mount correctly.

I did not add half a puck yet. I don't think I need to, I filled the gaps up with washers so everything sits flat and neat now.

DjayS12Nov 1, 2010, 12:57 am · #20
Saavedro88 on 09:16:10 PM / 31-Oct-10I did not add half a puck yet. I don't think I need to, I filled the gaps up with washers so everything sits flat and neat now.

Yeah as long you did something to make sure that it naturally sit properly without being torqued down that is alright!