1200 Engine Cradle Mount Question

[dahoyle]

Just finished doing the mod on my 1450. Was going to let it be, but I pulled the engine, and there was only one bolt in the pan. The rail had worn into the pan enough that I will need to replace it, and had worn almost thru the crossmember. I considered taking the frame to the shop and using the wire welder on it, or dragging a Miller Bobcat home to weld it up, but in the end, I was able to fill it with a little solid state stick welder. Made several passes with 1/8" 7018 rod, and took it down with a flapper disk between passes. In the end, after I put a little primer on it, you could barely tell it had been repaired. Went ahead and welded the brace to the rails while I had it out, and am happy I did. really tightened the whole thing up, and the engine now rides about 3/4" higher than it did.

In the end, I have plenty left to do on it, but it is getting a little better every weekend.

[Texas Blues]

Wow dahoyle, that sounds pretty wore out. On mine where the cradle was rubbing, it wore down about 1/3 of the width of the frame, but in a small area. I cleaned those areas up, sanded it down, primed it and painted it. It didnt seem like it needed to be welded. One bolt left in the pan? Man, thats pretty wore out lol. My pan is aluminum, and when I run the bolts back in the threads, the are vere slightly loose. If I had any sense I would go to a cast iron pan. I still plan on doing the cradle mod, just have not got to it yet. Good luck on getting yours going. Thanks, TB

[J-Mech]

TB,
I looked at the 3 pin driver I have. Someone already modded a regular 3 pin to it. So, no flex plate driver. Just thought I'd let you know!

[Texas Blues]

Thanks for checking J-Mech. TB

[Maxwelhse]

Originally Posted by Texas Blues

My pan is aluminum, and when I run the bolts back in the threads, the are vere slightly loose. If I had any sense I would go to a cast iron pan.

I like the aluminum pan because it helps cool the engine. Install helicoils or other steel thread inserts in the mounting holes if the threads are worn. That's my plan on my 1650.

[J-Mech]

I really don't think the aluminum pan makes a difference worth noting. If you could measure oil temps, I bet it isn't 5° difference, if even that.

[Maxwelhse]

Originally Posted by J-Mech

I really don't think the aluminum pan makes a difference worth noting. If you could measure oil temps, I bet it isn't 5° difference, if even that.

Hard to tell for sure without measuring the temperature as you pointed out. It would be a fun experiment between two engines of the same rating (which I don't have) with different pans. It wouldn't be hard to measure the external pan temperatures with an IR gun.

I guess I'm looking at it as certainly not hurting anything and my gut feeling is that it could help. Spending money on helicoils vs. buying an iron pan...

[J-Mech]

Originally Posted by Maxwelhse

Hard to tell for sure without measuring the temperature as you pointed out. It would be a fun experiment between two engines of the same rating (which I don't have) with different pans. It wouldn't be hard to measure the external pan temperatures with an IR gun.

I guess I'm looking at it as certainly not hurting anything and my gut feeling is that it could help. Spending money on helicoils vs. buying an iron pan...

3/8" helicoil kit at O'Reilly's...... $24. Last CI oil pan I got off E-bay..... $10.65 Even if you paid $30 for a CI oil pan, you still have to pull the motor and probably the oil pan to fix it. Plus, on the QL's the edges tend to wear off an aluminum pan with broken bolts leaving it in need of welding. Plus, heli-coils in aluminum don't usually last long. Especially in this application. No-brainer for me.

[Maxwelhse]

To each their own. I suppose that's what makes things interesting. Everyone has a different approach. I suppose if a pan is as bad as you described you're best to replace it all together anyhow no matter the construction.

[dvogtvpe]

I'd think a cast iron pan would be allot sturdier than those cast aluminum ones and since the block and pan would be like materials I'd use the iron one