Engine Pan Isolation

fiddlybits

Senior Member
Has anyone isolated their engine pans?

I ran the car yesterday with the pans off and a lot of vibration was missing. I put the pans back on and the vibration is back. During the summer I saw a tremendous decrease in cooling with the pans off so leaving them off is not an option.

What I am planning on doing is detaching the engine side, which would require some sort of support bracket to take the place of the engine....or to make some sort of rubber mount. (and now that I type that...I wonder if a 1/8" strip of rubber would be all that is needed?)

Anyone do anything like this?
 
Make sure that none of the mounting areas are cracked. My A had repro pans, and many of our local club members found some of mounting flanges had cracked, which just oscillated and made a racket at certain rpm's. We made up some pieces of scrap metal to bridge those areas and the problem went away.
 
Rubber between iron to iron connections can reduce vibrations.

FWIW:

Without getting too involved with engine & chassis vibration frequency theories, rubber densities, & theoretical mathematical assumptions, it may be quick & easy to just experiment with various types & thicknesses of isolation materials & then allow your personal experience to guide you as to what works best.

That is what Thomas Edison did when he invented the light bulb -- he refused to consult professors who thought it impossible, & he did his own thing -- usually always works well in my profession.
 
Terry - No cracks
oldbike99 - Stock all around
HLChauvin - There are times I like to play with the science and math...but usually just wing it. I have a variety of rubber to play with...will be doing just that.
Bruce - Since the #1 electrical problem on 6 volt cars is good grounds I automatically add chassis to engine as part of the electrical build/cleanup.

Thanks for the replies
 
Once the cracks/breaks are all repaired, I just cut rubber sections to install on both engine and frame sides. I try to make them un-noticable.
 
If you can feel & recognize the density of the rubber used on the isolation pads of a residential A/C compressor, you will be years ahead on the engineering learning curve as to what works & what does not work to reduce vibrations.

Similar dense isolation pads work well under plywood sheathing on a second floor where one can have band practice on the second floor & the office personnel on the first floor cannot hear the intense sound vibrations of musical instruments in the band -- similar pads also used under plywood subfloors of professional basket ball maple gym floors so balls can bounce much better while dribbling.

Just wing it ..... even birds can do it.
 
Rubber between iron to iron connections can reduce vibrations.

FWIW:

Without getting too involved with engine & chassis vibration frequency theories, rubber densities, & theoretical mathematical assumptions, it may be quick & easy to just experiment with various types & thicknesses of isolation materials & then allow your personal experience to guide you as to what works best.

That is what Thomas Edison did when he invented the light bulb -- he refused to consult professors who thought it impossible, & he did his own thing -- usually always works well in my profession.

Henry, Edison was working in the dark... Until he made the first light bulb. :p
 
Hi Ray,

"Henry, Edison was working in the dark... Until he made the first light bulb."

Good one!

In 1966, & also in 1972 I saw Edison's many kerosene lamps for collecting lamp black in his barn, all of which Henry Ford relocated to the Henry Ford Museum in Dearborn, Michigan.

Such a wonderful, detailed museum capturing the exact present happenings of the day ..... all of which occurred long ago in the past.
 
Mine are bolted to the frame with another bolt to the crossmember, then a hood bumper is fitted to rest against the oil pan. The pans mounted solid cracked the tab at about 10,000 miles. With them isolated 30,000 + miles and no cracks.

A's Always
Dave
 
Dave,

Can you post a picture of your set-up?

R/Roger.

Mine are bolted to the frame with another bolt to the crossmember, then a hood bumper is fitted to rest against the oil pan. The pans mounted solid cracked the tab at about 10,000 miles. With them isolated 30,000 + miles and no cracks.

A's Always
Dave
 
My setup is stock.
or.....it was stock.

yesterday I pulled both pans, cut and fit 1/2" x 1/8" rubber strips, and reinstalled the pans with the strips sandwiched between the metal. Test drive did not have annoying bzzzzzzzzzz. Maybe all that it needed.
 
Hi Ray,

"Henry, Edison was working in the dark... Until he made the first light bulb."

Good one!

In 1966, & also in 1972 I saw Edison's many kerosene lamps for collecting lamp black in his barn, all of which Henry Ford relocated to the Henry Ford Museum in Dearborn, Michigan.

Such a wonderful, detailed museum capturing the exact present happenings of the day ..... all of which occurred long ago in the past.

Yes, I miss those long-ago days, and I wasn't even born yet. Somebody said, "Americans are nostalgic for a time that never was." I guess I'm guilty of that too. Maybe all of us in the old car hobby have a little bit of that in us.
 
Has anyone isolated their engine pans?

I ran the car yesterday with the pans off and a lot of vibration was missing.

Those things are so flimsy that I cannot see how they can transmit engine vibration to the car. Is it just noise or true feel the car shake vibration?
 
If you start placing a lot of rubber insulation on the engine pans it would be wise to run a ground strap from the engine to the frame. The engine pans were the best ground after the change in the front motor mount in 1928. The engine and transmission along with the rear end are all "loose" from the frame. Yes the rear spring touches the frame but virtually all other connections have a damping material installed, which will limit their ability to conduct electricity.
 
If you start placing a lot of rubber insulation on the engine pans it would be wise to run a ground strap from the engine to the frame. The engine pans were the best ground after the change in the front motor mount in 1928. The engine and transmission along with the rear end are all "loose" from the frame. Yes the rear spring touches the frame but virtually all other connections have a damping material installed, which will limit their ability to conduct electricity.




Well, I certainly agree with the extra ground cable. Whether isolating the pans or not. I'm not crazy about the original ground. I like a good heavy cable between the battery, frame and transmitter/engine. I'm kinda over anal about about grounds.
 
R/Roger

Attached is an image of the front attachment and two of the hood bumper against the pan.

Certainly a supplemental ground is important, the engine pans shouldn't be considered a reliable ground.

A's Always
Dave
 

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