HMMM very timely. I just printrd the how-to and put my car up to do this job. I have the penetrating fluid doing its job at the moment. I would be interested in the leveling procedure Dave ( the perfectionist) used
Is that like the call to arms?!? Well gather the family up and make hot chocolate for the grandkids, as I guess I'll spill the beans.
The leveling process should first be thought of as a balance between the need to do it, and the effort required. Now did I have a clear handle on that concept BEFORE I dove in to it?
Anyway, you should evaluate your position and then make the call.
I was doing mounts and headers together, so the following items were being measured and monitored:
-> Engine level to chassis
-> Exhaust turnout positioning in outboard chassis cutouts
I was measuring the engine by comparing it to the frame of course, and I measured the frame using a 2 ft level near the front a-arms. About the only spot I could find to put a level, but just make sure there's not too much weld splatter to affect the level fitting well to the frame and throwing the reading off. The engine was measured on the intake because that's closer to where I was keeping my beer, but I think the Wizard says the oil pan. Mine were the same, so the level was close to the beer.
You saw the readings, it was off slightly. Does that really matter? I would have to say no, we're not talking about float bowl operation like a carburetor engine, but ***, we can fix it right?
Secondly was the fitment of the pipes through the chassis. They were not touching on either side, but were not 60/40 - 50/50 DSide - PSide as Lou Belanger described my goal should be. My God, lets fix this POS car!!!
I had a 12 x 12 inch piece of 0.090" steel laying around and fabbed some really nice shims. Painted them black too! Started wedging them in (that was fun...) and making more measurements. The engine was closer to level now, but the results in regards to the pipes through the chassis were not the perfection I was expecting. Were we about to remove those shims I had just hand crafted and call the original version OK? Heck no, I made those shims and by all means was going to use them!
Summary... In hind sight, I really have no idea if I would shim it again. I can't say I solved anything but making my need to attempt perfection satisfactory.
One final note. I talked to LPDesRoche on the phone for a while today and one conclusion to his woes might be the fact that the Woodhouse mounts are thicker, and there's a chance that the alignment dowels are at the upper limit of adjustability on both sides. Meaning no where for the motor to be moved or adjusted to. Meaning options to tweak and/or problem solve are way more complicated than what I did. He may have gotten bit by the thicker mounts. There is that chance.
