69 440 Air Grabber alignment problem

[tallhair]

If anyone has an original, can you measure the opening of the soft part of the seal?

I'll happily measure mine Bernie but it may be a month before I'm over to where it's stored. I'm sure someone else will help out before then

 

[440+6]

my 1970 measures 21.25 soft inside opening and fits perfect (mine is also original 1970 rubber and a little dry)

 

[moparcanuck]

So the repops are the same size as the originals. This is how the front of the seal fits. About the same spacing too far forward as the rear. Either the engine is 1" too far back or the hood is too far forward. But both are correct.

 

[moparcanuck]

Thinking outside the box here....is it possible that your engine mounts are incorrectly installed, giving your engine a rearward 3/4" which would lead to the scuffing of your air cleaner lid? Certainly is an odd problem to have.

Is this even possible?

 

[RJS]

I would think motor mounts aren't exactly like original mounts and are pushing engine higher or rear a tad.
Some of the parts store stuff is a crap shoot nowadays.

 

[Garys1969RR]

Does the base fit correctly to the seal if you leave the A/F top off? Is the rear trans mount in the proper position? If it had dropped for some reason, it would cause the top of the motor to move back.

 

[MoparBill]

aftermarket intake?

 

[tallhair]

Does the base fit correctly to the seal if you leave the A/F top off? Is the rear trans mount in the proper position? If it had dropped for some reason, it would cause the top of the motor to move back.

That's a good idea Gary. I've seen these totally shot from trans leakage and age which would also allow the trans to sit lower at the mounting point. That would let the motor tilt a little more rearward and cause front to be slightly higher than stock and the rear to be slightly lower but both would be angled back slightly.

 

[moparcanuck]

Does the base fit correctly to the seal if you leave the A/F top off? Is the rear trans mount in the proper position? If it had dropped for some reason, it would cause the top of the motor to move back.

I'll take some pics without the A/F. Being "mechanically challenged", a good friend of mine has a tranny shop so I'll ask him to check that.

 

[tallhair]

I'll take some pics without the A/F. Being "mechanically challenged", a good friend of mine has a tranny shop so I'll ask him to check that.

Bernie if you are unsure of the condition of your trans mount checking/changing it could not be easier if you decide to take a look yourself. Just remove drive shaft from rear u-joint (have rear of car higher than front so trans fluid doesn't leak out). Support trans, pull trans mount (4 frame bolts and nut on bottom of the rubber isolator) and check out the replaceable rubber mount.

actually you don't have to pull the driveshaft out of the trans, just let the rear rest on the ground and keep the yoke in the trans.

They look like this

 

[Funship32]

So the repops are the same size as the originals. This is how the front of the seal fits. About the same spacing too far forward as the rear. Either the engine is 1" too far back or the hood is too far forward. But both are correct.

View attachment 143941

You my friend lead to exactly why I posted my question earlier: I was wondering if the engine was a little too far back which is why I was wondering how the front fit. Looks like it is too far back. Now the $1,000,000 question is: why? If I had to guess...and I am working from memory since I've not replaced a motor mount in ages so please go easy if it isn't possible, I'm wondering if perhaps the motor mount brackets are on the wrong side of the ears on the block. That would probably move the who assy back about an inch. "What about the transmission mount?!" you ask- possibly it is soft...or ripped? Trust me...I've seen some PO's work done that I would have thought the PO was blind as a bat to miss it or screw it up that much. If they aren't in the wrong side of the engine mounts (if that even IS possible), I'd suspect soft motor mounts along with a soft trans mount that has allowed things to shift. I'll look at the FSM tonight to confirm where they should be. Long shot yeah...but what the heck it's here in the forum and open to conjecture. ;)

 

[440+6]

You say the repos are the same size as originals, look at my previous post (#22).
Mine is original and measures 21.25 inside soft opening, you say the repos measure 20.25, that's one inch smaller than the original seal.

Also from back of air cleaner lid to cowl where the hood butt's to is 5.75 inches (pic is for reference only, looks crooked because trying to take pic).
Gap from hood to cowl is 1/8 inch.
Back of core support to front edge of air cleaner lid is exactly 15 inches.

Mine is 1970 GTX 440+6 all original stuff, should be the same as yours.

Maybe someone else has an original that they can measure to double check.

 

[moparcanuck]

You say the repos are the same size as originals, look at my previous post (#22).
Mine is original and measures 21.25 inside soft opening, you say the repos measure 20.25, that's one inch smaller than the original seal.

You're right. My mistake. I ran out of fingers...

That could account for the misalignment. Note how much space there is at the rear of the repro seal. About 1 inch. Making it about 1 inch shorter than the originals.

 

[tallhair]

Damn those cheap half *** bastards. Anyone know if there is more than one manufacturer? Someone who makes the correct size?

 

[440+6]

Here is a pic of mine closed.
I was thinking of getting a repo seal because mine is dried and cracked a little, but now I think I'll hold off on that LOL.



And the front

 

[moparcanuck]

I think we've solved the mystery. As shown here, the soft portion of the repro seal in the upper portion of the image is at least 1 inch shorter or more than the original. :angryfire:

 

[68gtx]

glad I found this thread, I just installed a repro seal in my car and am having the same fitment issues... is there another seal available that fits properly?

 

[markrr]

glad I found this thread, I just installed a repro seal in my car and am having the same fitment issues... is there another seal available that fits properly?

I bought a repro seal about a year ago but haven't installed yet. Great.

 

[68gtx]

Anyone found a resolve for this ??? Does anyone make a better seal ?

 

[moparcanuck]

Not to my knowledge. I cut the back portion of the seal down so it wouldn't rub on the air breather.