Raising Your Motor Mounts (3.8)

Here, finally, is the how-to raise your motor on your 3.8. If you are bagged and trying to lay the front crossmember, sub-frame or drag the front crossmember you may want to concider raising your engine up. Our oil pans on the 3.8 hang lower than the crossmember. It is just enough to catch it on something, like a man hole if you are low enough. These pans are cast and will crack if hit hard enough. To our knowledge there are no ill effects to this mod, but only time will tell. Do this mod at your own risk!! I have talked to othes who have done this mod on a Cougar and have had no trouble. Here are the pics of how it can be done. The pics are a mix of pictures from Craig S. raising his engine and Scott's.
The upper 3 bolts can be tricky to get to, but take your time and you will get them out. It is easier to use extensions and wrench them from the fenderwell in most cases.
Old motor mounts out of the car and ready to be disassembled
Various pictures compairing the stock mount to the mount with the shim on it. I suggest while you are at it upgrade to a SOLID motor mount so you won't have to pull them out again.

EXAMPLE OF WHAT NOT TO DO !!

See the gap around the motor mount stud? BIG no,no! When you tighten them down it will pull the stud out of the top of the mount because there is nothing for the flared part inside the mount to tighten againist. Do like Craig did and make you shim and drill a hold that fits the stud. I tried to do it with washers to same time. Look where it got me.

The lower mtor mount bolt.

FYI - When reinstalling the mounts. Put this bolt in and leave it loose. Then let the engine down so it weights the mounts. They will spread alittle. If you don't the mount will shift on itself and wear the mount out prematurely ( at least on the fluid mounts it will)
Craig's shim is circled in red
Drain plug now higher than front crossmember