I'm stabbing the engine/trans back in my 96 se tonight. When I pulled them I had a heck of a time with the left rear tranny mount (under the rack, drivers side). When I go to drop the driveline back in, is it easier to bolt the mount up to the frame & then try to fanagle the tranny into the right spot-or bolt the mount to the tranny & try to get it in the frame?

When I pulled it, I unbolted the mount from the frame not realizing I'd have to wiggle around the rack. It was a circus pulling the darn thing It doesnt look like theres room to reach the" trans to mount" bolts with the engine in there (rack in the way).

Any helpful tips are really appreciated

Only experience here is w/Randmans Franken conversion. 97 SSEi into a 90, but used the 97 frame and PS stuff.

We wondered the same. Ended up putting the .....did we?...didn't we?

I think we dropped it in w/the mount attached and fiddled until we got the nuts on.

From this techinfo article:

http://www.bonnevilleclub.com/techinfo/?article=98

"When dropping in the drive train, set the front mount bolts in place through the holes in the front crossmember, then lower until the rear mount can be attached to the transaxle with the bolts loose in the holes in the rear crossmember. Attach the isolator and assemble the torque axis engine mount with the throughbolt before completely relieving weight on the hoist. "

That is, place the rear mount in the rear crossmember first without attaching the nuts, so you can wiggle it around. Then lower the engine/trans assembly to the mount.

Worked easy with my '95. I had no clearance problems with the rack that I can recall.

Ah ha! Thanks! I'll let ya know how it goes
I really wish I noticed this before I yanked the motor-

Yeah! Me too!

Ugh, what a day. I spent hours trying to line up that rear tranny mount, no dice. Its only about 1/8-1/4" away from going but that might as well be miles. I got the othe 3 mounts to go without much effort, but I knew this one would be the killer. I never had so much trouble with one! Jacked the motor all around, loosened mounts, even made up new curse words! I called it everything but a Dawoo!
I'll go back for round 2 today. The plan is to totally remove the engine again & start over. Ouch my back hurts

If you have an engine leveler it helps to tweak.

In borrowing a hoist from a buddy he threw the leveler at me too. We dropped ours in pretty quick and easy. Maybe try and put that mount on once you are near the frame and then drop in.

Got her in
What a difference taking a break makes-I went back out there yesturday & it took a whole 5 minutes to get it in All thats really left is slapping in the CV shafts, adding fluids & shes done.

wooo hoo!