williamb82

The lower oil pan is stamped steel, so is much stronger than you think, plus the entire engine is aluminum. Block, heads, etc... I jacked it up this way to do the spark plugs not long ago as well. It did not bend the pan at all, but it can if you jack it up too much. I have done similar to dozens of cars. When you think about how they set engines on the ground, what are they sitting on? The oil pan! Just go slow and don't try to lift the car by it and you should be fine. Go really slow and as soon as it seems it doesn't want to move up anymore, STOP!!!! The scissor trans jack came in real handy for this, because you use a ratchet to move it up and down. When the trans hits the tunnel, it gets VERY hard to turn the ratchet, so stop!

williamb82

The OEM mounts are garbage! $300 each plus tax, vs $70 each shipped? No brainer there. I cannot see why everyone thinks the OEM stuff is so great. Especially the control arms where the bushings typically fail between 25-60k miles. I have never had vibrations from using aftermarket engine mounts on any car I have replaced them on, and have used aftermarket on my 93 LS400, 93 GS300, Multiple Supras, dozens of friends cars, etc.... I even run SOLID steel motor mounts on my turbo Supra and do not get any vibrations at all, though that is an inline 6 so much better balanced than any V8. Thinking OEM is best because it is a Lexus isn't doing anything other than hurting your wallet! They have cut costs to maximize profits "Like everyone else" as they put it(literally was told this at the Lexus dealer). That's why problems like the control arm bushings, interior panels disintegrating etc.. are so prevalent.

I kept my old OEM mounts as I plan to drill a couple holes in each and fill them with polyurethane in case I ever need to change them again. If I had time for it to be down for a few days (like now, go figure) so I know it would cure properly, I wouldn't even have removed them. Id have just drilled a hole in the rear side of each to gain access to the normally fluid filled void, then blown the remaining fluid out with my air compressor, and used 3M 08609 Window Weld in a caulk tube to fill them, then let it sit 3-5 days to fully cure. Shouldn't take that long, but since there really is no atmosphere exposure other than the hole I would drill, I would want to be sure it is cured before letting the engine back down on the cross member.

sha4000

iTrader: (1)

I hear you, OEM is not always the best but sometimes they are better than aftermarket. I have all aftermarket control arms in the front and they have been just as good if not better. Time will tell. I tried some aftermarket mounts on my 400 and once I started the car the engine vibrated like crazy. I took them off the car in the same day and ordered the OEM mounts. As soon as I put them on the engine was back to silky smooth. Everyones experience is different and for a big job like that I would rather go with what's proven than take a chance that something else might work out. I checked Ebay for 460 mounts at the price you paid and nothing even came close. Do you have a link to them?