Float a Motors or stock mounts

[daveymc29]

Which is best and why?

[joe 1950]

I restored a 1931 a 2dr had the original mounts in at first then when snyders announced the float a motor kit I was game and tried it the best improvement that I could have made vibration cut way down very smooth running and very easily to install

[Great Lakes Greg]

The late "Spike" here on fordbarn told me, you can put a rag over a pile of dog ^%$#, but it's still there, meaning it masks a problem. That being said, I put floats on my coupe, and it made a world of difference.

[BILL WILLIAMSON]

OH NO!
Ur we gonna' RAG about FAMS AGAIN? If you want your car to be smoother & quieter, put in those RUBBER mounts, jist like dear Ol' Henry did on the later Fordmobiles.

[Tom Wesenberg]

Just make sure you use detergent oil on the threads when you bolt it in place.

[Dtolson]

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I put the rear float a motors on my 29 pickup and it made the world of difference. Thanks to Bill W. for the great advice on installation. I have not put the fronts on yet and hope they make it even smoother.

[Kevin in NJ]

The first bunch of production A's had Ford's version of a float a motor and they quickly changed to the solid.

The original engine gets a pretty bad rap today because of vibrations. The problem is the original factory engine was tightly balanced. Most engines today are thrown together and the people do not own the scales or tooling to get the few gram balance of the moving parts and the close tolerence crank shaft grinding. The results are engines with vibrations and lower top end RPM.

So out of necessity some have to resort to FAM as they do not want or likely can not afford to have their engine rebuilt back to Ford specs. It is very hard to get close to Ford factory specs when you rebuild the engine.

The solid mounts are also structural with the frame giving it some rigidity. The A frame is VERY flexible, you might be surprised how easy it flexes if you have it mounted at a central point.

[BILL WILLIAMSON]

Originally Posted by Kevin in NJ

The first bunch of production A's had Ford's version of a float a motor and they quickly changed to the solid.

The original engine gets a pretty bad rap today because of vibrations. The problem is the original factory engine was tightly balanced. Most engines today are thrown together and the people do not own the scales or tooling to get the few gram balance of the moving parts and the close tolerence crank shaft grinding. The results are engines with vibrations and lower top end RPM.

So out of necessity some have to resort to FAM as they do not want or likely can not afford to have their engine rebuilt back to Ford specs. It is very hard to get close to Ford factory specs when you rebuild the engine.

The solid mounts are also structural with the frame giving it some rigidity. The A frame is VERY flexible, you might be surprised how easy it flexes if you have it mounted at a central point.

BUT, if you mount a modern, sophisticated, well balanced engine, on IRON, wunder whut it would SOUND/FEEL like?
Bill W.

[Maclab58]

I have owned several A's from a early 28 with the rigid front mounts to a 31 Victoria with a float a motor and a couple in between with stock mounts. The balanced engine and lightened flywheel is the best. I have that configuration on my early 28 and my 31cabriolet. Although the unbalanced engines in my 31 Victoria and 31 slant window sedan ran well, they vibrated more at higher RPM's than the balanced engines. Even with the float a motor.

[Mike V. Florida]

Here are three pages to read;

https://www.fordbarn.com/forum/showthread.php?t=85508

[Tom Wesenberg]

I'm still seeing confusion about the terms "couterweighted" or "counterbalanced" and "balanced".

[Jerry in Shasta]

Tom, RE: "Just make sure you use detergent oil on the threads when you bolt it in place."

I used 600 wt, do you think it will be ok?
jb

[closedcab30]

asking here what is detergent oil ...thanks

[30 Closed Cab PU]

Originally Posted by closedcab30

asking here what is detergent oil ...thanks

Almost all automotive oil today is detergent oil. Detergent oil is formulated to keep contaminants suspended in the oil so when the oil is drained the contaminants are drained out with the oil.


Non detergent oil does not do this, and what happens over time the contaminants cling to surfaces or settles in the bottom of the motor/oil pan. Over years you end up with a thick coat of sludge, sometimes a half inch or more. Detergent oil was not available in the 30s, not sure when it was 1st available. Sludge will wreck an engine, clog up oil passages, clog up oil pumps - not a good thing.


If an oil is non-detergent it is labeled non-detergent. If not labeled non-detergent, the oil is detergent.