Euro 107 280sl Flywheel/Timing Wheel rubs on sub-frame. Assistance???

[jdogstarman]

Car:
Euro 107 with the 110 (I think) in-line 6 engine and a 5 speed manual transmission.

Problem:

When stopping on hills, med-high grade, the front main (timing) flywheel on the engine rubs aginst the center of the front cross member of the sub-frame.
This also happens when braking while moving in reverse at all but very low speeds.

Tried:

I have recently replaced the sub-frame mounts and the engine mounts. The old engine mounts were completely separated. The new engine mounts were not the exact replacement but were practically identical on side-by-side comparision and stood a bit taller than the old ones that were removed.

Shortly after I discovered (by actually reading the paperwork that came with the car) that the sub frame mounts had been replaced onaly a few years ago, though my mechanic said they were compressed and the wear indicators were all the way down.

I had the transmission mount inspected, and actually had a new one to install which turned out to be a slightly different part--the one in place has some kind of adjustment and the new one I had was solid/non-adjustable.

These changes have only made a small difference in the symptom.

So.... it seems that when there is backward force on the wheels that either the sub frame is twisting up toward the front or the engine is tipping down in the front...

Any Ideas from the crew??????

Thanks in advance,

Jason

[t walgamuth]

it sounds to me like a mount problem. even though the motor mounts were taller, maybe they have squished down more. so i would look at it with that in mind and if necessary i would add washers between the mount and the motor arm to raise up the motor. til it clears the cross member.

if the rear mount at the tranny was too tall or in some way installed incorrectly raising the back of the engine/tranny assembly that would lower the nose, too.

good luck

tom w

[nobby]

I have not yet changed my engine mounts but the subframe bushings are less than a year old. I have 3/16" clearance.

[ctaylor738]

I just looked at my never-ever-messed-with 280 5 speed. I have a good inch of clearance at the balancer. You must have the worst possible combination of bushings and mounts to be hitting. I would be suspicious of your replacement tranmission mount.