Crossmember Bracket Stupidity

[Paula]

Ok, so I just successfully fixed my oil pressure light by cleaning my pickup screen and replacing my OPSU in my 2008 Chevy Aveo LS 1.6L DOHC. I’m pretty compulsive about taking pics and keeping all the bolts partially screwed in so I don’t lose track. But I can’t get the freaking upper and lower bolts on the crossmember bracket, which was in the way of the last bolt on the engine oil pan, to go back in where they should be.

I imagine that these VERY large bolts serve a really important purpose, and would really love to get the (expletive deleted) things back in myself. I hope they just reduce vibration in the engine/transmission, and if I really get stuck, it might be safe to drive the sucker the two blocks to the mechanic and get him to do it instead.

I have already tried using a jack to move the bracket around relative to the holes I need to access in the back of the transmission area. I have placed the jack under the bracket a number of ways. I tried putting the car back on the ground to see if that changed the orientation of the bracket relative to those holes, but now I can’t really see under there without a mirror. And, after all, I got them off when the car was 15 inches in the air on my jackstands. I will be eternally grateful for any advice anyone may be able to give me.

The pic is what the crossmember bracket looked like when I was still trying to figure out if I really had to remove the sucker to get that hiding bolt off.

MsPaula

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• 20160328_130126.jpg

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[Richard Kirshy]

Can’t tell too much from the pic you posted:
But you might try inserting a drift pin to align the holes, or at the very least see what needs to move in order to get the hole to align again.

[transman304]

I believe you are going to have to roll engine/trans to get the holes to line up. Use a piece of wood and jack under the exhaust manifold to raise the front and see if that will bring stuff into alignment. If not use the jack and wood under intake side.

[zero]

If you’re having trouble getting the 2 parts back together, try loosening or removing a part that’s easier to get at. For example, if the bracket is hard to get off, unbolt or loosen the arm that attaches to it as it is easier to line up one accessible hole than 2 not as accessible holes. You can probably get something like a large screwdriver or small prybar in the hole to guide the bolt in or line up the holes.

[Greg]

I just replaced a clutch on one of these. Loosen the large bolt that goes through the center of the rubber mount and then loosen the 2 bolts that hold that mount to the car frame back them out about half an inch without taking them all the way out. They are pretty long. Now line up the 3 bolts you are fighting with. Tighten them down then tighten the bolts that go into the frame and tighten the one center bolt last.

[Paula]

Hi everybody! It just occurred to me that I didn’t post an outcome. I ended up using a 2 x 4 under the bracket holding the exhaust manifold on, and within a couple of pumps from the jack, everything was exactly lined up, so I could tighten everything just right. I had been prepared to loosen the bolts holding the boot on, and fighting with it a little, but given that I had tried everything on the tranny side of the car, I decided to play with the front, and it paid off. Thanks for all your help. 🙂

[Author]

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