Motor mount
replacement
Townsend has a good
write-up, and it includes instructions on modifying the mount to limit its
travel. I have taken his modification a step further. Townsend's mod
cuts the mount travel from about an inch to about 3/4". My
modification cuts mount travel to about 1/2". My
mount mods.
The limit bracket that
runs up and over the front of the mount is secured by a 10mm nut on one side and
it looks like something that needs to be removed, but don't do it! It's a
waste of time because the limit bracket is spot welded on the other end. There's
no need to remove that nut. There's a washer-like thing with a tab on it
that contacts the mount to limit travel; make sure you get it on right side up.
The U-bend goes up, not down. The limit stop plate on the rear mount
is flat.
Weird
things that you'll need to make the job easier:
- a
2" extension for your ratchet (or two 1") for the front bolt on the
front mount
- not
a 3"; it's too long
- NOTE: A
3/8" drive 13mm socket, a 3/8" to 1/2" drive adapter and
a 1/2" drive ratchet should also work
- a
16mm socket (5/8" will do) for the center nut on the mount
Put
the right front corner of the car on a jack stand
- Put the stand under
the side frame, behind the rear mount bracket of the front suspension
- Not under the
subframe, as you'll need to loosen the subframe later
- Here's a pic
Remove
the right front wheel.
Remove
the fender inner liner (instructions).
- The
front mount is clearly visible to your right as you look into the wheel
well. Picture
Using
a ratchet and socket, remove the bolt from the center of the
mount. Picture
- it's
a weird size: 16mm or 5/8" will fit it
Remove
the 13mm rear bolt for the front mount. Picture
Remove
the 13mm front mount bolt: Picture
- You'll need a very
short extension. I used a 3/8" drive 13mm socket, a 3/8" to
1/2" drive adapter (to act as a very short extension) and a 1/2"
drive ratchet.
- reach
over the mount and its limit bracket and put the socket onto the bolt
head
- attach
the ratchet and wail
- (you
might be able to put the ratchet on first and still get to the nut, but
it's easier to position the socket first)
We
need to jack the engine up, but first we need to do some preparatory
stuff. I think you can jack the engine enough without removing the bolt
from the rear mount, but I worry about stressing or breaking the mount, so I
recommend that you go ahead and remove the rear mount center bolt.
- Remove the center
bolt from the rear mount. The power steering hose
is in the way from below, so I found that the best way to get it was to
fit a 10" or 12" extension to the 16 mm or 5/8"socket, then fit a universal joint to
that and then assemble a couple of feet of various extensions to allow
access from the top. Picture
Thread the tool assembly down from above, then engage the socket from
below. You can't see the bolt head, but it's at the bottom of the
bracket that comes down to the rear mount from the engine. A second
person would be helpful here.
- Disconnect
and remove the torque
rod (one bolt, one bolt & nut)
- it's the
"top mount", above the engine, toward the rear, passenger side
Picture
Carefully
jack up the engine (put a piece of wood between the jack & the oil
pan)
- keep
an eye on things from the top as you jack; avoid stressing any cables or
hoses, or mashing anything
- my
engine went as high as it would go without incident.
Now
if the front mount is busted, you can pull the center rubber piece and then
the base out
- you
can't get the new mount in, though, because it's new and in one piece
and in good shape.
So
loosen the subframe bolts on the right side Picture
- Two 13 mm bolts at
the front corner (remove them)
- The two toward the
hinge point (14 mm nuts, 17 mm bolt heads on top, I think)
- Loosening the one at
the "stay rod" (in-board of the ball joint) helps, I think
- Don't worry about
anything falling out, as long as the engine is supported. There is no
load from the suspension springs, as they are retained by the shock absorber
assemblies. The subframe does support the transmission on the driver's
side, but you won't be loosening anything on that side.
Pry
the front corner of the subframe down until you can insert the new mount
- watch
your fingers! Best to insert a block between frame and subframe
- an inch and a
half or so thick
- the
mount will go in from the wheel well side
- the
secret is to rotate it forward or sideways into the hole, then rotate it
back to upright Picture
The
rear mount, should you decide to do it, is secured by three bolts with
nuts. While this sounds much worse than the front mount's
bolts-into-the-frame, it actually works out nicely. You can hold
the bolt heads above with an open end wrench, then ratchet the nuts off
from below. Picture
- the
subframe doesn't have to be dropped to get the rear mount in/out.
- the
secret (as I recall) is to remove it toward the left (U.S. driver's)
side of the car, and perhaps forward as well.
- lift
it up, slide it over, drop it down through the only opening available
- installation
is the reverse.
Release
the subframe and re-attach the sub frame bolts (good & snug; don't
wring them off; 40 ft-lbs is the official torque).
Install
all mount bolts loosely, then drop the engine bracket down onto the
mounts
and install
the center mount bolts, then tighten the mount bolts/nuts.
- I
don't have torque values, but they don't need to be much more than
good and snug.
- Take care when
aligning, and lever the engine to line it up. Work patiently, to avoid
cross-threading.
Torque rod
replacement notes