Motor Mount Experts (Or not)

BobGPz

Registered User
Doing DRIVERS side motor mount, did searches (Bob & DigitalChaos seems to have the best information), but everybody seems to have it easier than I got. My bolts were not terribly tight like I've read, but think I am missing one or two somewhere.
The mount is busted in two. The lower piece is ALMOST willing to come out, but the TOP piece seems as though there are still bolts holding it in there. It won't budge! I pulled the two 13mm bolts on the top bracket/motor side, and pulled two bracket/frame side, and one through bolt. Why will the top piece not move? The only bolt left is the big 17mm or so holding the rubber mount to the top bracket which I read is pulled off in a vice AFTER it is out of the car. Am I doing something wrong here? Thanks all....
 
Seems to me that theres 3 bolts holding the top half of the motor mount to the block Bob. I think you missed one, take another look.:)
 
You are right Mike. I missed the stud/nut holding the battery cable on there. Ooops:D
It is so caked in oil or P/S fluid that was hard to see...came right off and boy are these shot! Heading up to Autozone for a new one. Going to do passenger side tomorrow. Think now is a good time to put a new water pump in if they aren't too expensive (Under $40). Still working on $$$ for that radiator Mike..Thanks for the link too David..
 

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Picked up a new mount from Autozone.
Question is this a Fluid Type Mount? Or a Solid Rubber Type Mount?
It is "Anchor Part #2661 (81106 02661)
Sales lady didn't seem to know and her "Computer does not provide that kind of information".:rolleyes:
There is a lifetime warranty on it though. Yippie! I get to do this all over again in 20,000 miles! %^!#*&(%
 
That's what I was afraid of 35th. :(
I'll see if they have any solid ones. This fluid filled one has no torgue nipple on the top of it. Wonder if the N/A Thunderbirds come in Solid Rubber? Hate to wait for shipping as I would like to finish this project today..but that price at Rockauto is hard to beat..thanks for the info..:)
 
Motormounts are susposed to be 1 piece?

When I took the engine out of mine they came apart. The ones on my replacement engine were solid onepiece. It looked like a bolt ran through them. But they were cut up by a cutting torch.

????
 
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BobGPz said:
You are right Mike. I missed the stud/nut holding the battery cable on there. Ooops:D
It is so caked in oil or P/S fluid that was hard to see...came right off and boy are these shot! Heading up to Autozone for a new one. Going to do passenger side tomorrow. Think now is a good time to put a new water pump in if they aren't too expensive (Under $40). Still working on $$$ for that radiator Mike..Thanks for the link too David..

No better time than now to do the water pump, and for the price(think mine was $60) it's just that much more security in knowing that you have a new pump on there and less chance of it failing while driving down the road. I did my water pump when I replaced my motor mounts after I bought the car. Like I said, cheap insurance for the motor
 
Well got the drivers side done and accelerates a bit better, can't really drive too far as tags are expired and been waiting to do this first. What a PITA! Be MUCH easier if I had to do it again as I understand how it mounts and I've never torn my SC down that far before.

HSKR: I was going to do the water pump, but decided to wait till I get my new aluminum radiator from MikeSC. Going to do all new hoses and a good flush before I put that and new pump in as I want it to last.

Thundercougar: Yeah! Haha! The brackets are two piece, but the rubber part is suppose to be 1 piece, not 3 like mine were. I attached a pic of new one. The rubber stopper was gone too so I used someones tip about sliding a piece of heater hose onto the tab. I put a lil' sealant on to help keep from coming off.

All right, fess' up everybody. How many of you put the Acc Bracket on and torqued down before you realized you forgot to slide the lower IC tube in first?:D SON OF A ....!!! I can laugh now I guess.:D
 

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So whats better solid or hydro, Im kinda freaking out since ive been driving around on 2 piece motor mounts.

I can literally pull the engine straight out if those tabs werent there keeping it in. When I droped the new engine in, I just bolted the ones that connected to the engine, then put the other ones on the crossmember.
 
I hear the solids last longer, but the hydraulics are smoother. I have to do the passenger side now. Put car in reverse and let clutch out w/ some gas and passenger side jumps up about 8 inches. Not good. Sounds like you need to change yours ASAP.
 
How to:

After a reply for how complicated this is, and the number of peoples mounts failing lately, I am posting how I did my drivers side motor mounts from the TOP. Hope this will help anyone who needs it.

I did mine from above and some from below as it was on car ramps and had my hood removed just for lighting purposes, (and the previous brake repairs to M/C). Once you do them, it will be MUCH MUCH easier to do again. If anybody is local and needs help, give a hollar. Read entire instructions before you begin as you may NOT want to pull some of what I did. I have only done the drivers side so far. Passenger side seems like it will have to be done from below due to the A/C lines, and I don't want to disconmnect them. You'll use mainly 13mm, 14mm, 15mm, 13mm deep, 15mm deep, 6 sided sockets & box end wrenches, with some swivels where you HAVE to use them. Don't use swivels unless necessary (Electrical tape wrapped around swivel helps aim the bolts on reinstall). Mine is a 1990 Thunderbird SC, and older years may be different, but what I did for the drivers side was.....

1. Pull the battery out first!
2. Pull the washer fluid overflow and cap the end so you don't loose any fluid.
3. Drained radiator and pull the main serpentine belt.
4. Take off IC top tube.
5. Take off IC lower tube nuts and pull the two hard to get nut/bolts (one 15mm bolt under the car, and one 14mm or 15mm nut under power steering pump. Pull the lower tube out later.
6. Pull the Intercooler out.
7. I pulled the lower radiator hose, Radiator Fan and radiator (Probably not necessary to remove the radiator or lower hose, but the extra room is nice for the first timer to be able to see what you are doing).
8. Pulled the coil pack (Label the wires) and two connectors.
9. Pulled the alternator (1 electrical connector, 2 large bolts, 1 small bolt 10mm in back under the coil pack, 1 small nut holding electrical wire 10mm?)
10. Pulled the two bolts on P/S Pump bracket and then the two nuts on other side of bracket holding it to the water pump.
11. Pull last bolt to P/S Pump and unplug electrical connector
12. There are two 15mm bolts and one 13mm Deep nut holding main accessory bracket on. It slides forward 4 inches and off from the stud from the removed 13mm deep nut. Looks worse than it really is. Be careful that the P/S Pump doesn't get kinked hoses at this point.
13. Wire the P/S pump forward and towards the passenger side. I used the top radiator hose inlet tube.
14. Pull the lower IC tube out.
15. Pull the bolt and stud holding that aluminum smaller bracket (Used for the lower IC tube) out.
16. pull the rubber weather stripping between the fenders that slides on the cowl.
17. Pull the screws and tork bit screws to loosen cowling. You shouldn't need to remove it or wipers. Just need it to be able to rise a little to avoid cracking it.
18. I've heard these motor mount bolts are extremely tight, but mine weren't ridiculously tight as some have had. Loosen the Through Bolt of mount using a 13mm socket with two 8" extensions.
19. Loosen bottom bracket bolt with 13mm socket, swivel if you have to, and a long extension so ratchet is out of engine compartment (Makes easier to torque loose).
20. Jack the engine up a little using a block of wood to evenly support engine and to take weight off mount.
21. Under car, pull the 13mm? right side (top bracket to engine) bolt.
22. Above the car, pull same 13mm? bolt on left side.
23. Pull 14mm? nut off battery ground cable, and there is a 13mm bolt/stud under that. Bingo! Mount should be free. Jack engine up JUST enough to wiggle mount UP and out the front of the car.
24. With mount out of car, there are two 10mm bolts holding bottom bracket to mount, and one 13/16"? nut holding top bracket to mount. Note how the mount points downward on the top piece as reinstall needs to be same way. A Bench Vise helps at this point. DON'T THROW AWAY THE TWO BRACKETS! The new mount is assembled same as disassembly. There is a trick for the rubber stopper if it is all worn out. Take a small piece of 5/8"? heater hose and slide over top of the torque piece. That helps avoid a false knock sensor if engine toques and hits the bracket. I used a little gasket sealer to help hold it in place.

Specialty tools/parts I used:
1: Supercharger Spanner Nut Wrench.
2: Power Steering Pulley Puller and Installer (3/8"-16 X 2" long bolt with washers).
3. Tork bits for cowling.
4. IC Tube resealing tape. I have the reuseable gaskets that TBird88 sells.
5. Backyard Mechanics Guide to new cuss words.

Your car seems so uncomplicated once you have done this. It LOOKS more severe than it really is. Good luck!

Thanks to Digitalchaos's Post and

MatianBob's Post these posts were extremely helpful...:)
 
All right. I finished the PASSENGER side mount today. Not too bad considering I didn't car how long it took as it took my mind away from the future bill for a new brake system since my ABS Pump burnt up..:rolleyes:
Anyways, I had the hood and cowling already off for the brake repairs, along with a disconnected battery and vehicle on car ramps, so all I had to do was:

Pull the radiator Fan
Pull Intake tube/filter
Pull coolant overflow tank
Pull the electrical conections to the A/C, DIS, and Crank Sensor
Pull 4-13mm bolts for A/C Pump and tie it up and out of the way
Pull the Serpentine, Idler, and SC Belts
Pull 13mm bolt, 15mm bolt, and 15mm Nut holding Acc bracket on
Slide bracket forward and out
Put block of wood on jack and raise motor a little bit
Pull 13mm Through Bolt on bottom bracket of motor mount
Pull 15mm nut holding ground wire on
Pull 13mm Studded Nut from top motor mount bracket
Pull 13mm Bolt from top MMB
Pull 13mm Bolt from under car on top MMB with a swivel/extensions
Jack motor up and slide mount out the front of car.
Pull out mount off and put new mount onto bracket
Install in reverse.

Pretty surprised how easy these were and when I get my brakes fixed, I can't wait to try them out. I didn't even have to disconnect the A/C lines. Look how bad the old ones were..Yuck!!
 

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Easy money!

Pretty easy huh Bob. Did both sides in about 6 hours by myself. Only thing that set me back was not having a bench vise at home. Had to take mounts to my work to break the nuts loose. Glad to get those done though. Just did the diff mounts tonight. Another fun project. Basic stuff though.:D
 
Yeah, those differential and tranny mounts are on the horizon for me as I am getting serious wheel hop. Seen a post recently on this that seems to really help the wheel hop..but other priorities right now..
 
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