Motor mounts? any tips?

bnax

Registered User
Well i am going to be replacing my motor mount on my 95 SC tomarrow. The one of the drivers side died. I was wondering if anyone had any tips or tricks for me to make the job a bit easier?

Thanks
Brandon:D
 
I just pulled my mounts this weekend. I did mine from the front but from the rear I can see that you probably want to drop the front of the exhaust to make it much easier. With the drivers side down tube out of the way you should be able to get at all the bolts from behind or under.

I bent a cheapo 3" 3/8 drive extension so had to switch to my one good craftsman extension plus a craftsman deepwell metric socket. That plus a 6" handle extension for my beefy 3/8 drive wrench was able to break loose the far bolt. (My 1/2 drive only has a 6" extension, too long)

The bolts are tight. I've circled their locations below. Note that on the drivers side there may be another bolt towards the wheel (hidden in the picture). I didn't have a bolt in mine, but it is supposed to be there.

That lower bolt/stud has the battery ground cable attached to it with a 15mm jam nut. Then under it is the 13mm head. You might be able to wrench it, or you will need a deep well socket to pull it off.

Without lowering the exhaust, you can probably get it if you are inventive with swivels. But it could prove frustrating.

mountbolts.jpg
 
Passenger side hints on the 90:

- You do need to remove/tie-off the compressor, air cleaner, coolant overflow reservoir.

- You don't need to remove any part of the exhaust, nor the starter, nor the knock sensor shield. None of those parts are in the way. The 1 rear bolt is easily reached with a swivel and extensions from underneath with the wheel off.

- The best hint: After you loosen the cowling and jack up the engine from under the oil pan (with a wood plank to spread the load), it will be difficult to remove the whole mount with brackets attached. Remove the 2 bolts securing the mount to the bottom bracket, then take the 2 pieces out.

- Reassemble the new mount completely with both brackets on a bench, centering the limit arm in the upper bracket opening. Then when you go to reinstall it, remove the lower bracket, insert the 2 halves and reassemble.

On the driver side, its a lot harder due to the IC plumbing blocking access to almost the whole thing. I'd advise removing the IC, IC tubes, pwr steering pump pulley (special tool needed), pwr steering bracket, coil pack , alternator (there is a hidden bolt under the coil pack!), and washer reservoir. Then everything's a fairly straight shot.

You WILL need a breaker bar or cheater bar to get enough leverage to remove the 2-13mm through bolts, and like on the passeneger side, the rear bolt can be accessed with a swivel and extensions, but it isn't easy. Unbolting the steering rag joint and pushing the rod up some should help.

Good luck with the job.
 
this is a post on how to do it. i saved it to my computer and lost track of who the author was. but it is the way to do them. i didnt follow it at first. stupid me. foloowing it would have made it easier. i ended up using the instructions for the rest of the time


The post below is one that I saved a while back to begin a tips page I am creating for the Registry. I cannot for the life of me remember who posted it. Would the author please let me know if I might add it to the tips page I'm making? I promise to remember post's authors in the future. Thanks.

The post was :
"Tools needed:
• Phillips and slot screwdrivers
• Ratchet w/ several extentions & Universal joints
• Socket sets Metric & SAE, Deep & Shallow sets
• hammer
• Breaker bar
• Workbench w/ a Vice
• Hydraulic Floor jack
• Safety jack stands

Removal:
1. First remove the windshield wipers using the slotted screwdriver. Lift the wiper and pry out on the retaining clip, then allow the wiper arm to rest on the retaining clip and lift off the car.
2. Remove the plastic cowl under the wipers using the Phillips screwdriver. (some say you don’t have to, but I’ve seen them broken in the process. Better safe than sorry)
3. Disconnect negative battery terminal.
4. Raise the vehicle and support it on safety jacks.
5. Remove the front half of the exhaust system from the car.
6. Driver side, disconnect and remove the steering rag joint and push the steering shaft up into the firewall.
7. Passenger side, disconnect and remove Knock sensor. You may need a special socket for this step. ALSO WILL DRAIN COOLANT WHEN REMOVED.
8. Passenger side, disconnect and remove the starter motor.
9. Using the floor jack put a block of wood between the engine oil pan and the jack. Lift the engine an inch or so to relieve the pressure from the engine mount bolts.
10. Remove the large through bolts from each mount. This bolt is accessed from the front with several extentions and a u-joint. You may need a breaker bar for this step. Once they are freed you can use a hammer and the Phillips screwdriver to drive the bolt out from the back.
11. Driver side there is a bolt that is somewhat hidden. It is pointing downward through a lip in the engine mount bracket. Remove this bolt.
12. Now you can use the jack to lift the engine as high as it will go in the engine bay. BE SURE THE HOOD IS UP!!! You don’t want to dent your hood
13. Both sides, have 3 bolts holding the bracket to the side of the engine. The front lower on each side is a studded bolt with a nut. Remove that nut and push the attached stuff to the side. Then remove all 3 bolts
14. The mounts and brackets will come out in 1 or 2 pieces depending upon how bad of shape they are in.
15. Disassemble the old brackets and mounts and reassemble the new on a workbench with a vice.




Installation:
16. Take the newly assembled mounts and install them into their original locations.
17. Start by bolting the brackets to the engine. Be sure to use the studded bolt on the lower front hole.
18. Re-attach both ground straps and the retaining clips to the studded bolts and tighten the nut to secure them.
19. Lower the engine to align the bottom through bolts
20. START with the driver side!!!!
21. Install the bottom through bolt into the driver side mount first from the front, but do not tighten completely.
22. You may need to use a pry bar to align the hole for the bottom through bolts.
23. Once you have the driver side in, install the passenger side through bolt without tightening completely.
24. Now install the hidden downward bolt on the driver side and tighten both bottom through bolts.
25. Go back and double check that all bracket bolts and through bolts are good and tight.
26. Re-install the Knock sensor. (I suggest replacing with a new one)
27. Re-install the steering rag joint and pull the shaft down and connect it.
28. Re-install the front half of the exhaust.
29. Lower the car and re-install cowl cover and wipers.
30. Re-connect negative battery cable.



Good luck, this job is not for the weak of heart. An amateur mechanic can complete this job but must have a great deal of patience and the ability to figure out alternative methods of accessing nuts and bolts. I found that there are holes here and there in the lower K-member that will allow you access to the mount bolts using the right u-joints and extentions. Also I suggest using ½” drive, I’ve broken lots of 3/8” tools doing engine mount installs. Expect this job to take a full day barring any major set-backs. "
 
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That is from JasonLMarsh and describes the process from underneath.

I took the from the top process as a kill more birds with one stone idea.

Easier access to plugs, water pump, p/s lines and any number of items that should be touched up or replaced as a preventative measure.

Doing it by removing items from the front of the engine probably adds a total of 8 more hours to a motor mount project.
 
Here we go

Thanks for all of the info i'm going to get out and give it a shot. I'll let ya know how it goes.
 
coolant

Hey cougar20th can you please modify that list to recognize that when you remove the knock sensor that coolant will come out.....lets just say i got a lake under my car and i smell funky now
 
i didnt write the list. it copyed for reference to my computer and i lost track of who wroe it. (i guess JasonLMarsh did) but will be sure to update my copy. incase i post it again. i did update above as well. i only did my drivers so i never had to touch the knock sensor. thanks for the heads up i would have done teh same thing and worn antifreeze
 
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Just curious. For those of you who removed the Ksensor.. was it necessary? Or another way to state it, if you did the job again, would you remove it, or just get a couple of extensions and go at it that way?
 
Yeah

yeah, It was necessary to remove the knock sensor because I could not remove the mount from the car otherwise. I did everything possible but, in the end i just had to remove it....once you get it broke loose grab a catch can....hehe
 
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