Page 1 of 2
How hard is it to do engine mounts at home?
Posted: Tue May 24, 2011 12:01 pm
by jerrah
My engine is moving so much in the engine bay that it's wearing the inside of my bonnet.
How hard is it to do the engine mounts solo at home with a floor jack, chassis stands and hand tools?
Is it possible to access the upper three mounting bolts without removing my supercharger i.e. through the wheel well?
Re: How hard is it to do engine mounts at home?
Posted: Tue May 24, 2011 12:14 pm
by aviper4u
mechanic and myself changed passenger side one about a year ago with car stands and jack though i remeber he used heaps of long extensions attachements etc to reach the bolts and so forth.
there was also some fustration and the exhaust headers were removed.
not sure about driver side though looks even more cramped.
was done on a NB8B
Re: How hard is it to do engine mounts at home?
Posted: Tue May 24, 2011 12:18 pm
by NitroDann
Easy as. Seriously, If you want proof, PM me and then Ill take one out and provide timestamped proof in photos.
Put car on jackstands, Put jack under sump, Remove both nuts in the crossmember, ie the nuts that actually bolt the mounts to the frame. Jack engine slowly, so that BOTH engine mounts are away from frame. Then remove the three bolts that hold the engine mounts PLATE to the engine. This way your removing both the mount and the support plate, the part that actually connects to the block.
Remove with hands, unbolt the last nut on mount. Make your own mounts in ten minutes or replace with new.
Dann
Re: How hard is it to do engine mounts at home?
Posted: Tue May 24, 2011 2:41 pm
by jerrah
Can it all be done from underneath/through the wheel well or will I have to pull the SC out? It'd be nice to be able to look at these things during daylight but I have to save it all up for the weekend. Have found very few pictures online of people doing it.
Sounds easy enough as always just potentially awkward - but not as bad as changing a gearbox.
Re: How hard is it to do engine mounts at home?
Posted: Tue May 24, 2011 5:25 pm
by NitroDann
This photo was taken very easily without jacking the car up. The plate bolted to the engine gets unbolted as does the bottom nut underneath the subframe. then you seperate the mount from the plate and away you go. But take me advice and remove the lower nut from both sides and lift the whole engine up or it will take ages.
Dann
Re: How hard is it to do engine mounts at home?
Posted: Tue May 24, 2011 5:26 pm
by manga_blue
Can be a PITA on an NA8. The coilpacks get in the way on mine. I need to remove them before I move or remove the engine.
Re: How hard is it to do engine mounts at home?
Posted: Tue May 24, 2011 5:36 pm
by NitroDann
Sorry how are the coil packs getting in the way of an engine mount?
Dann
Re: How hard is it to do engine mounts at home?
Posted: Tue May 24, 2011 6:48 pm
by manga_blue
The coilpacks are almost touching the firewall at the back and also sit just below that lip at the top of the firewall. As I said, very little room to move the engine without jamming them and impossible to remove or fit the engine with them on. I assume it's an NA8 thing cos the car is straight, never shunted and the mounts are centred OK, it's always been like that, that's all.
Re: How hard is it to do engine mounts at home?
Posted: Tue May 24, 2011 6:52 pm
by Dweezle
Yeah if you tilt the NA6 engine too much the coilpacks can foul on the firewall also.
Helps to have a buddy checking for these things.
Re: How hard is it to do engine mounts at home?
Posted: Tue May 24, 2011 7:06 pm
by NitroDann
Its only 2 bolts to remove them on an 1.6, how many on a 1.8?
Dann
Re: How hard is it to do engine mounts at home?
Posted: Tue May 24, 2011 7:13 pm
by Dweezle
Its actually 3 on a NA6.
The lower one can be a pain. It is often left off once someone has lost all the skin on there knuckles removing it once
Re: How hard is it to do engine mounts at home?
Posted: Tue May 24, 2011 7:35 pm
by NitroDann
Yeah I wouldnt count the lower one, because only a very silly person wouldleave it there
Dann
Re: How hard is it to do engine mounts at home?
Posted: Tue May 24, 2011 9:23 pm
by wun911
how high can i jack the engin from the oil pan before i damage something???
I have new engin mounts in a box tried to insall and gave up....
Re: How hard is it to do engine mounts at home?
Posted: Tue May 24, 2011 10:18 pm
by NitroDann
Until you start to lift the car off the ground or start to bend the oil pan. Plenty enough to get them out easily.
Dann
Re: How hard is it to do engine mounts at home?
Posted: Wed May 25, 2011 8:40 am
by jerrah
Looks like it'd be impossible to undo them from the wheel well, but maybe from underneath. SC might have to come off. I'll see on the weekend. Thanks!