How hard is it to do engine mounts at home?

[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?

[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

[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

[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.

[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

[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.

[NitroDann]

Sorry how are the coil packs getting in the way of an engine mount?

Dann

[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.

[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.

[NitroDann]

Its only 2 bolts to remove them on an 1.6, how many on a 1.8?

Dann

[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

[NitroDann]

Yeah I wouldnt count the lower one, because only a very silly person wouldleave it there

Dann

[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....

[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

[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!