Home made engine support for motor mounts?

Folks,

I know I need motor mounts and want to do them myself and have read many diys on it. They all seem to say, push the engine up from oil pan (with wood block on it)...but I know that my dealer uses a brace to hold engine, I'm thinking (haven't seen it), that it goes between strut mounts like an front brace and it mounted on engine from the engine support hook in front. Then, they drop the front (subframe I think--'he' said four bolts drop something to get to mounts...I'm thinking maybe the whole axle drops?)

First, is that understanding correct so far?

I'm concerned about pushing up the engine and messing things up...like with my new trans. mounts, and, you know, all the hoses/wires, etc.

Given that, I've been thinking about the possibility of making an engine support brace out of something like a 2x6 or maybe two 2x4 sistered together...with some way of locking into shock mounts and a monster bolt gong through to bracket.

Totally crazy idea? You now what part I'd need to drop...and then what would drop on me if I go through with this...and finally, I'm thinking that whatever bolts I'm removing would be one-time use only...technically. Should I absolutely replace with new bolts...or thread lock enough? Would I need to support whatever would otherwise drop on me (of course) and if so, how?

Sorry...need my next diy and can't avoid being ocd about it!

Doug

Just use a Jack and lift one side at a time

Bishop,

I know everyone says that, but it still freaks me out a little...thinking about stresses involved...and weight...it'll be bolted at the trans mounts and on the motor mount I'm not replacing...so the engine just lifts up on the motor mount side I've loosened...when jacking from the oil pan...while held at three other points.

I guess I'm not either 'getting' that part, or don't trust that the engine can move a few inches and the trans mounts and guibo 'play along' and take the flexing.

Thanks for your effort, Bishop...it really does sound straightforward...though I know the pass side mount seems to be much tougher than on the left side.

Doug

Hi Doug. You're going thru more work than necessary by making your cross brace engine support & then unbolting the engine cradle to get at the engine mounts. Besides, it will be harder to get the engine cradle back up to its position to bolt in, & yes its OK to reuse those bolts. No need for Loctite. It is an easier diy if you jack up the engine by the oil pad with a block of wood to gain access to the mounts. Typically you will have about 2-3 inches b4 you really even start to stress anything. Chas

Originally Posted by ChasCan

Hi Doug. You're going thru more work than necessary by making your cross brace engine support & then unbolting the engine cradle to get at the engine mounts. Besides, it will be harder to get the engine cradle back up to its position to bolt in, & yes its OK to reuse those bolts. No need for Loctite. It is an easier diy if you jack up the engine by the oil pad with a block of wood to gain access to the mounts. Typically you will have about 2-3 inches b4 you really even start to stress anything. Chas

Chas,

I always go through more work than necessary...but lots of that is cleaning! LOL

Anyway, I wanted to hear the 2-3" I guess, more than anything. So, if you don't mind my asking, and no prejudice one way or the other, but are you a mechanic or an avid diyer like me? And, if the latter, do you recall the diy you depended on most...or Bentley. I'm going to read everything over before I mount the mounts, but would appreciate a recommendation to something that evidently worked well for you!

Loosen one side and remove the other...or only loosen one while other is still snug?

Sorry to bother you...but crib notes are nice too!

You've helped me before, I know...I hoped I've returned the favor in some way previously...if not, I'll make a point of doing my best by you in the future!

Originally Posted by dmax

Chas,

I always go through more work than necessary...but lots of that is cleaning! LOL

Anyway, I wanted to hear the 2-3" I guess, more than anything. So, if you don't mind my asking, and no prejudice one way or the other, but are you a mechanic or an avid diyer like me? And, if the latter, do you recall the diy you depended on most...or Bentley. I'm going to read everything over before I mount the mounts, but would appreciate a recommendation to something that evidently worked well for you!

Loosen one side and remove the other...or only loosen one while other is still snug?

Sorry to bother you...but crib notes are nice too!

You've helped me before, I know...I hoped I've returned the favor in some way previously...if not, I'll make a point of doing my best by you in the future!

Hi Doug, No bother at all, I always like your common sense approach to others for their issues. Just to trying to help another DIY'er. I have been an auto shop owner for the last 26 years. & have been in the auto repair field for about 48 yrs. The engine cross bar motor mount method is easier IF you have the right equipment. Other than that, the average diy'er can do this job without the engine cross bar mount. Just do like I said. Jack up the engine with a 2x4 or other comparable wood block, & the replacement should go fairly easy. My AllData repair manual says to drop the engine cradle, but that is if you have the proper engine brace & the cradle brace to line up & reinstall the engine cradle to it's proper position. For the diy'er, it's easier to just jack up the engine. Hope this helps, Chas

Originally Posted by ChasCan

Hi Doug, No bother at all, I always like your common sense approach to others for their issues. Just to trying to help another DIY'er. I have been an auto shop owner for the last 26 years. & have been in the auto repair field for about 48 yrs. The engine cross bar motor mount method is easier IF you have the right equipment. Other than that, the average diy'er can do this job without the engine cross bar mount. Just do like I said. Jack up the engine with a 2x4 or other comparable wood block, & the replacement should go fairly easy. My AllData repair manual says to drop the engine cradle, but that is if you have the proper engine brace & the cradle brace to line up & reinstall the engine cradle to it's proper position. For the diy'er, it's easier to just jack up the engine. Hope this helps, Chas

And nice credentials too! 48 years? So I guess I should, as you say, 'do like I do.'

It helps a lot...except for my final question...of course...I keep the jack at the same position on the rear end of the jack pan...or do I move it from side to side...or some entirely different place closer to the mount I'm replacing on the engine cradle or something else? Yea, I know you're thinking I probably shouldn't do this, but I'm sort of looking forward to it!

The engine support here has been used by a few:

http://www.harborfreight.com/cpi/cta...emnumber=96524

Is there any diy for this?

No Doug. Just jack up the engine square. Not off to one side or the other. You should be fine with this method & it should give you enough room to replace both mounts. Chas.

The engine support bar is now on sale for $59.99: http://www.harborfreight.com/1000-lb...bar-96524.html

Picked this up last weekend and also used the 20% off coupon so it knocked it down even further.

Just did the engine mounts this weekend and definitely worth the $50 in time and aggravation.

idk if you did this yet but it's not as scary as it first seams.
i was a little freaked out too but it's pretty straight forward.
just a tip! keep your hood open. don't want to dent your hood from the inside.

What about a combination of both??

Use the jack just rise the engine and then the engine support to hold it and remove the jack. This way the stress over the oil pan is there just for a few minutes and you have extra space under the car once you remove the jack.

This is just an idea... lets see what others say

Maybe replacing the mounts is too fast and all this work is unnecessary and maybe you will need to be able to move the engine up and down to place the new mounts in place.

Doug this is probably more crazy then GN's MDF jack stands. Engines weigh a lot, please dont put your life at risk with a home engineered wood cradle. Get the Harbor Freight one.

jacking the engine puts a lot less forces on it than it sees bouncing around with the car in motion.

I used a phone book on the jack when I did the motor mounts on my friends car

Not sure if the 328 engine mount is the same as the one on my 325, however when I reinstalled my OEM headers, there was barely enough clearance to put it back in. It has two bolts coming out of the center, one faces the top and the other towards the bottom.

The only solution I found, without jacking up one side of the engine beyond my comfort zone, was to disassemble it. I mounted it onto the engine first, positioned the top bolt in the hole, and used a small lever to insert the bottom bolt. At this point I was essentially using my one hand pushing up on the engine, and the other on the lever (guiding the bottom bolt in its hole).

Originally Posted by ac_2007

Not sure if the 328 engine mount is the same as the one on my 325, however when I reinstalled my OEM headers, there was barely enough clearance to put it back in. It has two bolts coming out of the center, one faces the top and the other towards the bottom.

The only solution I found, without jacking up one side of the engine beyond my comfort zone, was to disassemble it. I mounted it onto the engine first, positioned the top bolt in the hole, and used a small lever to insert the bottom bolt. At this point I was essentially using my one hand pushing up on the engine, and the other on the lever (guiding the bottom bolt in its hole).

If this is for the passenger side, you do know that you could just take off the engine mount bracket and slide it over the top hole first and then secure the bracket itself.

Originally Posted by alpine003

If this is for the passenger side, you do know that you could just take off the engine mount bracket and slide it over the top hole first and then secure the bracket itself.

That sounds like what I did when installing BB headers. With the huge OEM headers there was almost no clearance, making it next to impossible to install the mount without taking it apart.
As they sit right now, there is probably about 5-8mm clearance between cats and that passenger side mount.

If you are gonna buy something then you may as well buy an engine hoist.
You can always loosen your transmission mounts and disconnect the driveshaft if you are really freaked out (but those guibo nuts are single use for sure).
You'll be surprised how much play you get on these rubber mounts - all you need is about 1.5 inch to get the mount out.