Thread: How to change lower motor mount and trans mount

Ok, I couldn't find any great write-ups on this. So now there will be.

Tools needed:
Jack Stands
1" x 8" x 16" ish wood
Real Jack (no scissors)
15mm rachet AND open end 15mm
17mm rachet
#2 Phillips Head



1. Remove the bolts from the upper motor mounts where they attach to engine. 17mm rachet. Pull the dogbones up.
2. If you have a front strut tower bar you'll need to remove it too.
3. Jackstand car on left AND right side of subframe.
4. Take off both tires. If only doing motor mount u can leave driver side on and skip to step 10.
5. Remove the 2 lower and 2 upper nuts from the trans mount. 15mm rachet.
6. Put the wood across the oil pan and trans pan and bring the jack up to it. Make sure it is only on the pans and not any lines or the oil pan drain screw. The more surface area the safer you are lifting the motor.
7. SLOWLY start jacking the motor up, checking to make sure it moves easily. Don't force anything. Once it is high enough to pull the trans mount out then do so. Clean the area where the mount was and put new mount in.

8. SLOWLY lower the motor. Don't worry if it doesn't align with the new trans mount bolt perfectly. Once the motor is off the jack by at least 3 inches u can stop. If the bolt holes didn't line up u can GENTLY rock the motor and it will slip onto the bracket.
9. Tighten the beejesus out of the 4 trans mount nuts.
10. Back on the passenger side now. There's 2 plastic screws holding the splash guard on in front of the oil filter. Take them out and move guard out of way.
11 Take the 2 bottom nuts off the motor mount. 15mm rachet. Now use a 15mm open end to get the nuts off the upper mount. Patience. If the nuts are oil grime coated be sure to clean them BEFORE unscrewing.
12. Bring the Jack back up as in step 6.
13. Lift the motor up enough to get the mount out and remove the mount.

14. Clean out the grimy, filthy space the mount was in. EXTREME CAUTION putting your fingers under the motor. If the jack slips your fingers are GONE.
15. Insert new motor mount, offset bolt towards front of car.

16. SLOWLY lower the motor. Don't worry if it doesn't align with the new motor mount bolts perfectly. Once the motor is off the jack by at least 3 inches u can stop. If the bolt holes didn't line up u can GENTLY rock the motor and it will slip onto the bracket.
17. Tighten the beejesus out of the 4 motor mount bolts. Yes, open end on the top bolts.
18. Put the splash guard on, put the wheel on, take the car off the jack stands, put the upper motor mounts back on, put the stb bar back on. Close the hood. NO, WAIT!! Don't close the hood!! You're filthy and are gonna get fingerprints on it. Go wash first.

Originally Posted by tc300

I remember reading that some other different brand/style mounts cause vibrations, do you have you that with yours??.

I'm pretty sure I'm needing both. I have started my car with the hood up and the motor shakes like an alcoholic.. Lol

I have very little vibration. Nothing upsetting. But then again my motor is smooth as a Rolex.

went and bought myself a 15mm ratchet wrench to get those top 2 nuts on the engine mount, much better and thanks for the how to.

Originally Posted by kurupt305

There's no way I can get a 15mm open end on the engine mount upper bolts my wrench won't even grab the nut any tricks I can use on my 05 maybe a slimmer open end wrench

Sent from my SGH-T999N using Tapatalk

Those are a pain to get a wrench on.
A slim enough ratchet will work better.
The first time I did a set I used an open ended wrench, it worked but was a pain. The problem with a wrench, is you can't go flat/straight at the bolts, you have to angle your wrench enough to get to the nut.
The most recent time I used a craftsman max axess ratchet which made it a breeze.
Craftsman-Max-Axess-Universal-Socket-Set.jpg


Only difference between this writeup and the way I do it, is I just turned the wheels to the left to do the driver side, and to the right to do the passenger instead of taking them off.

i broke the top motor mount bolts free with a socket wrench, took it the rest of the way off with a open end wrench.

let me clarify, i put the socket on the nut, then put the ratchet on the socket. you can only get a turn or two like this or it gets stuck in there.

racketing box wrenches seems to be the best tool in the end tho.

A regular open ended wrench will work, but you only get about 1/8 turn, so it is a pain.

Get a wrench like this and it is much easier:

that would be dirt, grease and grim. clean it up around the nut, try again.

Originally Posted by Scottydoggs

that would be dirt, grease and grim. clean it up around the nut, try again.

I was thinking the same thing. Here is what I scraped out when I did mine......