lower engine mount replacement

maxgreenwood · Post by **maxgreenwood** » Mon Sep 22, 2008 12:24 pm

When i hear of it being 'pressed' out and the new one back in, what tool is that with? I gather deep freezing and greasing outer of the new one helps it go in.

And can you just undo the bolts and nudge the engine to one side with a jack and supports to do the job?

Considering attempting it myself but i don't have any experience with the job.

DLM · Post by **DLM** » Wed Sep 24, 2008 4:30 pm

The lower engine mount (the doughnut-shaped anti-rotation bush on a carrier in front of the sump) can be hard to remove/replace, but can be done in situ. It's pretty messy, as the normal reason for replacing the bush is because it's become soaked in engine oil.

Alternatively, with support under the sump, the 5 (?) bolts which hold on the carrier into which the bush is mounted can be removed, and the swap done off-car. I say can, because the only time I've removed this carrier is to gain accesss to the coolant pipes behind it, not when replacing the bush.

A press is something that an engineering works or some garages have to do this sort of job - if you remove the carrier then you could take this to such a place fro bus removal/insertion. The DIY alternative tends to involve careful use of a hammer.....

DavidRutherford · Post by **DavidRutherford** » Wed Sep 24, 2008 4:58 pm

Not forgetting that removal of the carrier means removal of the long driveshaft that runs through it...

The engine doesn't actually need "supporting", as this engine mounting doesn't carry any weight: the other two do that. What is often helpful though is to jam a block of wood between the engine and the subframe to hold the engine still, otherwise it tends to swing about rather a lot.

What's actually wrong with the old mounting? Rarely have I ever seen these in a condition that means they actually need changing.

DLM · Post by **DLM** » Wed Sep 24, 2008 5:18 pm

Not forgetting that removal of the carrier means removal of the long driveshaft that runs through it...

Absolutely right, David

- I knew there was a reason why I hadn't done it before.... though of course this would seem to be the only way to press the old one out/press in the new off-car, should you want to do such a thing. I've replaced in situ myself by hammering out the old one "with a suitable drift" to quote the BOL.

The engine doesn't actually need "supporting", as this engine mounting doesn't carry any weight: the other two do that.

Erm ... i did refer to it as a "doughnut-shaped anti-rotation bush" rather than a mount - though most people still do refer to it as a mount. I've found that a little support can aid removal of the bolt across the yoke.

Rarely have I ever seen these in a condition that means they actually need changing.

Can't agree here: I've seen several liberally soaked in oil, so that the rubber of the bush has been badly affected. Ats worst, this has led to the rubber disintegrating, allowing a lot more movement than designed, even to the extent that the rear of the engine hits the rear subframe at one point when the engine is started. Transmission shunt can also be detected. Admittedly, the subframe-hitter was a hard-used tow-car workhorse. I also changed another which was getting to be like this. I'm very sure I've also seen an upper engine mount which was FUBARed by neglect of this part.

DavidRutherford · Post by **DavidRutherford** » Wed Sep 24, 2008 6:25 pm

DLM wrote:I've seen several liberally soaked in oil, so that the rubber of the bush has been badly affected. Ats worst, this has led to the rubber disintegrating, allowing a lot more movement than designed.

Have to say, I've never seen one that bad. I've seen them liberally doused in engine oil, but never so bad that they are disintegrating!

If you've not got a press, then usually the easiest way to change one of these is to change the entire mounting for one that has a good bush in it. The worst aspect of the job is getting the driveshaft out. The rest is straightforward.

Jaba · Post by **Jaba** » Wed Sep 24, 2008 10:01 pm

I have replaced a few of these. Mainly to lessen the engine movement between accelerating and slowing. A new one certainly does lessen this and makes the car seem tighter and newer.

DIY replacement I do on the bench. First by cutting out the rubber to be able to hacksaw through the outer case of the bush to enable it to be popped out easily.

Fitting the new one is more difficult. It can be done with a combination of vice and hammer. I tried to use a press but the contours of the casting make it almost impossible to get a proper support in the press to drive the new bush in.

maxgreenwood · Post by **maxgreenwood** » Wed Sep 24, 2008 10:10 pm

mine is not clonking but it is soaked in oil, and i'm pretty sure the engine is swinging back and forth to cause the car to judder at low revs, which is really annoying me! and detracting from the smoothness of the car, which, along with the quirkiness, is after all why i bought the thing.

I hoped it might be a case of undoing the bolt, swinging the engine forward and hammering the old one out / new one in. I'm a bit nervous removing the driveshaft so it might be a job for the garage.

Go on, i know you're going to try and persuade me otherwise

DavidRutherford · Post by **DavidRutherford** » Wed Sep 24, 2008 10:14 pm

maxgreenwood wrote:I hoped it might be a case of undoing the bolt, swinging the engine forward and hammering the old one out / new one in.

You can do it like that, but the access isn't easy and you will need to swear a fair bit to get the old one out.

... and then even more to get the new one in.

Geoffrey Gould · Post by **Geoffrey Gould** » Thu Sep 25, 2008 8:14 am

Hi a small but rather important point is to make sure that the bush goes in the right way round, with the voids in the same position as the old one.
Cheers.
Geoff.

DLM · Post by **DLM** » Thu Sep 25, 2008 6:36 pm

Why not see how much movement is taking place - view the underside of the car from one side (health and safety etc.) so you can see the mount, and get someone else to start up. This will produce a fair amount of deflection with a FUBARed lower "mount".

You could also try to observe what happens when you begin to take up drive. Thinking about this, observation with the bonnet up would be best here, as then you can see how much movement takes place at the "real" engine mounts. I've bought a BX before now where the upper engine mount bolt was broken...

For fairly obvious reasons it needs to be somone you can trust to follow instructions exactly, and who is reasonably familiar with the car.

maxgreenwood · Post by **maxgreenwood** » Sun Sep 28, 2008 11:30 pm

well my lower engine mount is wiggling about all over the place in idle, looking from underneath, and i can definately feel its sponginess when driving. Its soaked in old oil. Theres a minor leak from around the back of the engine somewhere which i must get seen to. Most of the oil around though seems to be old stuff. Should steam clean the engine bay and everything else - on that note.. where would have suitable equipment to do this?

i think i'm going to have to book the car in to get that done at the same time they replace the lower front suspension bushes - and rubber steering coupling needs doing too. Hope its not going to cost too much!

DavidRutherford · Post by **DavidRutherford** » Sun Sep 28, 2008 11:37 pm

maxgreenwood wrote:Hope its not going to cost too much!

It will cost

maxgreenwood · Post by **maxgreenwood** » Sun Sep 28, 2008 11:55 pm

that much?

DavidRutherford · Post by **DavidRutherford** » Mon Sep 29, 2008 12:19 am

Yep, that much.

Actually no. Allowing for an exchange rate of $1.85/£1, I'd expect it to cost about 0.00033 of that note.

maxgreenwood · Post by **maxgreenwood** » Mon Sep 29, 2008 12:54 am

probably about right i reckon. i might invite my citroenian uncle over for the weekend...