Motor mount troubles...

[buck91]

So I'm working on our 2001 Olds Aurora with the 3.5L V6, specifically I am TRYING to replace the front engine mount. Unfortunately, the FSM is of zero help- very much lacking in detail plus, the engine mount it SHOWS isn't even the way this one is built!

Anyways, right now I have the starter dropped and the block jacked up as far as I can get it. The motor mount is unbolted from engine and crossmember but it is still attached to its bracket since I was unable to get a large enough breaker bar in there to bust the 18mm top nut loose. Well, did it with my wrench, but now that shaft is just spinning inside the mount. I'm about one inch short of clearance to be able to get the mount out.

Anybody familiar with this vehicle or FWD in general? Any tips? Thinking about loosening the side motor mounts to see if I can get enough play- but I don't want to take the chance of pulling or crushing something. Ideas?

 

[The Critic]

I would loosen the side motor mounts and remove the axles. Don't raise the engine/trans too much if the axles are still attached b/c you may separate the inner joints.

 

[Trav]

You have to remove the mount bracket first, remove the mount nut on the frame and remove the mount.
You wont get this out with the bracket attached. Is there a problem removing the bracket?

 

[Merkava_4]

The front mount bracket probably goes to the transmission like on my Buick. You gotta support the engine with a block of wood under the transmission pan and then remove the bracket. After that, unbolt the front mount from the subframe.

 

[buck91]

Well, FSM shows the bracket as a 4-bolt piece connecting the engine and trans to the mount... Not the case, its a 3- bolt unit and the FSM wasn't helpful. Couldn't get the top nut off the actual mount to remove the bracket in-car because of a lack fo room to fit a 18mm wrench and definitely a lack of room to fit a breaker. On top of that, somehow the mount stud (its a double male stud and the mount fastens to frame with nut on each end) is broken free of the rubber and just spins.

Ended up figuring it out, jimmied it around enough to run a couple extensions vertically (well, more like oblique) and hit it with the impact. This allowed me to separate the mount and bracket in the vehicle to remove each individually.

Definitely a surprising learning curve on a presumably simple job! Doesn't help that I busted my knuckles pretty good early on. Next one will go easier.

 

[Merkava_4]

Mine is a 3-bolt mount too. With mine, the bolts are actually studs with a permanent built in hex nut. I have to first remove the bracket that supports the secondary air injection pump before getting to the bracket for the front mount. By the way, my FSM calls the front center mount a transmission mount. The other 3 mounts are motor mounts.