re: Spider Motor Mount Replacement

["Giller,Bruce C." <bgiller@domain.elided>]

Rob,
	If one mount is shot, so is the other (or soon will be).  I'd replace
both with a set of heavy duty units that Paul Spruell sells (around $50
each but after you do the passengers side, you'll never want to do it again).

	My '86 has a pan guard and I didn't remove it.  I just got a piece of
wood that fit inbetween the slots near the mount I was working on and
used a floor jack to raise the engine.  The wood doesn't take the full
weight of the engine, just a bit - no fins were broken when I did it. 
No need to loosen the other mount at all - you are using it as a fulcrum.

	As to the bolts that hold the mount, there is only one.  The mount is
held with three nuts to the block, and one nut and one bolt to the car
body.  Remove the the top bolt that holds the mount to the body - the
easiest to get to.  Around the back is the nut/stud; remove the nut. 
Sometimes the sag of the mount is so bad that the rubber doesn't allow
you to use a box wrench on it (13 mm I think).  Jack up the engine until
you get clearance - I have a manifold wrench (a bent box-end) I use or a
stubby 13 mm should work (close quarters down there).  Next remove all
three nuts from the block.  Pull on the bottom of the mount to remove
it.  There is a slot cut into the base of the mount to allow it to
engage the stud on the body.

	When replacing, you might have to jack the engine up even higher since
the old mount had not been holding it high enough.

	Doing the passenger side can really be a chore...but you need to do it.
 If you don't have A/C it is easier but you have to 'attack' it from
both the top an the bottom.

	Bruce

	'86 Spider
	'73 GTV
 
> During my recent success at bleeding my clutch the long way, I found
> evidence that my Driver's Side Motor Mount is failing. The part is on order
> but a little advice is sought.
> 
> It does not look very difficult (as compared to the passenger side).
> My approach would be to hit the bolts with some penetrate and remove the pan
> guard, air filter assembly, etc.
> Place my hydraulic jack with a block of wood under the oil pan
> Jack it to a point of small resistance and loosen the mount bolts ....
> More jacking .... loosen more .... more jacking until the motor is sustained
> by the jack with enough clearance to allow me to remove and replace the
> mount.
> Replace the mount / torque and release the jack slowly.
> 
> Does this make sense?
> Have I missed an obvious step as I did in my clutch bleeding adventure?
> I am reluctant to place the jack-wood block against the oil pan but I see no
> alternative. It is the jacking up of the motor that raises my questions. Can
> I do this without loosening the passenger side mount? (I believe I can.)
> 
> Lastly ... does anyone know the bolt size (dia. / length) for the bolt that
> goes into the engine block??

--
to be removed from alfa, see /bin/digest-subs.cgi
or email "unsubscribe alfa" to majordomo@domain.elided