PhilbertZ Posted December 5, 2008 Share Posted December 5, 2008 This may come off as a noob question in this crowd, but I need to ask it. I had a (free) inspection by a local mechnic (thanks AAA!) this week and, among a bunch of things I already knew were wrong with the car, the mechanic stated that the engine mounts needed replacing. 1) How dire of a repair is this - if I put it off, will I be risking a catastrophe, or is it a drive comfort thing? 2) can I do it myself? I'm guessing it involves raising the engine up and I don't have a crane.... I'm somewhat handy (replaced a diff gasket on my truck, done brakes, clutch cylinder, valve adjustments, etc)...but never dared to touch motor mounts.... Thanks in advance Phil Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
roger.svoboda Posted December 5, 2008 Share Posted December 5, 2008 kinda depends on if they are whole or broken. If they are still whole i wouldn't get too excited. My 83 got the originals and they still have some life left in them. You can replace them by jacking up the engine slightly and doing one side at a time. He might be one of them mechanics that think it should be like a new car or nitpicker doesn't want to get sued for not stating the obvious. LIke gee they are 25 years old!!!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
johnc Posted December 5, 2008 Share Posted December 5, 2008 Its mostly a noise vibration issue although bad engine mounts can affect shifting. When the mount fails things can get damaged. They would be on top of my list of items to replace when you have some extra money to spend on the car. More important then yellow spark plug wires or a CAI. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
svr240 Posted December 5, 2008 Share Posted December 5, 2008 2) can I do it myself? I'm guessing it involves raising the engine up and I don't have a crane.... I'm somewhat handy (replaced a diff gasket on my truck, done brakes, clutch cylinder, valve adjustments, etc)...but never dared to touch motor mounts.... Replacing motor mounts on an s30 is very straight forward so I would assume your zx would be as well. You just need to make sure you can safely lift the engine an inch or so after disconnecting/checking all the engine connection points (transmission mount, exhaust, intake, radiator, etc.). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PhilbertZ Posted December 5, 2008 Author Share Posted December 5, 2008 Thanks All! They seem to be intact, though worn. My shifter has been rather "clangy" since I got the car a year ago - when I shift quickly, it makes a loud metallic "Clang" noise - when I shift slowly and deliberately, it's fine. I think I'll likley wait for now, but that's good to know it's not too involved (as long as I have time, patience and the motor lift available!). I'll be sure to also dive into my service manual to see what the procedure is - I mostly wanted to know if it's something I need to do, or *should* do soon - when I get the time/money Thanks again you guys -love this forum Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tony D Posted December 12, 2008 Share Posted December 12, 2008 Jack up the motor-trans assembly by the lower bellhousing after you've loosened / removed the bolts. Jack high enough to remove one mount (that you have loose). Replace, lower tighten everything. Repeat. You can do it two at a time, but it can get tricky. I do the LH side one (under the intake) first as it's the most difficult to reach. To prevent any damage by a failing mount, you can 'chain down' the engine so it won't rock when you get on the throttle. It's common on SBC powered trucks to break mounts, and when you get on it the engine torques over and you put a big dent in your hood from the valve cover hitting it! D'OH! A nice chain bolted to the block and tied down around the K-Member will limit movement wihout imparting harshness to the interior like solid mounts would do. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PhilbertZ Posted December 15, 2008 Author Share Posted December 15, 2008 Thanks guys for all the replies - I think I have enough to start this in 2009 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
borini63 Posted December 16, 2008 Share Posted December 16, 2008 Smoother ride... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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