Front left engine mount

[red vtec]

The lump is nearly out. I have been undoing bits when I have had time. How do I get to the front Lh engine mount? I gather I take the weight off with the engine hoist. But the. Heat shields look to be in the way. And the nuts look nicely rusted.

Also the book says to remove the two engine mounting legs from the engine. Do I need to do this or will they come out with the block.

Any advice please?

[sanj]

You need to remove the jigsaw puzzle that is the heat shields, then the big nut holding the motor mount to the chassis. Make note of the orientation and position of the large buffer washers. No need to remove the legs from the block. The LH mounting bolt will stay with the leg.

[red vtec]

Sanj thanks for the advice

[red vtec]

Still no luck with this, the heat shield appears to be over part of the top nut and from below its impossible to get a socket on as part of the chassis runs in the way, great design. I have got an open ended spanner on the bottom nut. I.m wondering if I get an extra long socket extension if I can get to the top nut.

 

The heat shield bolts are nigh on impossible to get to, anyone got any tips on how to do this? I cant get my arm dow the side

[Vulcan Grey]

Yes. Get the hex of the bolt from above with really long extensions, and a friend, and the nut from below with a open ended spanner.

On my car, the front left bushing rusted to the bolt, so I had to remove the two bolts holding the bushing in the chassis, and leave the entire assembly and heat shield attached to the engine while lifting the engine out.

 

Like this.

[red vtec]

Thanks travis, so if I can get to the two smaller bolts I can lift the whole thing out?

Chris

[Vulcan Grey]

Yes, you have to remove all the other heat shields, but if you loosen those 2 bolts (remove nuts from underneath), then the whole thing will lift up as shown.

 

[red vtec]

I am completely lost how it is possible to get to most of the bolts holding the heat shield, I have managed to get a ring spanner on the top bolt of the engine mount and an open ended one on the bottom nut,have sprayed loads of penetrant oil on it and will continue today.

I could not get a socket on the top bolt as there is not enough room to get the extension down, should I be jacking the engine out of the way?

[mdw]

Cant you just rip the heat shield out the way and remake it  at a later date.  Mine was missing anyway so didn't have this problem.  The material to make it from is available on ebay.

[Sparky]

It's a little awkward, but I've never had a problem getting those heatshield bolts out.  As Malcolm says, if you really can't get at them then muller the top shield out of the way, and make good later.  This whole mount should take a few minutes.

[red vtec]

Just don't see how you can get to the two front heat shield bolts, Ithat is the shield that goes up against the side of the car. I think it's had wrong bolts in it as on the back end they were fitted different to each other.

Trying to bend the shield out of the way is hard as it's like a bloody spring, it's obscuring half the bolt and that's the problem,

[mdw]

Is it one that's been made by a previous owner as the heat shield material I bought was like very thick dimpled foil and was easy to bend

[Vulcan Grey]

did you remove the vacuum pump first?  That makes it easier.

[red vtec]

I have managed to get it partly undone with a 18" extension a 3/4 socket and ratchet, and jamming a spanner on the bottom nut, I have a feeling the thread is damaged, given up for today as I'm off out for a meal.

If the chassis was not in the way of the bottom nut you could get a socket in and it would be easy.

[Vulcan Grey]

For the heat shields I usually use a small 10mm box end wrench (ratcheting gear wrench helps) and a deep socket 1/4" drive ratchet.  My car doesn't have rust, so maybe that's why it is easier...  THe chassis has access holes where you can get the wrench on the nuts. 

Tons of room with the vacuum pump removed.

[red vtec]

Right, gave up on the main bolt, looks like the thread is butchered, I managed to get the two 13mm bolts either side undone so will pull the engine out with the mount and investigate it when on the stand.

Would all be so much easier with a 4 post lift.