I am going to need to replace the left engine mount.

Any tips and pearls how to do this without removing the engine?

I'm planning to remove the bottle engine mount bolt for the right side and then somehow jack up the engine for access to remove and replace the left engine mount. I'm hoping someone else has done this and can share some knowledge.

Thanks,

 

get a flexy ratcheting 18mm socket wrench.

 

Check out the Rave, good directions on there on the procedure. If you have SAI just be careful of your coil packs as you can snap off a plug wire if you jack up the engine to much.

 

Ken, I replaced my engine mounts about 6½ years ago. Not difficult. We can do it in my garage if you like.

As zski128 wrote, check out the instructions in the RAVE. You just remove the nuts, then raise the engine using a jack under the oil pan (cushioned by a block of wood) just far enough to be able to remove the mounts.

The mounts are sold in pairs so you may as well do both at the same time. If you choose to do just one at a time be sure to remove the nut holding the mount to the frame on the opposite too; otherwise there may be some binding. But at that point you've removed three out of the four nuts so just go ahead and do both.

One other thing - whowa004 writes, "get a flexy ratcheting 18mm socket wrench." There is a wrench clearance problem, but I bought a stubby 18mm at Lowe's that worked just fine.

All that is for what RAVE calls the front mounts. I also needed to replace the right rear mount, which I would call a transmission mount because that is where it attaches. That was more involved.

The rears too are sold in pairs so I was going to got ahead and replace the left one, but I never was able to figure out how to get a wrench on the top nut, I recall. That was nearly four years ago so my memory of that is a little sketchy.

 

is what I didn't have time to look up yesterday. The longer handle allows you to get a little more force vs a stubby but both work just fine. The trans/t-case mounts are trickier but I've only replaced those once. The motor mounts on the other hand I've gone through a few sets..the first time the driver side gave me some fits until I purchased the wrench. Now I can get both motor mounts done in under an hour, I don't have SAI so don't have that to worry about here.

 

As already noted a stubby 18mm wrench makes it a lot easier as well as a long 18mm socket. Lift the engine with a bottle jack (large block of wood in between the jack and the oil pan for distributing the pressure) in order to get enough clearance. Be prepared to cut bolts off (I had to do it with one, a cutting blade for an iron saw with some cloth wrapped around as handle did the job). It can be done in the driveway without lifting the car and should not take more than a couple of hours.