Waukesha

This thread is simply to document how I replaced the rear engine mount on a 2001 MDX withOUT touching the subframe. After doing research for this project I found very few posts for this specific MDX and many post that indicated it was too hard for the DIYer so they either took it to a pro or just left it as is. This started due to an intermittent clunk when shifting into reverse. 9 out of 10 shifts were smooth and quite, but that 1 in 10 sounded and felt horrible. Many other posts claimed the rear engine mounts on these vehicles rarely fail. So for the record, the rubber center on this rear mount was indeed completely broke.

For the purpose of this thread I wont document everything I tried that didn't work. Instead I will summarize what did eventually work.

Here is everything I eventually removed:

1) Before jacking up the vehicle remove the air tube from the air cleaner to the manifold.



air tube from the air cleaner to the manifold

2) Remove the bracket that these wire bundles are secured too. This will give you eye sight to the mount through bolt head. It is difficult to see from this image but if you zoom in you will see part of the bracket bolt head. You need to move everything to the side.


bracket for wire bundles


Then jack up the vehicle.

3) remove both front tires. Not only will this make it easier getting under the car, you will need access from both wheel wells.

4) Remove Front subframe stiffener (super easy. 4 bolts, boom its off)


Front sub frame stiffener


5) Remove the exhaust pipe from the manifold to back of the cat. Due to rust i needed to remove the cat too. Note I had to remove the front O2 sensor. I could not find the connector so I just removed it and twisted the wires, but it did come off. Not sure yet if I broke it or not. The back O2 was left in and I just disconnected it.


Exhaust pipe and cat


At this point the 3 bolts under the mount are accessible and easily removeable with a 14mm socket.


3 bolts under rear mount


Everything else I removed was to get access to the mount's through bolt (17mm) and this was the total PITA.

6) From the driver side wheel well I removed this bracket to see better and get more room.


Driver side bracket removed wheel well

7) From the driver side wheel well I also removed this brake line bracket to see better and get more room.


Driver side brake bracket



This is where the PITA begins......

With the bottom bolts removed completely or mostly (whatever you feel safe doing) jack up the transmission/engine. This will raise the engine and the through bolt up, just enough to clear the p/s hose that blocks easy access to the bolt head. I used a series of 1/2" extensions and swivel sockets with a 17mm socket. This was a nightmare. I was going through the top and then the wheel well....back and forth. If you have a helper it would probably go quicker. Eventually I got the socket on with extensions all the way out past the driver side wheel well. Using a breaker bar and extension pipe I was able to crack the bolt lose. Don't waste time with an impact wrench.


1/2" socket and extensions from driver side


The long through bolt was then removed....I don't remember if I went underneath or from the top or from the passenger wheel well, but I got it out relatively easy. Note there is a huge circular weight between the bolt head and mount. Imagine a huge, thick, washer. Its important to know the diameter is larger than the bolt head, necessitating the engine be lifted as high as you can to get the weight clearance past the p/s hose.

At this point the mount is removable.....but there is not enough room to shimmy it out. I looked at the sub-frame and couldn't easily understand out how lowering it would help much. Being extremely frustrated I paused for a beer break. And this is when the Columbus Day miracle happened......my jack slowly lowers which usually annoys me but this time it solved my problem. When I returned the engine was lowered as far as it could go without any rear support, (i.e just hanging freely) and the bracket (attached to the engine) was now low enough to give me enough room to shimmy the mount up and over the bracket and out through the passenger side wheel well!

Putting the new mount in was also PITA and I did it through the passenger side wheel well. Everything was pretty much just reverse order of the above. Once shimmed in through the passenger side wheel well and in place (very frustrating, just jiggle and wiggle until you get it) I put the bottom bolts in part way to get it aligned but moveable. Again jack up the engine as far as it will go so you can get the bolt and large circular weight in. Its a total PITA to get that bolt aligned and threaded but if you got this far, you will get it threaded.


Passenger side view of new mount


And that is it! Boom, the mount is in without touching the sub-frame.

I have not put this back together yet as I'm ordering new exhaust parts, but if I broke something along the way I will update this thread. Enjoy, and I hope this helps the next guy!