Ronmarr1

Hello,

The side mount is gone on my 00 TL and I need to know what tools (socket sizes etc.)I need to replace it with.

I have read the DIY stuff here re: the torque specs & the 14mm ratcheting
wrench needed for the front mount but cant recall if I saw a tool list.

I also need to know if I have to have the side mount removed in order
to replace the front mount is case it's bad.

Thanks.

fsttyms1

14mm and 17mm.

No the side doesnt need to be removed to do the front.

Ronmarr1

The front mount went in ok.

Now I have to do the front.

Ronmarr1

Oops - - I meant the side mount went in Ok.

Ronmarr1

Ok - so

After replacing the side mount (easy) - I tried getting the front mount off but I cannot get a socket to one of the 14mm bolts (on the upper left side when looking down from the front)

I took off the heat shield but it didn't give me any more room.

I can get a 14mm box end on it from the bottom but
am not left w/ any room for it to move much less break it loose.
(The others were very hard to get loosened up.)

Ideas?

( My car is a 2000 TL)

Thanks.

01tl4tl

One of those ratcheting wrenches, basically a flat box wrench with a rotating center- is what I believe most are using for this job

Ronmarr1

That's what I understand and I have one of those 14 mm devices - My problem, is the space needed to break the nut loose.

I have a shop here locally that will do the install (labor) for $55.00 which is $135.00 cheaper than the stealership qutoed me today so I may go that route
if I can't find a solution here.

Besides - it's gong to rain here tomorrow & I have to work outside unfortunately.

Thanks

Luke7

I did the front and side not long ago. NOTHING was hard to break lose=(nothing!) Actually they were very easy. You really don't need a racheting wrench. It would just make the job easier. Your looking at 5/10 more minutes and some wonderful time under your car without it.
I unbolted the front mount from the engine. I could not get the bracket to lift off the front mount by jacking up the engine even with the side motor mount off the car. It just took a about another 30 mins to unbolt it and reattach it. $55.00 is a great price for a garage to do it. But it really isn't hard at all. There are lots of write ups here on this site. Just do a search.

You do need a long extention to undo the front mount bolts. I have a breaker bar and extentions that will reach above the radiator. I would suggest you have the same as to not take the chance of hitting the radiator and busting a hole in in.

Ronmarr1

I was able to get all the bolts loosened up except for one
(upper left/closest to block) - They were VERY tight!

I also took off the heat shield to see if that helped. While it didn't give me any more room to get at the one bolt - It will probably allow more room to wiggle the mount out from the top once it's loose.

I am hampered by not being able to get the car up on blocks/stands
so I have little to no room underneath. (The floor jack
w/ a pice of wood barely fits under the block)

Oh well - $55.00 labor beats the stealership by $145.00.

Funny thing - All four of the shops I contacted around here that work on
Hondas/Acuras (including one recommended by this forum) , have never done a front mount replacement.

celesTL

I hope this isn't a flagrant hijack, but what helped you diagnose your front mount? I'm thinking mine is bad because when I accelerate, I get a vibration right after it shifts, then smooths out. The RH side mount was torn and disintegrated, but I don't see any jelly remnants under the front mount. I was initially worried about the tranny, but it's not sticking in gear, etc. I've searched for the engine vibration without result, but I think it's the front mount.

Thanks

01tl4tl

depending on the year, the mount may have been filled with an oil type substance
It usually leaks right under the front of the car, just a small amount of drops
Do the old- block the wheels so car cant run you over!
Have trusted friend push brake pedal and hold it with left foot, while putting in gear and using right foot on gas pedal.
You stand off to the side and watch for movement as the engine is slightly revved, then idle and put in reverse- repeat a few times
If the side mount was gone I would expect the front to be gone too

01tl4tl

is the vibration a small shudder type feel at 15 and 25 mph as it shifts into the next gear, using light throttle? and it goes away everywhere else?
How many miles- what year- first trans?

Luke7

I put the emergency brake on/ blocked up the front tires with a piece of wood (2X4) /put the car in DRIVE/raised the hood/ gave the car a little throttle and it was apparent the front mount was bad. The bracket on top raised up about 3/4 of an inch. I had noticed vibration and some loose play when the car was shifting or going up a steep hill. Also when I started out from a dead stop your could feel that something (it was the engine and tranny) moving more than it should.

What a difference after changing the mounts. My front mount was shot but never leaked fluid until I removing it from the engine bay. When I tipped it over on its side to remove it, the fluid starting coming out.

SO=they don't always leak when they fail.

Ronmarr1

The car feels great now that the mounts are in.

celesTL

Sorry - I know better It's a 2000 TL with 130k miles. The trans has been replaced at least once under warranty, and I haven't noticed any obvious signs it's going out. To answer your question, the shuddering does exactly what you describe above. It's faint, and my wife thinks I'm imagining it sometimes, but it's definitely there. We love the car (my wife's daily driver), and I don't want to see it deteriorate because I sat on this too long. I appreciate your replies, and I'll likely order the front mount on Monday. There is definitely a lot of play when doing the technique both of you (01tl4tl and Luke7) described, so I'll try to get that done this week.

Thanks again!

Luke7

HMM so how did you get the bolt loose or did you take it to a garage? What did they charge you.
And AHHHH my car felt great again after the motor mount change. What a difference. Nice and smooth again.

Ronmarr1

I took it to a garage and they put the front mount in as the one bolt was very hard to get at - I didn't have any way to get the car up in the air.

Labor for the front mount was $45.00 which was 135.00 cheaper than the dealer ship wanted.

Car feels great now.

Luke7

You couldn't have done better than the $45.00 charge. That was more than fair. The stealership here wanted about $500 to replace my front and side mount. It cost me about $120.00 doing it myself. Yes, that is $380.00 they wanted for about an hour or labor. Well, actually they would have made even more on the labor since the parts cost them probably less than 1/2 of what I paid for them. Any experienced mechanic could replace both mounts in that amount of time. I ordered the parts online, so by trying once again to rip me off, they lost more business.