So I bought Woodhouse mounts.........

[CSXT802]

After having a few missed shifts and a drive line clunk. I figured the trans mount was on it's way out. Well if I'm gonna change the trans mount, I might as well do the motor mounts too. All I can say is DO THIS JOB ON A LIFT!!!! My friends lift was *******. So I figured how bad could it be. So I put the car up on stands and started with the motor mounts first. Well I have put 2 hours in and only have the drivers side mount changed out. I had to call it quits for the night as the four letter words were starting to fly from my mouth. Changing these mounts is a crappy job as it is, doing it on the floor makes it 10X worse. So save yourself the trouble and put it on a lift. I'm too far along now to turn back. So i'll have to suffer till it's done. For the first time since buying it, I don't want to look at it. After a couple beers and A good nights sleep I'll finish it up. I can't wait to build a big garage with a twin post lift. This working on the floor stuff is for the birds.

 

[Camfab]

I can feel your pain, I've done it a couple of times. I know my memory is failing or something, but I can tell you that I remember that the left and right factory mounts are slightly different. Check the Woodhouse mounts I believe both are identical. I think I had to shorten one of the studs slightly. I've got the OEM mounts somewhere, I'll go look for you.

 

[CSXT802]

I can feel your pain, I've done it a couple of times. I know my memory is failing or something, but I can tell you that I remember that the left and right factory mounts are slightly different. Check the Woodhouse mounts I believe both are identical. I think I had to shorten one of the studs slightly. I've got the OEM mounts somewhere, I'll go look for you.

Yes the Woodhouse mounts are identical. They have two different length studs on them. The one that i did get in (driver side) I put the longer stud up through bracket that bolts to the engine.

 

[Camfab]

Okay, so I found my old OEM mounts and I put the car up on the lift and checked it out for you. On both OEM as well as the Wooddhouse mounts I cut the studs down on the Passenger side. I measured my OEM studs and I had cut them down to 3/4" on both sides. On the Woodhouse mounts I definetly cut the stud facing up, it is just flush with the factory nut, and I belive I cut the bottom side a bit as well. Measure carefully and don't overdue it. I painted the ends so they would not rust either.

You probably already know this but I'll throw it out there anyway. Don't go crazy jacking the engine up off the mounts. I remember the fuel line is one of the first points that gets crushed if your not careful.

 

[klamathpro]

And definitely loosen or remove the cowl or the jacking up of the engine might break it. It will all be worth it when you are done. Remember that the first 500 miles or so will be rough at idle during break-in. It will get better later. My GTS has gotten about 700 miles and it's still not fully broken in like my RT/10.

 

[GTSHolgi]

And definitely loosen or remove the cowl or the jacking up of the engine might break it....

Need to ask: what exactly is the "cowl" you are mentioning? I have ordered OEM motor mounts from VPA as I have read that these mounts age over the years and are likely to be broken in a 14 year old car...

Any other tips for replacing them are greatly appreciated (I do have a lift available for the work). It scares me to read that you can easily damage other things just by jacking up the engine...

Holger

 

[dave6666]

The cowl is the piece the wipers go through.

You must be registered for see images

I did my mounts with the headers out. Way easy to do then. With the car on stands, not a lift.

 

[Camfab]

Dave your right about the exhaust. The last time I did it was when I dropped the engine back in the car, it's amazing how easy it went in. By the way I like the pin stips on the sides of the stock stripes. is that the newly painted car?

 

[klamathpro]

Need to ask: what exactly is the "cowl" you are mentioning? I have ordered OEM motor mounts from VPA as I have read that these mounts age over the years and are likely to be broken in a 14 year old car...

Any other tips for replacing them are greatly appreciated (I do have a lift available for the work). It scares me to read that you can easily damage other things just by jacking up the engine...

Holger

The cowl, as you see in the pic above, is that black piece just below the windshield and it's held on by four screws. Simply remove the four screws, remove the wipers, and pull the cowl out. This will allow you to jack the engine even higher. While removing or loosening the headers would make it easier, I did two Vipers without this step. After removing the cowl, the exhaust is the next thing that will prevent jacking any higher as the headers will hit the frame opening where they enter the side-sills. The only other issue I ran into was I could not get one of the mounts out without removing the bracket from the engine block, which is held by two bolts. On the GTS I just ended up removing one of the brackets with the mount still attached and the other bracket (passenger side I believe) I just removed one bolt and loosened the other because I think the starter was in the way of completely removing the bolt. There was enough room to swing the bracket to remove that mount. It's supposed to be a one hour job, but took me four hours each time, mainly because I forgot what I did the first time.

 

[2000_Black_RT10]

Hi Holger - My car never saw rain, around 18,000 kms on the odometer, plan to get some new nuts, here were my stock mounts after I removed them, sagging, had to use a big 3/4 drive ratchet to bust the siezed studs, and the mounts had no coating on them like the Woodhouse mounts do. I don't know why it was mentioned to cut the Woodhouse studs shorter, you don't have to cut them if they look like the ones I bought.

Woodhouse mounts that I installed... I love them, car feels better, chassis feeling more connected to the powertrain, being stiffer there's less powertrain roll when shifting, such as from 2nd to 3rd, which some people miss that shift because the rubber mounts allow the powertrain to move / roll which the shifter is riding on top of.

I'd recommend to invest in being a VCA member there's some helpful posts in the Illustrative Guide section for changing the mounts too.

Cheers,
Mike

 

[GTSHolgi]

Thanks to all for your tips! However, seems now that it is not an as easy job as I thought before

Maybe I do it when I install the Corsa system (planned for next spring), seems to make some sense now after reading your responses

When you jack the engine, how about the hoses to/from the radiator? Do they have enough "play" so that they won't come off or get damaged? Also, do you remove the intake tubes for this?

As for the VCA membership: well, I thought about that already, also because you all can go to the VOI and I need to stay at home


Thanks again and have a lot of fun at the VOI!

Holger

 

[2000_Black_RT10]

VOI costs money to go to, I haven't gone yet and envious of those who can. I still find being a member has it's benefits otherwise, magazines, access to more online info, etc.. why I keep renewing.
Cheers,
Mike

 

[dave6666]

By the way I like the pin stips on the sides of the stock stripes. is that the newly painted car?

They are called chaser stripes. And that is an old pic when they were still vinyl.

 

[eucharistos]

1 more question dave, did you vent the cowl yourself and if so is there a how to write up anywhere

 

[dave6666]

That's an Autoform from Parts Rack.

 

[CSXT802]

Didn't work on it yesterday. I started on the passenger side this afternoon. Even worse than the drivers side. about three hours. Like the drivers side I had to pull the mount and bracket as one piece because couldn't remove the nut that holds the bracket to the mount. It took my impact gun and a map gas torch to remove both nuts from the mount. The worst part of the job is the god forsaken bolts that mount the engine to the bracket. I could not get the upper one on the passenger side out without having to unbolt the exhaust manifold. I haven't even gotten to the tranny mount yet. I can't imagine it will be anything like the motor mounts. I will say this............you couldn't pay me enough to ever change motor mounts on one of these cars ever again. Won't do it. I've never had such a simple job be this much of a pain in the A$$. I've done some real PIA jobs on cars over the years this one ranks with the worst of them.

 

[dave6666]

You have the wrong attitude lol.

 

[CSXT802]

You have the wrong attitude lol.

I know it. Just tired of working on the ground like a savage.

 

[RevHeat]

I saw a vipertech do it without a lift and it took him a total of 45min.

 

[TP_ GTS]

It's definitely a PIA to change out but worth every bit of the pain you get by changing in them out.

I did them a month ago along with headers. I was in no rush and made it a weekend project. I went old school with jack stands in the garage and a 24 pack. This forum prepped me for everything to expect when changing them out. It sounds scary but once you get into it, it's not bad at all. Be sure to have a big enough bench vice for taking the mount apart or you will really start cussing trying to get it apart without one. I can now say the me and my GTS are BLOOD Brothers as I left some on her. The tranny mount is a piece of cake.

My mounts where not as bad as seen / described with many pics on here however, I had a lot of wheel hop and missed shifts. I initially thought it was just me getting to know the car and then realized, something's not right. Changed them out and the car shifts like a different car. No missed shifts and the wheel hop is gone. Then added vibration is starting to settle down as i put more miles on her and all systems go.

The Woodhouse mounts are night and day from the Oem. A great product!

 

[TP_ GTS]

I saw a vipertech do it without a lift and it took him a total of 45min.

Tranny mount..... Yes but not the engine mounts. No way he did both mounts in 45 min start to finish.

 

[CSXT802]

Tranny mount..... Yes but not the engine mounts. No way he did both mounts in 45 min start to finish.

+1^ no way motor mount done in 45 min.

 

[eucharistos]

That's an Autoform from Parts Rack.

thanks dave

 

[Camfab]

Didn't work on it yesterday. I started on the passenger side this afternoon. Even worse than the drivers side. about three hours. Like the drivers side I had to pull the mount and bracket as one piece because couldn't remove the nut that holds the bracket to the mount. It took my impact gun and a map gas torch to remove both nuts from the mount. The worst part of the job is the god forsaken bolts that mount the engine to the bracket. I could not get the upper one on the passenger side out without having to unbolt the exhaust manifold. I haven't even gotten to the tranny mount yet. I can't imagine it will be anything like the motor mounts. I will say this............you couldn't pay me enough to ever change motor mounts on one of these cars ever again. Won't do it. I've never had such a simple job be this much of a pain in the A$$. I've done some real PIA jobs on cars over the years this one ranks with the worst of them.

All your anger awoke my senses. Sorry it's been 8 yrs since I changed the first set of mounts, and I now remember what it took to loosen the nuts off of the mounts. Clearly they were tightened by a gorilla to ensure you either sheared them or couldn't get them off. Coincidentally I have a Steel Gray 2000 as well, so the same dude probably did our cars. The picture above shows what I had to do. I bought a cheap combination wrench and promptly cut off the open end. I then slipped the wrench in place and put a pipe on the end of it to create a two foot long breaker bar. I'm guessing here but I'll bet I soaked all the bolts with PB Blaster overnight as well. If it makes you feel better, the tranny mount is a piece of cake.

 

[dave6666]

I pulled the brackets off the engine and then cut the mount free. Never messed with trying to loosen the gorilla nut while the gorilla was still on the car.

 

[AJ02]

I pulled the brackets off the engine and then cut the mount free. Never messed with trying to loosen the gorilla nut while the gorilla was still on the car.

Same here. I have a lift so that made it simpler, but the whole job---engine and tranny mounts only took me about 1 1/2---2 hours. I just pulled the assy. off the car and put it in the vise with my 1/2" impact and the nuts came right off. Did one side at a time. Art

 

[jwolf]

http://www.youtube.com/embed/ziaViIlkUZg

http://www.youtube.com/embed/ji795oJ5pv0

 

[eucharistos]

http://www.youtube.com/embed/ziaViIlkUZg

http://www.youtube.com/embed/ji795oJ5pv0

fine vids as usual

now confident to do tranny mounts when needed

motor mounts look like a pain w/o a lift

 

[GTSHolgi]

I'm not sure anymore, if I want to change engine mounts

BTW: Has anyone tried Loctite Freeze & Release to tame the Gorilla??

Holger

 

[2000_Black_RT10]

I'm not sure anymore, if I want to change engine mounts

BTW: Has anyone tried Loctite Freeze & Release to tame the Gorilla??

Holger

Hi Holger, I just used a big 3/4" ratchet... mind you at the time being over 40 trying to work out in the basement.... why I just snapped the studs off....

Cheers,
Mike