NEED HELP Motor mounts - quickly doable in this situation?

02FailBlazer

02FailBlazer

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I currently have the entire air intake assembly (manifold included), master cylinder, and vacuum booster out of the vehicle. It appears this gives me prime access to the motor mounts but I've never done mounts before. I'm aware of the motor mount threads, just wanted feedback specific to this situation.

I have limited time to get all this work done, so I wanted to ask how feasible people think doing the motor mounts right now would be. If I can swap them in a couple hours I'd love to just get it done but if it's going to hang me up too long then I'll need to pass for now.

Sorry if this seems ridiculous but it's late and I've been working on the TB all day.
 
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Below are more TB- MM and IM R&R Videos that can help with the "How To" and just know that they may be the most important and most ignored R&R for the Engine-Transmission and Flex-Plate Cracking and Passenger Comfort Issues ...so there is nothing ridiculous here in your inquiry.

Remember that as long as the Throttle Body and Intake Manifold can CLEAR the Firewall with great caution and support the Engine from the Oil Pan in such a way to prevent damaging it using a Wood Block intervening the contact with the Floor Jack... Just Raise the Engine very slowly and make frequent checks to ensure that the 4.2L Motor makes no contact with the body of the SUV.




Chizzy

SOLVED! Thread 'Motor mounts'

2005 Tb, 4.2 185k 4x4.
Started swapping mounts can't quite get enough room to remove the old one. The intake manifold (plastic bubble part) is hitting the fire wall just below the hood. Should I be worried? Tried to remove lower mount bracket strut spring is in the way. I have it on jack stands, will set it on ramps tomorrow and try again. Any suggestions? Thanks.

CDJuda

Thread 'Engine mount replacement'

I'm wanting my vehicle to feel a little bit more responsive, So I'm gonna be swapping out the engine mounts for starts. I'm wanting some really stiff ones, anybody have any recommendations for where can I buy them and what brand to buy from?
All feedback is greatly appreciated

-Chase

S

Thread 'Thinking of not replacing motor mounts'

Any thoughts on potential affect of not replacing the motor mounts?

After reading threads on rough idle, I'm assuming it's my mounts. Been doing it for over a year.

Rough idle in drive and reverse. Worse when just started. Much worse in winter (North Dakota). Not too bad now. Visually, mounts don't look bad.

Have other priorities. Just thinking of putting these off for awhile.

Thanks
 
Last edited:
mrrsm said:
Below are more TB- MM and IM R&R Videos that can help with the "How To" and just know that they may be the most important and most ignored R&R for the Engine-Transmission and Flex-Plate Cracking and Passenger Comfort Issues ...so there is nothing ridiculous here in your inquiry.

Remember that as long as the Throttle Body and Intake Manifold can CLEAR the Firewall with great caution and support the Engine from the Oil Pan in such a way to prevent damaging it using a Wood Block intervening the contact with the Floor Jack... Just Raise the Engine very slowly and make frequent checks to ensure that the 4.2L Motor makes no contact with the body of the SUV.




Chizzy

SOLVED! Thread 'Motor mounts'

2005 Tb, 4.2 185k 4x4.
Started swapping mounts can't quite get enough room to remove the old one. The intake manifold (plastic bubble part) is hitting the fire wall just below the hood. Should I be worried? Tried to remove lower mount bracket strut spring is in the way. I have it on jack stands, will set it on ramps tomorrow and try again. Any suggestions? Thanks.

CDJuda

Thread 'Engine mount replacement'

I'm wanting my vehicle to feel a little bit more responsive, So I'm gonna be swapping out the engine mounts for starts. I'm wanting some really stiff ones, anybody have any recommendations for where can I buy them and what brand to buy from?
All feedback is greatly appreciated

-Chase

S

Thread 'Thinking of not replacing motor mounts'

Any thoughts on potential affect of not replacing the motor mounts?

After reading threads on rough idle, I'm assuming it's my mounts. Been doing it for over a year.

Rough idle in drive and reverse. Worse when just started. Much worse in winter (North Dakota). Not too bad now. Visually, mounts don't look bad.

Have other priorities. Just thinking of putting these off for awhile.

Thanks
Click to expand...

Manifold and throttle body are out. I just finished valve cover gaskets yesterday so the only thing I've put back in is the valve cover, everything else is out of the way. Looks like if I unbolt the radiator fan I'll have all the wiggle room I'll ever get.
 
Mooseman said:
We do have info on this in the FAQ:

Motor Mount Replacement Issues
How to replace motor mounts painlessly

Having the manifold out will give that little extra clearance to get the mounts out/in without having to cut the studs. Should be fairly easy.
Click to expand...

Yeah I'm looking at the service manual and it sure seems like I can just unbolt the mounts, jack the engine up, and yank them right out / reinstall through the top since I've got everything out of the way. No need to mess with the shock towers/mount brackets/etc. I'll take a good look in a bit and see.
 
Update - For anyone reading this in the future, if you have a 4WD Envoy or TB, you will need a SEMI-DEEP 18mm socket to get the driver's side bottom motor mount nut off if you're doing this job the way I am. A deep socket (or at least the Icon brand deep socket) WILL be blocked after just a couple turns.

You can break the bolt with a 6 sided deep socket if you want, then use either a short (10" or so) breaker bar with a semi-deep socket, preferably 12 point given the lack of ratcheting, or if you want to stick to 6 point you could use a standard length flex or maybe even swivel head 1/2in drive ratchet. Take my advice when I say doing it with a non-ratcheting breaker bar and a 6 point socket would SUCK. It already sucks, don't make it harder than it has to be.

Don't bother with a stubby ratchet, there is NO rust on my car and I did NOT have the leverage to turn the nut with a stubby.
 
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Well, bad news. To do them from the top you need to get the cooling fan loose so the engine can rise high enough to clear the studs, and my hub nut not WILL NOT break free. I've pounded it with a 3lb steel sledge using either a chisel or a 1/2in drive impact extension and nothing has worked. Trying to use a wrench and one of those crappy hub nut tools proved to be total folly. I am out of options and ideas.

So, for future readers, if you're considering the top side method, loosen your fan clutch hub nut first. If you get that loose, this is doable. If not, forget it.

I will apparently be forced to revisit this on another day and take them out through the wheel wells by removing the shock towers, as others have done. Unfortunate.
 
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For future reference - As a hail Mary attempt to replace the mounts I tried Uri79's procedure as seen in this thread here. However, whether the lower mount bolts clear the springs on the strut towers appears to be a matter of luck rather than science. The lowest bolt cleared its threads, while the other two were tantalizingly close but ultimately blocked by the coil spring.

So for any potential future readers - Do as you will, but I recommend basically following Uri's method with the sole exception being to jack up the truck and remove the strut towers. Not sure what complications this might create RE jacking up the motor, but I see no other realistic way to do this UNLESS you're luckier than me and can get the fan clutch hub nut to loosen, in which case taking the mounts out of the top of the engine bay becomes doable assuming you're willing to move a few things to get to them.

Basically, decide if you're rather move stuff around in the engine bay and unbolt the fan clutch hub nut, or if you want to remove the strut towers and go in through the wheel well.
 
02FailBlazer said:
Well, bad news. To do them from the top you need to get the cooling fan loose so the engine can rise high enough to clear the studs, and my hub nut not WILL NOT break free. I've pounded it with a 3lb steel sledge using either a chisel or a 1/2in drive impact extension and nothing has worked. Trying to use a wrench and one of those crappy hub nut tools proved to be total folly. I am out of options and ideas.

So, for future readers, if you're considering the top side method, loosen your fan clutch hub nut first. If you get that loose, this is doable. If not, forget it.

I will apparently be forced to revisit this on another day and take them out through the wheel wells by removing the shock towers, as others have done. Unfortunate.
Click to expand...
Are you sure you loosened the fan clutch nut, the correct direction.
 
movietvet said:
Are you sure you loosened the fan clutch nut, the correct direction.
Click to expand...

Should be counterclockwise, lefty-loosey, right? It's jammed on there good. I don't have an air hammer or I might have sought out a compatible hub nut tool and I tried everything else.
 
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The threaded nut will thread on opposite of the fan direction. It may actually have left hand thread. I do not remember which way it was when I did the water pump, right after we bought it, back in 2023? 2024?
 
That is correct, to loosen is normal CCW. If the nut is especially stubborn, the best method is to use a chain to hold the water pump pulley.

gmcman

Thread 'Using chain for fan clutch removal'

Someone posted this and I couldn't find the thread to give proper recognition. Genius idea and worked like a champ, :thumbsup: I just used a longer M8 bolt in the pump and secured a chain around the engine hoist bracket. Saved me a trip to the parts store.

F

Thread 'Fan clutch is frozen to the water pump'

Need help!!! My water pump is wobbling, so I decided to replace it. But, I can't break the clutch loose. I've got a fan clutch tool that hooks around the bolts on the pulley. I've tried PB blaster and a small propane torch, but all the wrench does is try to round off the nut on the clutch. I tried to take the entire assembly out, but I need another inch of room. Anyone have any ideas.

2003 2WD trailblazer with 4.2 I6
 
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(1) Propane Heat Applied to the Large Nut...judiciously applied and not vectored towards the Serpentine Belt or the Block.

(2) An Over-Sized Length Box-End Wrench slipped immediately in place.

(3) As per our Canadian Diesel Genius Mechanic Rick DeBoss,,, "Smack it -=HARD=- with a 3 Pound Sledge Hammer..."

(4) Done.

Start right at 1:10 along into THIS Video...

 
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