Motor Mount replace - subframe won't come down?

[IdahoDoug]

So I'm replacing the motor mounts. I have all four bolts out of the aluminum engine subframe, and the power steering line brackets atop it unbolted, and the steering rack itself is unbolted and pried forward out of the rubber lined brackets.

The car is up on jackstands and the wheels are hanging down. I cannot get the sub frame to come down. All the videos show their subframes being held UP by a jack but my problem is the opposite. I've pried the subframe down using serious force but the damn thing seems held up by something invisible and I don't want to bend/break it whatever that is. anyone else have this issue? I've now successfully pried and yanked to the point the left motor mount has a little bit of threads on the two bolts and they're all yanked to one side and I'm going to have to jack it up again to loosen them all the way off. But they don't appear to be holding the subframe up as I've done the prying downward clear over at the the right motor mount side and its a lot of force to separate it from the longitudinal frames by a mere half inch. I need another half inch.

Abandoned ship for the night as I fear I'm gonna use too much force and then discover something. Any tips?

Doug

[campbelljj]

Did you disconnect control arms from cross member

[Timmay!]

This advice is coming with your job halfway done so read the whole thing first so you don't drop the engine on your head.
Put rack back on.
Remove wheels/tires
Leave control arms completely installed except at caster bolts.
..................................
SUPPORT ENGINE from underneath on oil pan. Use wood on jack to spread load.
Remove 13 mm from steering column down link
Separate power steering hose at right longitudinal (near tow hook eye)
Rack stays with cross member , not called "engine subframe."
remove 4 13mm bolts from top of engine mounts
Remove 2 17mm nuts from bottom of engine mounts.
Remove 4 17 mm bolts from caster blocks.
Support crossmember from underneath (2nd jack)
Remove 4 19 mm bolts holding crossmember to chassis and lower it down.
Lift engine some....lower crossmember some. You'll have room to do mounts.
DON'T use MEYLE, Hamburg technik, or URO engine mounts. They are very low price / low quality. If the part number/brand has been ground off with a dremel tool, assume they are crap parts. Use CORTECO or factory mounts, which are rubber and hydraulic. They are around $200 each. If you use the cheapo parts, you'll be doing the job again too soon, plus you don't get the job of deadening destructive engine vibrations done anywhere near as well.
Also, use silicone spray on the tops of the mounts to help ensure the ball of the mount finds the cup of the engine support arm without cutting/ripping it.
That's all the time I can spare right now.......Good luck.

[IdahoDoug]

Tim - thanks for the advice and the fresh perspective.

So I think in all the videos I watched, by coincidence none of them had a front sway bar. That's what it was. In my blindness I'd checked all the boxes but was prying down and the swaybar on the lower control arm was preventing the cross member from coming down. Crazy obvious this evening.

So, I have a suggestion for all. I had a huge struggle getting my cross member back up on the 924. I could not get the holes to line up. I also saw a couple other members here that had the same issue.

So, I went to NAPA with one of the large bolts that holds the cross member up and got two that were an inch longer. That way, I replaced two with this (one on each end), removed the other two and was able to lower the cross member and simply shove it right back into place. The long bolts allow the travel, and prevent the alignment issues. They cost me $6 each but worth the peace of mind and time savings. You might also accomplish this simply by inserting a piece of rod, large nail, etc.

I have not started the engine yet because I need to replace the oil sensor while the front's up in the air. Which is a new thread as well.

[drkshdw]

How long did it take to do both mounts? And did you support the engine from top or bottom? I've got to do this sometime this winter and I ain't looking forward to it.

[IdahoDoug]

About 4 hours. I used a lift on the forward eye. Lifted it as high as my floor jack would go in front, rears on the ground. Jack stands under the circular jack points plus one under each frame rail in case. I have a non-turbo 1984 with front sway and P Steering. The PS line bolt was a real pain to get back on.

Doug