I am preparing to change the engine mounts on my 1982 240D as a close examination of the unit while it was failing to start using the starter revealed excessive engine motion and a completely failed driver side engine mount. This car runs nearly flawlessly, gets great mileage and uses a normal amount of oil, like a quart to a thousand or twelve hundred miles. It seems to have a few oil leaks too, but it does not smoke offensively, even at idle, has good torque, and keeps up on the highway on steep slopes. We just drove it from Plattsburg, NY to Albany last night and it pulled a two passenger/light load up the hills on the Northway (87) through the Adirondaks without straining at an even 65 mph. But it won't start consistently. Some times it will start ok, cold or hot, and then it will not start unless it gets a push. It starts immediately when you roll it a little and drop the clutch in second gear. The vehicle has 273,000 plus miles on it and my daughter uses it for daily transportation at college.

Since the starter is kind of picking up the motor instead of turning it over, I think the engine is turning to slowly on the compression stroke to start. Could be a kooky theory, but I will check it out. I am also replacing the starter as this weekend the unit went dead after a prolonged session heaving the motor around instead of starting it. I think with the motor properly restrained the starter will have a better chance of performing the function it was designed to perform instead of this circus act it was doing.

So, to get to the question, are there any special tools or tricks involved in changing the motor mounts? I have never attempted this before and am wondering if I need some special tools or wrenches. I have reasonable set of tools and two hydraulic jacks, so I was intending to unbolt the unit, lift the engine up with the jack(s) and remove and replace the mount, install the fasteners and call it a day. I am hoping someone out there has done this before and can tell me what the real process is like. Thanks, Jim

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Own:
1986 Euro 190E 2.3-16 (291,000 miles),
1998 E300D TurboDiesel, 231,000 miles -purchased with 45,000,
1988 300E 5-speed 252,000 miles,
1983 240D 4-speed, purchased w/136,000, now with 222,000 miles.
2009 ML320CDI Bluetec, 89,000 miles

Owned:
1971 220D (250,000 miles plus, sold to father-in-law),
1975 240D (245,000 miles - died of body rot),
1991 350SD (176,560 miles, weakest Benz I have owned),
1999 C230 Sport (45,400 miles),
1982 240D (321,000 miles, put to sleep)