did this (driver side) in a fever last night because of the big freeze coming in.
Thought it might take an hour or maybe 2 but took an aggravating and (the last 1/2) toe-freezing in the dark 4+ hours. Included a trip to the parts store to get an 8mm hex bit (can't use normal hex "L"s since too deep, need socket and extension) since someone told me I just needed a 5mm hex.
AFter getting the big-un out the little upper ones were the big problem. mount had completely broken and rubber was hard-mashed into the boltheads - took a while to even find them, then couldn't get the socket into the hole for an hour or so. About this time I went safely inside and screamed abuse and stamped the floor for 30 sec or so - to avoid exploding on the street and neighbors thinking I am crazy - felt a bit better after that. Eventually figured out a use for the super long blade screwdriver I got at a dollar store a while ago (for no reason other than it was $1) - head fit inside the hex slots and screwed around to gouge out the rubber enough so I could then pound the bit in to get it to take.
Moral of the story, don't wait for the MM to collapse b4 replacing.

Of course it would be a lot quicker next time even in that state, since I now know where the bolts are, sizes and how to get them out. mounts were ebay super cheapies so hopefully'll be OK, looks OK so far and car no longer sounds like a tractor or feels like a whole-body massager (old one was metal to metal). If not I get to apply my new skill soonish with good ones like from PP.

Now I have a spare and wondering if the other side should also be replaced. Looks OK with decent elevation of about 1/2 inch, but rubber looks sort of puffy or something. I'm inclined to just wait until it is starting to actually crack apart, esp since the old one is likely a genuine part.

OH one difficulty I had was engine would not jack up enough to allow the new one in - turned out that a) aircleaner top was up against battery compartment (so I just took off the top lid) and b) one of the heater coolant hoses was between the top of engine and the firewall, and stopping it from separating any further - it has to tilt backwards.

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1983 300SD with bad undercarriage rust, with old greasecar 2-tank conversion. About 200K miles, just an adolescent but with premature bone disease.

Hang on to that other mount, you will probably need it soon enough to replace the left one again.

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Grumpy Old Diesel Owners Club group

I no longer question authority, I annoy authority. More effect, less effort....

1967 230-6 auto parts car. rust bucket.
1980 300D now parts car 800k miles
1984 300D 500k miles
1987 250td 160k miles English import
2001 jeep turbo diesel 130k miles
1998 jeep tdi ~ followed me home. Needs a turbo.
1968 Ford F750 truck. 6-354 diesel conversion.
Other toys ~J.D.,Cat & GM ~ mainly earth moving

your typing is somewhat crazy.

if you are venting about the upper allens on the diver side then you have my sympathy. they, (the one closest to the block is the worst) aren't too bad after a couple times doing it. but a pain the first time.

i suggest doing the passenger side mount now. as in now. it is much easier and now that you have some bearing on the process it shouldn't take long. i can do both in an hour or less, but i have done this many times. i write that as encouragement.

if you want to make the upper allens easier, if you do the other side, lube them up with PB Blaster or something first. but do the passenger side. you will be happy you did.

sorry it took so long. i know they frustration of doing something that is supposed to be easy but takes so long, but not at your low temperature.

Yeah it can create a lot of resentment at the time, but afterwards it's satisfying to get it done and adds to the driving pleasure. I think that's one benefit of DIY that is often overlooked, the excitement of driving knowing you did the job - I think maybe the more annoying the job the more satisfaction afterwards so that's some pretty good emotional math if true. You can't get the same feeling after a shop repair.

What is your reason for saying I would be glad of doing the other mount?

Btw the part brand is Trucktec, German Co operating in Dubai - they have a fancy website and seem to be a very big Co, but then China is a very big country so that doesn't nec mean much.

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1983 300SD with bad undercarriage rust, with old greasecar 2-tank conversion. About 200K miles, just an adolescent but with premature bone disease.

About mount quality. I went cheap and plan on redoing them in 2.5-3 years.

By glad I mean pleased with how much easier it is and with the results. I also mean it in the way that if you do the passenger now then the driver won't wear out as fast. Chances are that if one mount needed to be replaced then the other does as well. In a sense, you are thrashing the new one. But the other one on and the circle of life will be ok.

Just wait until you do your oil cooler lines

I try to lump major repairs like this all into one. Over the summer I had about a month or so of not doing anything so I did a ton of body work and replaced all sorts of rubber parts on the car.

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-Typos courtesy of my mobile phone.

Sounds reasonable - I'm going to at least wait until it is quite a bit warmer though. I also didn't know about the heat shield and so didn't reinstall that (found out about it looking back at old posts on this forum). I'm going to coat the mount with something like maybe an elastomeric/polyurethane paint or sealant, again when it's a bit warmer. In the meantime I'll just tie a rag over the mount to protect it from fluids, which clearly destroyed the old one.

CAr is running so much better now, sounds like a normal car - has developed a diesel air leak though which is annoying - stutters and stalls until I switch over to vegie oil, have to look at that tomorrow. Nagging alternator problem seems to have been fixed now also after I worked on it last week.

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1983 300SD with bad undercarriage rust, with old greasecar 2-tank conversion. About 200K miles, just an adolescent but with premature bone disease.

Im doing the same job but also oil cooler lines at the same time .I had a striped allen bolt on the in board driver mount.I had to pull the motors mount arm that hangs off the motor to get at the bolt .Heres a secret ,if you get the other bolt out then try to wiggle the mount by twisting it ,I used a hammer to get it some what broken free, then a screwdriver was all that was needed once the bolt had broken its hold.I thought I had won the battle with the lines ,used one good line from a 300d that I thought would work ,well, it goes with out saying Ill be back under it this sunday but its only about an hr left before wrapping it up .Once you do one the tricks kind of look simple.

Stripped allen bolt sounds bad. I looked back on old posts and someone had used a 12-point socket and pounded it over the allen head to successfully remove the big lower one, not sure how that would work for the smaller rear one but I think you could get at it once engine is raised. Something for the future. Also I think the right size star socket pounded into the allen hole should have worked since they are normally tapered, and the torque on those wasn't that high on mine.

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1983 300SD with bad undercarriage rust, with old greasecar 2-tank conversion. About 200K miles, just an adolescent but with premature bone disease.