Replacing right side motor mount, 300D turbo
 

How do you remove the inner bolt (6mm hex head) that holds the motor mount to the body? I can't seem to fit anything in there. If I unbolt the turbo, it would make things a lot easier, but I want to know any other strategies before I have to resort to that.

speedy300Dturbo


I have never done the mount in a W123 with the turbo. Only the 240D and the biggest problem getting the Allen wrench in there was the metal shield above the mount itself. This may not apply to the turbo, but if you remove the center bolt from the bottom and raise the motor with a jack (put some 2x4s between the jack and the oil pan, then raise the engine with the jack) until you can spin the shield out of the way, or remove it entirely. Then you can get the Allen wrench on the fastener.

On a 240D the driver's side is the hard one, and you get all the fasterners from below. On the other side the two that hold the mount to the frame were accessible from above. In any case, since the turbo is attached to the manifold, and as you jack the engine up the turbo is going to come with it, you should gain some access.

You also have to remove the snubber mount on the bottom of the engine, near the bell housing. I once again am not sure this applies to the 300D turbodiesel, but the mount there is intended to limit engine and transmission movements. If you don't remove it I doubt you will get the engine up high enough to remove the old mount and shield. Note that as you lift on the engine, until you get to the end of the suspension travel, you are not lifting the engine relative to the mount structural supporting framework. I had to get atleast a couple of inches of travel to clear the oddly shaped engine strut knob end that fits in the top of the mount.

Good luck, Jim

First piece of advice is to listen to everything Jim Says
 

He is the motor mount guru.

What I found on my non-turbo 300D is, first remove the "snubber mount", I believe the engine stop. Also, you probably have an engine shock that needs to be removed. You might as well replace it while you're at it. The remove the hex bolt from the bottom that bolts into the bracket that goes from the block to the mount. Then do what Jim says re: jacking the engine. The shield should move easily out of the way. I would first get some penetrating oil and let the bolts soak for a while. I also found that I could access some of the hex bolts from the top with a hex socket and an amazing arrangements of pivots and extensions.

The main thing that Jim helped me with was.....you need to jack the heck out of the engine to get it up high enough to access. It needs to unload the chassis first. I also put the car up on ramps first to give my big lardbutt under the car first.

Good luck and I'll keep an eye on this thread this weekend. Also, send me a private message if you want my phone number to give me a call.

Good luck,

JCD

Is it possible to do motor mounts by yourself?

what do you need to do it other than the new mounts?

motor mount replacement
 

I made these notes when I replaced mine. You do not have to remove the turbo, just the air cleaner.
The 300d turbo has 3 mounts. 2 located on each side slightly back from the front of the engine and a single rear mount at the aft end of the transmission.

Front motor mount replacement:

Each mount is secured from the bottom by a single 10 mm threaded allen head bolt (8mm head?) located in a recess.

Removal and installation:
Raise the car for access. From under the car, remove the allen head bolt with a 8mm wrench. Using a jack and wood blocks, lift that side of the engine several inches. That will raise the mount arm off of the mount. From under the hood, remove the mount shield by working it out. Note the orientation of the shield. If the shield is hard to move, lift the engine with the jack a little more. Once the shield is removed it will allow access to 2 small allen head bolts that retain the mount. Remove these with a 4mm wrench. Remove the mount, noting the orientation and replace it with a new one. Reinstall the small allen bolts and the shield. Lower the jack, being sure the shield is aligned. From the bottom of the car, reinstall the allen bolt (t may be necessary to lever the engine slightly to align the holes.) Repeat the process for the other side.



Rear motor (transmission) mount replacement:

The single rear motor mount is located at the aft end of the transmission. It is supported by a brace that is held by 4 bolts (17mm heads) to the chassis. The brace has 2 bolts (13mm) heads that attach the mount to the brace at the bottom.

Removal:
To replace, lift the car for access and support the transmission at the aft end with a jack. Loosen the 4 (17mm) bolts and the 2 (13mm) bolts slightly, then remove the 2 (13mm) bolts that attach the support to the mount. Then remove the 4 (17mm) bolts, and remove the brace. Lower the transmission slightly (careful not to lower too much) to access the 1 (19mm) nut that retains the top of the mount. A 19mm box end wrench will work well here. Remove the nut and the mount will fall off.

Installation:
Install the mount using the 19mm nut at the top first and tighten securely paying attention to the alignment. Raise the transmission slightly with the jack. Start all of the bolts holding the brace to the chassis and the mount to the brace then tighten securely.

Hope this helps

Sounds like a lot of work... but not that much to charge however much people do. Would all of this be easier with two people?

190D22,

This is definitely a one guy job on a W123. I did it on a 190E 2.3-16, and the driver's side was near inaccessible. On that car a lift was needed to make access possible with some special wrenches. I actually gave up, and later, while the head was off for rebuilding, the access issue was made a lot better, and the unit was replaced (about 500 miles after the passenger side, which was very accessible). I am not sure of the arrangement of equipment on a 190 2.2 Diesel, but the intake manifold and the other equipment arranged on the driver's side of the car really made the access to the top fasteners a chore on the 16 valve.

I am also uncertain of the existence of the snubber mount on the W201 Diesels. I did not have this problem on the 16 valve, but it may be a feature that is unique to the Diesels. Good Luck, Jim

Jim, thankyou. That was most helpful. I will look around and see which places will do it and how much they charge. Thanks again.