Hi,

I have replaced the motor mounts on our 1989 560 SEL. Though the job is easy in some ways, I had a really hard time putting the 6mm allen key bolts that hold the mounts to the frame back in place. On the driver's side I ended up only working from below, by feel, as I tightened them down, with a simple allen key. I had not way of verifying any torque or anything (though none a really specified), and it took me forever to just be able to seat the allen key for each turn of the screws. I was thinking that there must be a better solution to this. You can see ONE of the screws from above, but it is so angled you cannot really get to it with socket set extensions.

How have others here worked around the problem? I even went so far as to try to make a special, stubby allen key wrench to fit better where those screws are, but it was still an extremely painful process.

I'd like to revisit those screws to make sure they are indeed tight enough, but don't know how to get to them in a more effective manner.... (I'd even lift the engine again if I knew how to effectively get to them...)

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Henry Bofinger
1989 560 SEL (black/black)
2001 Audi TT Roadster (silver/grey)

I had no issues that I recall. Once the large center one is removed the engine can be pushed up more than enough to make way for working on the rest. They are indeed not super easy, but if you save the center for first out last in, I had no major problem.

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1991 560 SEL / 185k miles
1992 750il / 17k miles - project car

I had the engine so far up I was afraid I was crushing the transmission fluid lines against the firewall. It was the inside driver's side screw that was the worst.

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Henry Bofinger
1989 560 SEL (black/black)
2001 Audi TT Roadster (silver/grey)

A bit of Loctite blue will add a measure of security, and be sure to clean the threads and wait 'til they are dry. Done a few and no comebacks for lose bolts yet. The results are well worth the effort.

Don't pass on the trans mount as well. It's simple and worth the extra 30 minutes.

Oh - I've got a story on that one. I actually did that mount FIRST, at another garage session. The car started up, making an absolute racket: the fan was grinding the shroud! With the rear one new, and the front ones old and collapsed, the entire alignment went so far off the the fan was lowered to the point it did not clear the shroud!

I had to put the old mount back in until I had the time to do all of them at once. Live and learn...

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Henry Bofinger
1989 560 SEL (black/black)
2001 Audi TT Roadster (silver/grey)

Good, actually great, idea! I will revisit the job with the blue friend in a tube....

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Henry Bofinger
1989 560 SEL (black/black)
2001 Audi TT Roadster (silver/grey)