Replacing engine mounts, W123 300D

[cmac2012]

My engine is running really well. I just got back from an approximately 2000 mile drive to central Washington and then the Washington coast. I was getting clunking for the second half of the trip. Gotta be bad motor mounts, you can see some of the rubber degraded in them. It runs really smooth when it’s at speed, the clunking is at startup. I drove home, I hope I don’t end up regretting that.

This is a turbo, I mention that because I’m guessing I’m going to have to take off the turbo plumbing and the air cleaner to be able to access the unit on the passenger side.

The item that has me flummoxed at the moment is removing the engine shock absorbers. I bought the mounts from Kent and he includes his PDF tutorial. It’s better than nothing, but it goes into no detail about removing the shocks.

On a search I found information that the lower part of the shock absorber shaft just on the other side of the flange from the 10 mm nut below is supposed to have a 7 mm flat spot to hold the shaft while you are loosening the nut. On both sides of my car the shaft is completely round and smooth.

I wasn’t sure if I was going to replace the shocks, I thought I would go through the test procedure Kent outlines on one of his videos. Now I’m thinking I’m going to need to use a vicegrip around the shafts, grabbing the upper part of shaft in order to loosen the nut. I don’t think putting marks in the shaft would be a good idea unless I’m going to replace it.

A pair of them only costs about $75 from Pelican. My car is closing in on 150k, and is, of course 40 years old. I’m thinking I’ll replace the shocks while I’m at. It only makes sense. I should’ve ordered them by now.