Engine mounts

[Joez4]

Changing my engine mounts this weekend, anybody changed them on an m54 engine?

It looks like I might have to unclip the upper coolant pipe when raising the engine, but the lower looks like it might be OK, will I need to drain the radiator again or can I unclip it and only losse abit of coolant?

Also what's the consensus on reusing the reinforcement plate bolts as opposed to buying new ones?

 

[bigwinn]

No need to do anything to the coolant set up

Do a side at a time

Top bolt from above with extensions, bottom bolts by going up through the wishbone

Then jack the engine up and swap old for new

 

[perttu]

I think you only need to remove the reinforcement plate, otherwise doable from below without removing anything extra.

 

[Joez4]

Engine mounts replaced today, you really have to jack the engine up pretty high to get the drivers side mount out, then when fitting the new ones you realise how worn the mounts are as you have to raise the engine even higher to get the new ones in.

My car idles now with no vibration at all in the cabin, defo recommend changing mounts if like me they are original and look like this.

 

[STC_Zed]

Good stuff, engine and gearbox mounts are on my to do list this summer.

 

[TIMMOS29]

Engine mounts replaced today, you really have to jack the engine up pretty high to get the drivers side mount out, then when fitting the new ones you realise how worn the mounts are as you have to raise the engine even higher to get the new ones in.

My car idles now with no vibration at all in the cabin, defo recommend changing mounts if like me they are original and look like this.

nice job, where do you jack from? Ive got an n46 motor and havent got that central jack point.

 

[Joez4]

Engine mounts replaced today, you really have to jack the engine up pretty high to get the drivers side mount out, then when fitting the new ones you realise how worn the mounts are as you have to raise the engine even higher to get the new ones in.

My car idles now with no vibration at all in the cabin, defo recommend changing mounts if like me they are original and look like this.

nice job, where do you jack from? Ive got an n46 motor and havent got that central jack point.

To raise the engine you need to put a block of wood and the jack under the oil sump, the front of the car has to already be on ramps or axle stands to do this,

I jack the front up onto a set of ramps I have then put two axle stands under the front jack points as a backup, but you can jack up using the rear jack points which will lift the front also allowing you to put the axle stands under the front jack points

 

[elfer]

I did mine on my M54-engined E46 using an engine support beam because I was dropping the front subframe to do the sump gasket.

If anyone else is contemplating changing them, I bought three different sets of mounts to compare and determined that Corteco were the OE manufacturers. Details here https://www.e46fanatics.com/posts/19235814/

Cheap enough from Autodoc, especially if you're already buying enough other stuff to get free shipping.

 

[Andrew J]

I did mine on my M54-engined E46 using an engine support beam because I was dropping the front subframe to do the sump gasket.

If anyone else is contemplating changing them, I bought three different sets of mounts to compare and determined that Corteco were the OE manufacturers. Details here https://www.e46fanatics.com/posts/19235814/

Cheap enough from Autodoc, especially if you're already buying enough other stuff to get free shipping.

Interesting read. Is this the same for control arms and lollipops aswell? Has anyone confirmed any manufacturers marks on a set of original arms to corroborate Lemfoerder being OE for control arms and not Corteco?

 

[elfer]

I did mine on my M54-engined E46 using an engine support beam because I was dropping the front subframe to do the sump gasket.

If anyone else is contemplating changing them, I bought three different sets of mounts to compare and determined that Corteco were the OE manufacturers. Details here https://www.e46fanatics.com/posts/19235814/

Cheap enough from Autodoc, especially if you're already buying enough other stuff to get free shipping.

Interesting read. Is this the same for control arms and lollipops aswell? Has anyone confirmed any manufacturers marks on a set of original arms to corroborate Lemfoerder being OE for control arms and not Corteco?

Most (if not all) suspension components are widely accepted to have been supplied by the ZF group, so Lemfo(e)rder, Sachs, Boge etc would be considered OE there.

 

[Andrew J]

I did mine on my M54-engined E46 using an engine support beam because I was dropping the front subframe to do the sump gasket.

If anyone else is contemplating changing them, I bought three different sets of mounts to compare and determined that Corteco were the OE manufacturers. Details here https://www.e46fanatics.com/posts/19235814/

Cheap enough from Autodoc, especially if you're already buying enough other stuff to get free shipping.

Most (if not all) suspension components are widely accepted to have been supplied by the ZF group, so Lemfo(e)rder, Sachs, Boge etc would be considered OE there.

Shame. Corteco control arms are 2/3 the price of meyle and half the price of lemfoerder on autodoc!

 

[elfer]

Shame. Corteco control arms are 2/3 the price of meyle and half the price of lemfoerder on autodoc!

When I did the sport control arms on my 330ci I used TRW, a sister brand of Lemfoerder within the ZF family but cheaper than them on Autodoc.

The Americans on E46 forum don't seem to love TRW but almost invariably they've no experience of using them and don't realise it's another ZF brand. I've had no problems with my TRW arms, although I don't do big mileages anymore so I can't promise from personal experience that they'll last just as long.

 

[STC_Zed]

Shame. Corteco control arms are 2/3 the price of meyle and half the price of lemfoerder on autodoc!

When I did the sport control arms on my 330ci I used TRW, a sister brand of Lemfoerder within the ZF family but cheaper than them on Autodoc.

The Americans on E46 forum don't seem to love TRW but almost invariably they've no experience of using them and don't realise it's another ZF brand. I've had no problems with my TRW arms, although I don't do big mileages anymore so I can't promise from personal experience that they'll last just as long.

I’ve generally found TRW arms pretty good; the M3 arms fitted to by various 1 and 3 series have arrived with the M logo ground off.

I did buy some cheap TRW dampers and they were rubbish in all fairness.

 

[TIMMOS29]

Whats the warning signs that the engine mounts are going off???mine has 80000 miles on it ...

 

[bigwinn]

Whats the warning signs that the engine mounts are going off???mine has 80000 miles on it ...

Oil leaking from them ( they are filled)
Movement in the engine and gearbox when revving the engine
Knocking as the engine has sunk low in the bay position and metal strikes metal

I’ve done several recently, one was a full 1cm shorter than the new replacement part

 

[Joez4]

My old mounts were about a cm shorter than the newer mounts, the drivers side mount heat plate had oil on it but the mount didn't look oily could be oil residue from when the rocker cover gasket went.

My main symptom was excessive vibration in the cabin at idle, the car now feels smother when pulling off too.

 

[TIMMOS29]

My old mounts were about a cm shorter than the newer mounts, the drivers side mount heat plate had oil on it but the mount didn't look oily could be oil residue from when the rocker cover gasket went.

My main symptom was excessive vibration in the cabin at idle, the car now feels smother when pulling off too.

Ill check mine this weekend thanks