How-To : AWR Rear Mount Install

Thanks for the update/addition!
iluvmacs said:
If I may offer any suggestions... these are what they'd be.

To remove the wire bracket I removed the top nut without a problem. I then took the wire out of the bracket. With a screwdriver I wedged the bracket up so that I could get a socket onto the lower stud. That made it much easier to get at.

I put a regular sized 10mm socket on there first, then I put a 2.5-3" 1/4" extension on it, which I then turned with a screwdriver. After loosening it I could turn the socket extension by hand, and then the nut by hand.

That's as far as i've gotten. I need some 1/2" extensions before tackling the actual mount.
 
I'm finished now, so here are MY final thoughts.

The 3/8" extension kit from sears is great. You need at least 18" of extensions to get this job done. The kit has a set of adapters, u-joints, and extensions.

After removing the wiring harness, the wires will always be in the way. Oh well. I used the u-joint to crack loose all three bolts, using enough extensions so that I could push against the firewall (very top, where the hood sits) so that I didn't bend any brake lines or strip the bolt (use two hands, pushing in opposite directions).

I had 2 17mm sockets (one deep, for under the car and one regular for above the car). I got my 1/2" drive ratchet wedged between the block and driveshaft (don't pry against the fluid lines) and then used a 5' rod to pry on the stationary side of the bolt from atop the engine. No problems.

There is a spacer that goes (to the best of my knowledge) between the right side of the mount (toward the battery) between the bracket attached to the engine and the rubber/metal spacer that the head of the bolt sits in. Don't lose it.

I used air tools and lots of lights, in addition to removing a bunch of stuff on the TB side of the engine.

If I can offer any other suggestions, PM me.
 
Thanks for the update. How is the vibration level, tolerable? do you also have the AT front mount? Also, would you attempt this if you didn't have air tools?

iluvmacs said:
I'm finished now, so here are MY final thoughts.

The 3/8" extension kit from sears is great. You need at least 18" of extensions to get this job done. The kit has a set of adapters, u-joints, and extensions.

After removing the wiring harness, the wires will always be in the way. Oh well. I used the u-joint to crack loose all three bolts, using enough extensions so that I could push against the firewall (very top, where the hood sits) so that I didn't bend any brake lines or strip the bolt (use two hands, pushing in opposite directions).

I had 2 17mm sockets (one deep, for under the car and one regular for above the car). I got my 1/2" drive ratchet wedged between the block and driveshaft (don't pry against the fluid lines) and then used a 5' rod to pry on the stationary side of the bolt from atop the engine. No problems.

There is a spacer that goes (to the best of my knowledge) between the right side of the mount (toward the battery) between the bracket attached to the engine and the rubber/metal spacer that the head of the bolt sits in. Don't lose it.

I used air tools and lots of lights, in addition to removing a bunch of stuff on the TB side of the engine.

If I can offer any other suggestions, PM me.
 
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tytanium said:
Thanks for the update. How is the vibration level, tolerable? do you also have the AT front mount? Also, would you attempt this if you didn't have air tools?

I'm not actually replacing the mounts. I'm removing them, filling them with polyurethane, and then sticking them back in the car. I'm waiting for the rear to dry. I did the other three on Fridays and went to work on Monday, but the rear took longer, so i finished on Saturday and will go to work tomorrow.

I had vibration problems before. To be more accurate, my gauge bezel has vibrated a lot. I removed it once to kill the door chime, but I can't get it to stop vibrating. I'll PM you if the vibration is a problem.

If I didn't have air tools it simply would have taken longer. You still have to break each nut loose by hand. You just scrape your hands up less when you don't have to make every turn of the ratchet by hand.

I tried to grind off the bottom wiring harness stud, but with it halfway down I decided to bend it the rest of the way and pop, it pulled from the firewall. I wouldn't bother trying to cut or grind down the stud, just take an old socket and pound it off the firewall. I filled it with the polyurethane i had left over.
 
tytanium said:
Thanks for the update. How is the vibration level, tolerable? do you also have the AT front mount? Also, would you attempt this if you didn't have air tools?
I have the AT rear bushing (in a 5sp car with MT bushings up front) and the vibration is tremendous, esp. on start up and for the first 10-15 minutes until the engine compartments gets warmed up. The performance benefit is also tremendous but, for me, the vibration almost crosses the line of being too much for a daily driver. I remember that the front mount settled down over time, though, so I'm giving the rear a fair amount of time, probably until the end of the track/autocross season this Fall, to see if it's settled to an acceptable point. AWR is also testing an even softer material, durometer 70 (vs 88 for AT and 95 for 5sp) which might be the answer. Also, as an experiment, I may put the stock mount back in front. If nothing else, I think that would accelerate the break in period for the rear mount as the rear would have more room to vibrate around and soften itself up a bit. I put the front AWR mount in 6-9 months before the rear and I think running the AWR front/stock rear may have helped the front bushings break in. I'm not sure the rear AWRs would have the same chance with the stiffer front AWR bushings in there. I think others have worked on this issue and maybe tried this, though, so I should probably search before trying this.

You do not need air tools at all. (I have them but didn't use them.) Just make sure you have a jack handle or a long bar (3-4 feet) to put over your ratchet handle to break the bolts loose. I wouldn't want to use an air ratchet for this anyway as you might strip the nuts, esp. when working with a swivel.
 
gar777 said:
I have the AT rear bushing (in a 5sp car with MT bushings up front) and the vibration is tremendous, esp. on start up and for the first 10-15 minutes until the engine compartments gets warmed up. The performance benefit is also tremendous but, for me, the vibration almost crosses the line of being too much for a daily driver. I remember that the front mount settled down over time, though, so I'm giving the rear a fair amount of time, probably until the end of the track/autocross season this Fall, to see if it's settled to an acceptable point. AWR is also testing an even softer material, durometer 70 (vs 88 for AT and 95 for 5sp) which might be the answer. Also, as an experiment, I may put the stock mount back in front. If nothing else, I think that would accelerate the break in period for the rear mount as the rear would have more room to vibrate around and soften itself up a bit. I put the front AWR mount in 6-9 months before the rear and I think running the AWR front/stock rear may have helped the front bushings break in. I'm not sure the rear AWRs would have the same chance with the stiffer front AWR bushings in there. I think others have worked on this issue and maybe tried this, though, so I should probably search before trying this.

You do not need air tools at all. (I have them but didn't use them.) Just make sure you have a jack handle or a long bar (3-4 feet) to put over your ratchet handle to break the bolts loose. I wouldn't want to use an air ratchet for this anyway as you might strip the nuts, esp. when working with a swivel.


how did your stock rear mount look after you took it off? did having the awr front mount seem to do anything to the stock rear mount?
 
gar777 said:
You do not need air tools at all. (I have them but didn't use them.) Just make sure you have a jack handle or a long bar (3-4 feet) to put over your ratchet handle to break the bolts loose. I wouldn't want to use an air ratchet for this anyway as you might strip the nuts, esp. when working with a swivel.

Thanks!
 
biochembruin said:
how did your stock rear mount look after you took it off? did having the awr front mount seem to do anything to the stock rear mount?
Good question (I had been thinking about that when I put just the front one in). I examined the stock rear and it looks just fine, no cracks, no ripping or splitting. Comparing it to the stock front mount, it is much more substantial and solid. I can twist the stock front piece all around but the rear one is harder to move (though still nothing like the AWR mount). As a result, I think the stock rear mount can stand up to the front AWR mount fairly well. This should be good news for all the guys who just installed the front mount. I should note, however, that I have only a stock powered ES motor. Guys with turbos or other power upgrades might stress the stock rear mount more.
 
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gar777 said:
Good question (I had been thinking about that when I put just the front one in). I examined the stock rear and it looks just fine, no cracks, no ripping or splitting. Comparing it to the stock front mount, it is much more substantial and solid. I can twist the stock front piece all around but the rear one is harder to move (though still nothing like the AWR mount). As a result, I think the stock rear mount can stand up to the front AWR mount fairly well. This should be good news for all the guys who just installed the front mount. I should not, however, that I have only a stock powered ES motor. Guys with turbos or other power upgrade might stress the stock rear mount more.

thanks for the info
 
I would have to agree with gar777 about stressing the rear mount. Heres a pic of my rear engine mount, found it with a big rip in the metal when I went to put the head back on today
 

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A.V.MSP said:
I would have to agree with gar777, heres a pic of my rear engine mount, found it when I went to put the head back on today

Thanks for the pic, it's a great start! Anyone else have any more??
 
A.V.MSP said:
I would have to agree with gar777 about stressing the rear mount. Heres a pic of my rear engine mount, found it with a big rip in the metal when I went to put the head back on today


could you clarify what happened? did you have the awr front mount and the stock rear? that looks like the awr rear mount. how do you think it broke?
 
stock mounts all the way around. Dont really know how it happened. When I blew my head gasket it was fine, then I had to take the motor apart again because I had a low spot in the head and didnt know it even though I got it straight edged. Any way go to put it back together yesterday after getting my head port and polished and the manifold port matched and just before I go to put the head on im looking around the engine bay and see that.
 
peepsalot said:
A great start? Of what, an automotive nightmare?

No I didn't even catch that it was broken, I was just saying great start to having a single picture of ANY rear mount installed, thats all.
 
OK, I took some pics. Hope these help. Here's where you start. You'll want to remove the air filter cover, air flow meter, hose behind that (up to, but not including, the throttle body), battery and probably the battery tray.

P1004044.jpg
 
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here are the 2 electrical connectors you need to disconnect from the top of the air filter box:

P1004045.jpg
 
when you get the air filter housing, air flow sensor, intake tube and battery out, it should look like this. If you look between the throttle body and the master cylinder, you can see the plastic, wire-holding bracket that needs to be removed. You can almost see the top nut

P1004048.jpg
 
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