nice write up Thanks

 

Did you have any problem inserting new mounts into position? Do you think this could be done if using jack stands? great write up. I am trying to find some pictures to help me visualize this. Thanks

 

I definitely think it can be done using jackstands for the chassis and a hydraulic floor jack to lift the engine. Lifting the engine to the right height is key to being able to remove / install the mounts since the subframe and other parts get in the way. Just take it slow and keep an eye on the engine connections (like the AC hoses).

 

Nice write up! I have done this on my W210 and was wondering if it would be a real pain on this platform. Thanks for the info!
Jason

 

• Lower the steering rack about 2 inches. Using a deep well 18mm socket , retain the nut inside the subframe channel on the two rear bolts. Using another 18mm impact socket or wrench loosen the two rear bolts. Do not fully remove the rear two bolts but make them as loose as possible while still keeping the nut on the bolt. Completely remove the two front steering rack bolts using an 18mm open end wrench and impact socket. This will allow the rack to hang down but still allow easy reinstallation.

Hello, I have come to this valuable guide and find myself confused at the point of lowering steering rack. I can not see the space to lower the rack more than just 0,6 inch. I have marked it to the picture. Could you please kindly advice where would it go?

 

...unless steering rack will move forward :dunno:

 

Couple pics and comments after doing 1/2 this job.

Kilek, that steering rack comes pretty far forward, but my experience was the tolerances are still pretty tight. That hole is where it attaches to the vehicle

I suggest definitely having two 18mm sockets for the steering rack frame.

The bolt on top of the mounts is a bear. I ended up making a double angled breaker bar to be able to crack it. What I could not figure out though is now to properly torque it?

For those who have not but might attempt the job, notice the recess. I feel like if you got lucky on a ratcheting wrench that was just so it might be doable, but I definitely have no idea how y'all got a torque wrench on that thing given the exhaust manifold and proximity to firewall. My only thought was that you maybe had the engine up higher which made the side of the engine bay issue less of a problem? I feel like I went a bit higher than the recommended three inches though (didn't measure). Didn't see stress on a/c lines but didn't want to push my luck in case there was something I was missing.

Only did the passenger and tranny mounts. Hopefully doing the driver side over the break. I'll include some more pictures as that one looks to be considerably more tricky.

 

This write up was very helpful. I just did both engine mounts on my 2002 cl500. The passenger side was very easy. I did not have to drop the steering rack for the passenger side. Just used a short 16mm wrench to access the top bolts of the motor mounts. It's available on ebay specific to mercedes. Just do a search for mercedes engine mount wrench. Mine was $16. Without this wrench I would not have been able to get the top bolt torqued correctly on both sides. I also bought a 5/8" wrench socket to be used with this wrench on the driver side. Without it I was unable to get enough leverage and clearance to loosen the driver side top mount bolt head.

The driver side did give me a little trouble. Dropping the steering rack as suggested did not give me enough clearance. Since I did one side at a time I was unable to get the engine lifted to a proper height to allow enough clearance to slip old mount out and new one in. I did not want to remove both lower mount bolts at the same time in order to keep engine somewhat aligned. I went to Home Depot and bought a long 40mm height M8-1.25 bolt and threaded that into the bottom passenger side mount hole 2-3 turns. This allowed the passenger side to stay aligned. I was then able to lift the engine to allow enough clearance to allow removal and installation of the driver side mount. You'll need someone to put their finger on the driver side top bolt head to keep it from spinning while you install the driver side mount from underneath.

All in all a ver simple diy.

The dealer quoted me $1000 to replace both front mounts (parts and labor). What a joke! I got my mounts from autohausaz for $160. Follow this guide and save youself a bundle.

-Chet

 

I get a lot of movement in my shifter when I step on the gas hard from a standstill. So much so that it won't move side to side if I'm using manual shifting. Can I get away with just the trans mount, or do I need to do the engine mounts too?
'01 S430
I've been kicking around the idea of replacing them since I got the car in Feb, but was doing other stuff first. Also, my first attempt at putting the car on stands almost ended badly. Went a bit pear-shaped as I was lowering it back to the floor.

 

I see no problem in just doing the transmission mount. It's really easy. If it doesn't fix your problem then you can do the engine mounts later. I've also heard stuff about a bushing on the shifter going bad and requiring replacement. That could also be your problem.

I made my own car ramps using wood 2x10's, stacked 4 deep. When I need to lift the car on all sides I drive up on the ramps and then I use wooden blocks cut to about 30 inch lengths stacked 4 deep on both rear wheels. Makes it nice and level and also easy to work on.

 

Muqaddar, the car ramps are very interesting, please can you post a photo.

 

Indeed. Pics required!
Thanks for the reply. I'll have to look into that shifter bushing.

 

Here you go. It was very simple. I used the following length pieces, 24",
42", 60" and 72". Screwed each of the pieces together using 2.5" wood screws. I used 5 screws on each piece. Did this about 6 years ago and they are still going strong. They are heavy to move around but well worth it in my opinion.

 

Can this be done on an S500 with ABC?
I've already managed to do the passenger side, however the driver side seems exponentially more tricky.

I see the space at the bottom for the mount to be removed (after lowering steering rack), however I'm unable to reach the top bolt for the mount using a wrench (I'm so close though). The problem is the ABC lines that are in the way.

It's possible that I haven't raised the engine high enough

The WIS suggests removing the ABC tandem pump and loosening the A/C lines in order to remove the whole engine mount assembly (including mounting bracket).
I'd rather not do this to put it lightly. I'm considering loosening the tandem pump to reach top engine mount bolt, but my tensioner requires a torx that I do not have and that is where I'm stuck currently.

 

Not sure if it would help, but there is an offset wrench that's used on the top bolt of the W140 chassis mounts as they are tough to get at:

Amazon.com : Mercedes Benz Offset 17mm Engine Mount Wrench : Other Products : Everything Else@@AMEPARAM@@http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/41iVCchp%2B2L.@@AMEPARAM@@41iVCchp%2B2L

This is the 17mm version, but there is a 16mm version as well.

As for changing the transmission mount only, do consider it. My motor mounts are fine at 98,000 miles, but I found the rubber in my transmission mount starting to shear off the metal portion, so I replaced it.

Dan

 

I found the wrench handy, as well as a second set of hands. I can't comment on ABC as my S430 isn't equipped with it.

 

The ABC pipes are in the way, I'm not even convinced loosening the ABC pump will allow the proper clearance. I think the Mercedes Offset Wrench might be what I need, but I really don't want to take everything apart simply because I can't reach a bolt that I can literally see. The frustration is immense! I'm absolutely flustered!

 

It's impossible.

I managed to get a stubby wrench on the bolt, but the bolt is being held on with enough force to stop an aircraft carrier.

I tried some convoluted method of putting a 1/2" breaker bar into the other end of the wrench and bashing it with a hammer. Getting one good hit in takes 10 minutes and 50% of the time you have to reset everything after that one good hit. It didn't budge shit.

Marinating the bolt in penetrating juice for 3 hours hasn't helped shit.

The engine mount itself is completely destroyed, I can literally turn it from the bottom, but it seems to turn infinitely. I have no idea what whichcraft is holding it together.

Yet here I am, a bolt I can see with my naked eye, but cannot for the life of me get off. I bought a set of crows hooks, but the set I bought comes in an array of metric sizes ranging from 10-17mm. It didn't include 16mm, because... life.

The water level from the N64 Zelda game has nothing on trying to get the driver's side motor mount off.
I think the ABC pump has to come off, but by its design, the removal requires disconnecting the lines, which is something I want to avoid about as much as the arab countries want to avoid a jewish neighbor.

If someone has some suggestion, I'm all ears. This has already turned into a two-day job, now it looks like the car is going to be sitting overnight again.

FUCK.

 

Where do you live anyway? Maybe someone that's done it and/or has the offset wrench is close enough to lend a hand?
The wrench with a long socket extension to bring it up above the engine is the way to go I think. Can't get full rotations, on it, but you can turn it by repositioning the wrench. A lot. But again, without having had to deal with ABC I can't say for sure. Even without ABC the driver side was significantly more difficult.
The top of the mount is keyed to fit without rotating, if I recall. It's my understanding that they are hydraulic, and similarly if you unbolt the bottom of a shock (or motorcycle fork) you can spin it without affecting the top. That's why the bottom will turn.

 

That's a very generous offer, I'm in Aggieland Texas, so pretty far from civilization.

My local mechanic has generously allowed me the use of his (massive) shop tomorrow where I plan on taking care of a number of other issues that need taking care of.

If worst comes to worst I can put everything back together and figure it out in the shop. One last thing I will try is a long flex top wrench, and if I'm feeling especially insane I will remove the valve cover and headers giving me direct access with a socket.

If someone is located in aggieland and does happen to have the tool, please PM me ASAP as I plan on starting early tomorrow!

 

I did it. There is a God after all.

Details to follow this evening

 

Driver's Side Engine Mount on ABC Equipped vehicles.

Ok, I'd like to add to this DIY as it is *very* doable at home, and having a lift does *not* necessarily make it easier. I used steel ramps to raise the car and placed the jacks as an added precaution (I did notice one of the ramps went down a bit requiring me to raise up the car to remove the jack).

Remember safety is paramount when working on your car, and especially this job as you'll be putting major stress on the engine and chassis as you move things around while you're hand is deeply recessed within this car.

Remember, with this DIY you'll be getting more intimate with your car than most people (short of surgeons) ever are with another human being.

For the passenger side, follow the DIY as written. The problem arises with the driver's side Engine Mount as the ABC High Pressure line and Reservoir hose are in the way.
Picture 2 shows a stubby wrench on the bolt (Notice the heat shield from the header has been removed). The end of the wrench is about 5mm from the chassis, and it's almost impossible to get enough torque applied to break the bolt.

Picture 1 is a zoomed out version of picture 2. Notice the stubby wrench on the bolt in between the ABC lines in the bottom. It also gives a feel for how deep into the engine you're digging. Those black wires are the spark plug wires. Also notice the header heat shield is removed. It's not necessary for the passenger side but I do recommending it for the driver's side.

Anyway, so how did I break the bolt, I used the special wrench/ratchet extenders generously loaned to me by my local mechanic. With yourself standing on the side of the vehicle, use your left hand to feed the tool between the abc lines. Your right hand will then catch the tool and be able to place it securely onto the bolt.

Now comes the extra special harbor freight modern-art tool. After placing your wrench extender, feed the harbor freight tool in and insert it into the 3/8" ratchet socket. Once it's in place, you'll be able to use this method to apply enough torque to break the bolt.

Alternatively you can try placing the ratchet extender on the special tool first and then feeding it onto the bolt. I tried both, many times.

I noticed once I had broken it that it spun relatively freely, although not freely enough to use my fingers. This is where your 16mm flex head wrench comes in. You can use that to slowly work the bolt out. Once you've loosened it enough to free it from its slot (see new engine mount), you'll be able to go underneath and spin the engine mount relatively freely.

Once you've completely disconnected the engine mount, you will feed it out as described by OP, however with the caveat that the high pressure ABC line will be in the way. You will likely need a helper, as you have to *really* jack up the engine, feed its way out. Ideally have a friend on top jerk the engine repeatedly towards the passenger side giving you room. Try not to put too much pressure on the ABC line as you feed it out.

Do the same thing to get the new engine mount in, and re-attach as described by OP. Ideally you can use a 16mm wrench to hold the bolt as you spin the new mount in.

One thing to note, the little stubby part has to recess into its groove/slot. Simply turning it until it won't turn no more will push it up against its slot, but not into it. What I found works is once you've spun the mount in until it won't spin anymore, loosen it, and feel it into its slot by pushing up. If you push the mount up and it doesn't spin left or right, you've successfully slotted it and the bolt can be tightened (ideally while you're still pushing up).

Torque the upper bolt using your hands to ~55nm. There is no way a torque wrench will work.

Since I did not have the Mercedes Engine Mount tool, I cannot comment on if it will work on the w220 with ABC. If you do this job, I highly recommend ordering one and at least trying it. Then you *might* not need the harbor freight tool and the special ratchet extenders, but I can provide no guarantees (maybe someone else can report back).

Some extra notes:

If you're doing the valve cover gasket and/or spark plugs, do the engine mounts in conjunction as the spark plug wires and coils are kind of in the way, as well as the valve cover gasket.
I was tempted to just remove the valve cover and remove the headers, thus giving me direct access to the bolt using any socket. You may want to consider this route.

The WIS suggests removing the ABC pump and disconnecting the AC compressor, then removing the entire engine mount assembly. I see their logic, as the ABC lines were the real headache getting to the bolt, and disconnecting (not removing) the AC compressor would make it possible to elegantly remove the mount. Also you would be able to appropriately torque the engine mount bolt on top. I also see however that I would rather have AIDS than have to unnecessarily remove the ABC pump, and loosening the AC compressor I assume is also no walk in the park.


Anyway, I hope this helps. I am ashamed to admit this job took me 3 days to do, mostly because I was stuck with the driver's side, however if you have the right tools (which you now know what to get), and have some idea of how to do it (which you now know) it realistically shouldn't take you more than 2 hours to do the driver's side mount.

Good Luck!

-FC


[edit] Quick note on the flip flops, I have broken my stubby toe pretty badly and can't wear shoes. Otherwise I wouldn't recommend using flip flops for any car repair.

 

is this the final word?

I am getting ready to do the motor mounts in the non 4 matic S500 with standard air suspension.

Has the forum discovered any added tricks, tips or shortcuts to this tricky repair?

Is it done best with jack stands or ramps? One would have weight on suspension and one would just have
suspension hanging down. Does it matter?

Yes I got the weird 16mm wrench in advance and ordered Lemforder parts although other brands were MUCH cheaper
given the effort involved I'd rather spend extra to never have to do this for another 100k miles

 

I am getting ready to do the motor mounts in the non 4 matic S500 with standard air suspension.

Has the forum discovered any added tricks, tips or shortcuts to this tricky repair?

Is it done best with jack stands or ramps? One would have weight on suspension and one would just have
suspension hanging down. Does it matter?

Yes I got the weird 16mm wrench in advance and ordered Lemforder parts although other brands were MUCH cheaper
given the effort involved I'd rather spend extra to never have to do this for another 100k miles

Just be careful raising the car. You’re going to apply a lot of force lifting the engine and moving things around.

 

I'm going to be doing this as well. While reading up and searching for the needed tools, I found this How-To write up:
http://www.mercedesmedic.com/diy-engine-mount-replacement-with-pictures-video-mercedes-benz/
Haven't read through it all yet, but there appears to be plenty of photos.
As I need to also replace the driver's side valve cover gasket, I'll likely postpone that job to coincide with the motor mount replacement.
By the way, what's the deal with so many people wanting to use floor ramps instead of jack stands? Especially when doing under the vehicle work on difficult to reach stuff? I'd rather pop the wheels off and get them out of my way. Floor ramps, while convenient, have always been a huge space-hog of a tool in my experiences. I pretty much quit using them back in the early '90s, unless I NEED to keep the wheels/suspension supported, like when doing an alignment. Just my 2 pence.

 

For people thinking about replacing your engine mounts, Pep Boys have engine mounts on sale, i assume it's a black Friday thing for $35.09 each with a lifetime warranty.

Westar Engine Mount | 1572694 | Pep Boys

www.pepboys.com

only 4 customer reviews but they are all 5 stars and you get a lifetime warranty so you are covered for a long while.

Gareth

 

I replaced the motor and trans mounts today, using the pepboys engine mounts. the old mounts were shot, the drivers/left side was really bad. The car has 107k miles and I was surprised at there condition. My daughter had a hyundai XG350L and the mounts lasted to 130k and my Toyota Tacoma (we tow a trailer with the toyota) has 140K and its still on the original mounts. I used the procedure laid out in the first posting and it is tight getting the new mounts in but it can be done. I would recommend buying the tool before attempting the job.
2005 S500