2003 Eurovan Left Trans Mount

[richas]

Mine is sagging, the exhaust is getting close to the steering rack. I am mechanically inclined, how big a job is this? Looking up there, it looks tight.

Rich

[Gendelivery]

I am in the midst of the same job today on my 2001 Eurovan. Mine had rubbed through the power steering hard lines on the rack and I've replaced those, along with the passenger side mount. While on the ramps, I'll do the pendulum mount, which looks straight forward. I cannot figure out how to get in to replace the drivers side mount/bracket. Additionally, the mount kit I bought has both fixed nuts on one side on the bracket, but the original appears (it is hard to see) to have the mount bolts go in one from each side. Any advice here would be helpful. I have the Europarts -sd kit which included all mounts.

[paddygarcia]

It's tight but not terrible if you remove some of the topside stuff that gets in the way.

[Gendelivery]

Hope this not a highjack of this thread; but....

Are you talking about changing the mount only or the mount and bracket? The stuff in the way is the transmission cooler heater hoses and some electrical connections into the tranny. Call me crazy, but I don't want to get near any of that.......

I can see getting to the 5 mount bolts/nuts, but can't really see the ones for the bracket that holds the mount. Do you go from the top or underneath?

My mount kit came with the mount already in the bracket. I could remove it and replace only the mount.

To the original poster, the passenger side mount and the pendulum mount are pretty easy. The drivers side mount is accessible, but the mount bracket seems inaccessible. Perhaps next weekend i will remove the mount from the new bracket and try and change that.

You are right to be concerned. The exhaust rubbed a hole in the hard lines on the steering rack and caused a massive leak. My van was also missing the exhaust snubber, which I am replacing with the McMasters piece recommended in another thread.

[paddygarcia]

I replaced the mounts following the guide here: https://vweurovan.fandom.com/wiki/Engine/Transmission_mounts

The driver's side assembly has to be snaked around a bit to get out and IIRC had to loosen some wire/hose retainers, but it wasn't terrible.

[VanGeek]

My 2001 mounts aren't terrible, but the exhaust is definitely sagged a bit closer to the power steering rack/lines vs stock.

Did the passenger side and pendulum mounts. Weren't especially difficult.

Now going after the driver's side. I've removed the top and sides of the battery box per the instructions here: https://vweurovan.fandom.com/wiki/Engine/Transmission_mounts

The upper bolts (connecting to the chassis/frame) are visible and easy to access. But the lower bolts (connecting to the engine/trans) seem very difficult to access. Some of the comments suggest accessing from above but I cannot even see the bolt heads from above. Where are folks accessing the lower bolts???

[bigfoot_ev]

I accessed the lower bolts from below. I have some wood blocks that I drive up on that raise the front about 5 inches, my ramps are too tall for me to drive up on inside my garage. I also turned the wheel to the left which is only to allow a better sight line not for bolt access. From inside the wheel well you might be able to see the rear most bolt head, but again the access is not straight from that view so I didn't go after the bolt from there but it does give you an idea of where to put your socket. The front bolt on my van was actually a threaded stud with a nut locked (somehow I don't know how) on it. I was worried it was a bolt with the head toward the inside which would have been horrible for access but it wasn't. I just unscrewed it from the frame side using the nut as a bolt head.

Both bolts I accessed from below putting my ratchet up between the frame and the mount bolts. When you are underneath looking up you will see a pinch weld toward the front. That was one of my nemeses since it really reduced my swing room. I think a flex head ratchet would clear that but I don't have one so I'm just guessing. Take a look again from below and let me know if you have any questions.

[VanGeek]

Thanks Bigfoot_ev -- NOW I see the bolts from below and the side just above the driver-side trans housing.

Yes, wow they are tucked up there behind the frame rail.
Wish I would have tackled this job with the front bumper cover off and the starter out a few months ago. Not necessary but would make the job easier.

Upper bolts are easy-peasy and accessible after removing battery box pieces.

My lower bolts are REALLY stubborn. I don't want to round the heads. I have good leverage with a socket wrench and slip-on pipe to extend it. I think that may be adequate. I've attempted to hit the threads on the other side with PB blaster. Can't really see them there so I hope that I "hit the target" by aiming the applicator tube in the general direction from behind the starter. Will let that soak in and try again tomorrow.

[paddygarcia]

Try impact before leverage, using a close-fitting socket or closed-end wrench. Heat would be good but there's no good way to get that area hot.

Lots of hammer taps are likely to move things bit by bit, leverage more likely to mangle the head or, for smaller bolts, snap the head off.

[VanGeek]

The front lower bolt on my left mount is really stuck tight. The upper nuts and rear lower bolt loosened-up without too much effort. I removed my starter to get better access to the other end of it for penetrating oil, hammer taps, and heat. I've tried all three and it won't budge. This shot provides a good view of both ends of the offending bolt

I removed the top nuts and lowered the left side a few inches so I could get my electric impact wrench on the bolt head. That didn't work either.

I will attempt more patience, time for penetrating lubricant, and possibly more heat. Open to your additional recommendations...

[paddygarcia]

Are you only trying to turn the bolt head? It might be rusted to the mount, making it doubly hard to turn out of the nut. I think you can get a closed-end wrench around the nut and start tapping on that.

[Saturn]

Wondering if you can put a jack under the transmission and lift it slightly to lessen the downward forces/weight on the mounting bolt/fasteners.

[bigfoot_ev]

I think you're doing all the right things and you probably need to do all of them together, meaning penetrant, heat, and tapping. So, I would douse liberally on both sides of the mount (the welded on nut to the inside and the nut on the stud) and wait. When applying heat are you able to get it very hot? One trick I saw with heat is to spray it with water immediately after heat to cool it down quickly. I'm guessing it's the expansion from heat followed by contraction from water that is breaking the rust. And then when using your wrench another idea is to apply both tightening and loosening force on the bolt, very little movement in either direction until you can feel the rust break. Again you are trying to break the rust before you break the bolt.

I see you have that same threaded stud with a nut on one end. I don't know why that is not a regular bolt like the rear bolt. Your picture looks just like what I encountered.

[VanGeek]

[Endopotential]

Just came across this doohickey, it's an induction heater for nuts

https://www.amazon.com/Solary-Flameless-Induction-...&psc=1

Too expensive at $200 for one time use, but boy that would sure come in handy

[VanGeek]

Oh man -- I would love to have one of those. Seen a few youtube videos and they seem to work very well.

After a few more attempts at heating, tapping, spraying, impact wrenching....
Still at an impasse. I've had success with heat in the past and not-so here. It's difficult to aim the torch into the affected areas and can really only access the front side of the inside nut. Might be part of the problem. Honestly, I'm not certain if the culprit is the bolt head, the threads going thru the welded nut on the other end, or both of them.

I unfortunately let my impact wrench slip on the last try, and lost a little of the outside edge of the nut. Still a fair amount to hold a wrench but now I gotta be REAL careful. Very frustrating...

[VanGeek]

REALLY heated up the area surrounding the welded nut on the outside, and then did the same on the threaded nut and threads on the inside. MAPP-pro gas and a different torch head was more effective vs my old propane garden-variety torch. Was able to get the welded nut head to move VERY slightly back and forth but nothing more. In the process of wrenching and impact wrenching I'm beating up the welded nut pretty badly so I'm not going any further.

Hate to admit defeat, but will leave that to the local shop who I expect can do this better than me in the future.

Good news is that both the left and right mounts were barely sagging, and I think the right one was a little worse (now replaced). Exhaust is sitting high so I have some time before scheduling the work with the local shop.