Rear engine mount 91 civic

[ukrkoz]

any good tips on how remove rear engine mount on 91 civic?
i can see and get to 2 bolts, 3rd one is covered by rack-n-pinion, can't even stick my finger in there. sure's busted. had all other replaced.

[Tony]

If you can't get enough room for it, you can loosen the crossmember bolts to drop it down a little bit.

[ukrkoz]

that's what it looks like. stupid question is - to lower crossmember, i must remove that bolt, as it holds crossmember to the engine via mount. and i am not talking about the mount in question, i am talking about a large u-shaped piece of bracket that that mount sits in, and that is bolted to engine block.

this car is not friendly, that's for sure. i thought i had my share on my LRV, i guess, japanese torture never ends and gets only worse.

[Tony]

Ok, we are talking about removing the rear engine mount, the one sitting on the crossmember, to replace it correct?

You will need to remove the bracket connecting it to the engine. The engine will be fine sitting there. Then you can proceed to removing the 3 bolts holding the mount to the subframe. If needed you can loosen the bolts holding the subframe to the chassis to lower it down a little. The only things that should prevent the subframe from lowering are its mounting bolts, and the steering rack will keep it up a little. True the engine mount would hold it up as well, but since your replacing it, you need to remove that bracket anyway.

[ukrkoz]

Originally Posted by Tony

Ok, we are talking about removing the rear engine mount, the one sitting on the crossmember, to replace it correct?

You will need to remove the bracket connecting it to the engine. The engine will be fine sitting there. Then you can proceed to removing the 3 bolts holding the mount to the subframe. If needed you can loosen the bolts holding the subframe to the chassis to lower it down a little. The only things that should prevent the subframe from lowering are its mounting bolts, and the steering rack will keep it up a little. True the engine mount would hold it up as well, but since your replacing it, you need to remove that bracket anyway.

yeah, i just had that feeling yesterday that i have to disconnect engine bracket, then drop the rear crossmember down. it's the very rearmost bolt in the engine mount, it is completely hidden by body and something above it. makes things better, i do not have lift, just stands, and they do not raise car far enough to have comfortable working space.
i think i'll just drop this job on my buddy. he's got shop with 2 lifts. i'll help him out with something else that he does not know how to do, and he'll do this for me. we trade like this.
i am tired of working in tight spaces on this car. i got HANDS, not pincers. after last few jobs on this car, they look like i was in continuous bar fights. and i am seeing patients daily.
tony, thanks for your help, bud.

[Tony]

Its not a problem.

You shouldn't have to fully drop the crossmember, just loosen the bolts to lower it a little. I was able to remove mine without dropping it. I've never had the luxury of a lift on my car, always a jack, a few jack stands and a 4x4. I know these can be a pan in the ass sometimes, just takes some time.

[ukrkoz]

let me put it this way. i like this car a lot. how much? well, say, i have switched to it, being 6'5'', from a best equipped all blows and whistles Silverado. and not because of mileage, as i am reimbursed for biz mileage. just because - i like it.
she pays me back being, so far, good girl. driving.
but on repairs - and there's much to do due to years of neglect and abuse by dumm teenager - on repairs, she's a mean bitch. i have been working on my cars since 1991, and there's no such thing i can't do with them, except some electrical stuff and automatic trannies.
but whatever takes me 30 min on any other car we owned or own - takes 3 hrs on this one. it's like designers had a contest, who will come up with most tangled, user unfriendly positioning of everything in engine bay. and i thought mitsubishes were bad. little did i know.
sort of bugging me, as i like developing friendly relationship with my cars. i treat them well, they do their job well back. this one, apparently, just wants to drive, and that's it. does not like to be touched. feisty.
i'll get that mount next week. it is busted, and it needs to be replaced, period. can't imagine it being worse than the front lower engine mount.
that's about it. except outside aesthetics, she's been a good girl. no power, of course, but 36 stubborn mpg.

[Tony]

Just takes some getting use to. Once you learn the little tricks around the car, they are easy to work on. I would work on my car over a mitsibishi any day. Ofcourse I would also rather work on my hatch over anyone else's too.

[ukrkoz]

Originally Posted by Tony

Just takes some getting use to. Once you learn the little tricks around the car, they are easy to work on. I would work on my car over a mitsibishi any day. Ofcourse I would also rather work on my hatch over anyone else's too.

i guess. also, i got HANDS. but i have secret weapon - buddy mechanic with tiny hands.

one thing i remember about mitsubishes, and remember well, as it was carved into me - guy who developed their stamps and dies for sheetwork must have been also working for ginsu knife company, so sharp edges were. we had 3 different models at some time, and all were exactly same - razor sharp edge and taking oil due to poorly designed valve stem seals.