I have a repair manual for my car, and in it says to put a screw type jack under the crank shaft pulley and then remove two motor mount throught bolts so that I can remove a brace bar in order to get to my oil pan. Its covered in oil so Im guessing it needs a new seal. Is this safe? With the bar removed will the motor only be resting the jack I put under the crankshaft pully? I do not feel like dying and if the jack slips I am gunna get squished like a bug. IS their anything else holding the motor in the car or is it just the motor mounts? Thanks, any advice to keep be from becoming a pancake is a ppreciated. Car is a 2002 mercury villager. Feel like there is always something new to fix on the family van.
Removing motor mounts- dangerous?
- Thread starter rangerfan24
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You can have the oil pan seal replaced at an independent garage for not a lot of money, for these kind of works it is best to be safe than to save a few bucks.
Its safe you just have to be very careful.
I agree with HTSS and just spend the money to have it replaced.
I agree with HTSS and just spend the money to have it replaced.
The safer way to do it is to use a heavy piece of steel, like C-channel, on top of the inner fenderwells, and raise the engine & chain it to the metal bar to hold it up. Not sure where to buy that setup, though.
When I had to do the head gasket on my car, and the engine mount a couple months ago, I used a piece of plywood on top of the jack underneath the engine/transmission oil pan. Works well. Used a regular floor jack.
I'm gunna let my dad just take it to a mech we know and have him do it for cash at the garage he works at off hours. Im normally the DIY kid but its just not worth the risk. I got all the parts cheap; mounts, pan, flex pipe, cat. Unless i can rig it up safely with jack stands I can live with it going somewhere else to get fixed on this one. Thanks guys.
I am use to doing virtually all of the mechanical work on my motorcycles. With cars though I have always had the ability but just lacked the full range of equipment needed to make it an easy job.
Sometimes having a hoist or a pit makes a world of difference working on the underside of vehicles.
Sometimes having a hoist or a pit makes a world of difference working on the underside of vehicles.
Exaclty. But its not even really that. Its on ramps and everything is accessible I just don't like the idea of sticking my head under it with only a jack stand holding it. And then what if it slips and comes off even when I am not under it? Be [censored] to hoist back up without a cherry picker.
Well the scenario was close. Correct equipment still is the key issue.
It's a matter of weighing up the cost of a tool and its use as opposed to taking it to someone that has the tool already and will charge you for their time.
Sometimes there is more than one solution to the issue.
It's a matter of weighing up the cost of a tool and its use as opposed to taking it to someone that has the tool already and will charge you for their time.
Sometimes there is more than one solution to the issue.
On a FWD car like a villager you'll have 3 or 4 motor and trans mounts, as long as you have one loose it shouldn't be too much of a problem.
Some mounts hold the weight (this sounds like one) while others hold the powertrain from rocking as it applies power, these are usually dogbone-shaped.
If you replace a load bearing mount with a jack and it slips you'll probably only drop the motor an inch or two until the other mounts take up the slack. It's not great for them but you shouldn't have everything fall out.
Some mounts hold the weight (this sounds like one) while others hold the powertrain from rocking as it applies power, these are usually dogbone-shaped.
If you replace a load bearing mount with a jack and it slips you'll probably only drop the motor an inch or two until the other mounts take up the slack. It's not great for them but you shouldn't have everything fall out.
Use a wood block between the jack and parts, especially the crank pulley.
This is a common sense thing - a jack procedure can not be universal.
You may see a better way to augment or do this .
This is a common sense thing - a jack procedure can not be universal.
You may see a better way to augment or do this .
Kestas
Staff member
The shop manual for my 71 Cutlass indicates a special tool is needed to cradle the engine just behind the crank pulley to jack up the engine. Jacking up by the crank pulley may bend or crack the nose of the crankshaft, which has a rather small diameter.
I've lifted an engine (on a RWD) early in my wrenching career to change an oil pan. I never found this procedure dangerous. I simply slipped blocks of wood between the engine and crossmember. Is the Villager FWD or RWD?
I've lifted an engine (on a RWD) early in my wrenching career to change an oil pan. I never found this procedure dangerous. I simply slipped blocks of wood between the engine and crossmember. Is the Villager FWD or RWD?
I don't see this as any more dangerous as jacking up a car for an oil change. You have the upper hand here since you have a service manual, so this jacking location is safe. Be careful, make sure that car is on level ground, inspect the underside, maybe you can fit a jack stand under transmission for extra support.
It isn't inherently dangerous to jack up an engine to replace a mount. I've done it plenty of times. But if you aren't confident enough in your skillz to do so without worry, then maybe you're better off paying a greasy troll like me to do the job.
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