Rear engine mount DIY?

[MindEddy]

That's where I bought mine, everything was good with them. It's actually a honda dealership, but they're not allowed to sell online under the dealer name.

Also, the Ebay link gets one to the $378 [9.95 shipping] 05-07 motor mount, but I found "FHP" on Ebay is also "myimportpart.com". I called them to find this information, but they are not able to take 'credit card' orders over the phone. The guy guided me to the website, but the price was $401 [which he warned could occur, but said webmaster would fix if I sent Email] - so I ended up BACK on Ebay and found I could eventually "follow the purchase trail" to a place where it would let me purchase the item with my VISA as a "PayPal guest". I did this because I do not want a PayPal account attached to anything of mine. The total cost was $378.50 with shipping, and this is the genuine Honda part.

[MindEddy]

@ae4853t - Where/how did you place the jack to lift/lower the engine? Also, did you use a lift, or were you just on stands?

[MindEddy]

Doing the job now, on ramps, no skills, no impact, everything broke loose. Update you in a 'few hours'?

[MindEddy]

Wow, 2006 Odyssey rear motor mount. One of the easiest jobs I've done. I took my time and a 2 hour dinner break, and still only took a few hours.

Tools: 1/2 17mm short, universal, 18" extension, and breaker bar.
3/8 14mm deep, rachet
14mm box/open wrench

1) Drove up on my plastic ramps.
2) Jacked up rear and put on stands.
3) Let'er cool. Unhooked battery.
4) Remove plastic engine cover thingy.
** Do NOT need to remove anything else.
5) Use 1/2 tools with 17mm & breaker bar to break loose those top two nuts holding the rubber housing on top.
6) Crawl underneath, unplug the electrical connection by squeezing lock on top and use 14mm deep to break loose bolt on top of mount that goes
into engine bracket, easy. Just had to slide 'under' rubber cover.
7) Use 14mm box end wrench to break other '4' bolts loose. Use gloves, but they aren't that tight and break smooth so won't bust your knuckles.
8) I used a square piece of 2x6 with a piece of carpet under my transmission to jack up the engine until the mount was loose. It WILL lift the van quite a bit also, that is why RAMPS work better.
9) Mount base slides out back, then you move the speedo cable as you rotate to left and there you have it.
10) Put the rubber hood on the new one and tighten nuts about half way to leave some room. Slide mount back in, get all bolts started, then tighten top bolt 'most' of way, lower engine and get bottom four real tight, then finish off top one. Plug electrical back in.
11) Go back up top and use your 1/2 stuff and 17mm to tighten nuts holding rubber hood back down.
12) Replace engin cover, hook up battery, and be shocked at how smooth that van runs.

Such an easy job. I will do the next one in less than an hour. Dealer wanted $900, including the overpriced $599 part. I did it for $385. Local mechanic would have done it for $130 labor, but stil very glad I did it. My rule is, half of what I save goes to tools, so I treated myself to $60 in new 1/2 tools from Harbor Frieght.

ME

[zuzu2700]

After reading the DIY posts, my buddy and I attempted to install a new rear motor mount on my 2005 Odyssey EX-L.
Well, we didn't get very far...

I'm not sure how you guys were able to get a decent shot down to the 14mm bolts on the base of the motor mount. The angle was pretty extreme coming from the top of the engine compartment.

For the life of me, we couldn't figure out how you would reach them (especially the rear bolts) with an impact gun and a bunch of extensions with a universal joint. The angle seemed to extreme.

In scottn3's instructions, he mentioned an 8" extension, but it's a lot farther than that from the top of the engine compartment to the 4 motor mount bolts. What might we be missing or screwing up here?

We tried underneath....had the van up on plastic ramps on the front only....couldn't break them free by hand....and I even tried running out to Sears and bought a 3/8" air impact socket wrench....that didn't do anything....it didn't seem to have nearly enough power to break it free.

What might I be missing guys?

Should I get more breathing room by jacking up the rear, too?

We didn't remove the plastic engine cover...does that make a big difference?

Sounds like MindEddy was able to do the 4 - 14mm bolts by hand...is there enough room to get a box end wrench in there and still get leverage while lying down underneath the van???

Forgive me for being a dolt, I haven't done a ton of work on cars since my youth with my old Alfa Romeo sedan and VW Karmann Ghia.

Thanks in advance for any and all help.

Cheers,
Joey

[MindEddy]

@Joey - Dude, I turned on the laptop for you. Yes, you can. Unless a 2005 & 2006 are drastically different, my steps are perfecto. Impact not needed. Look at #7. YES! 14mm box end, other end open. 6inch & had a friend on the way with something longer, but had them all loose before he got there. Turns out the short box end WAS the solution, because it fit and gave me room to get padded/gloves hands comfortable and arms in best position for each bolt location.

Look at the previous steps, I should have stressed how important I realized getting the back up was. Yes, you need the extra room. HUGE difference. Ramps in front, jack stands in back. Vehicle came out flat and high. When I first saw those 14mm bolts and looked at my short box end 14mm, I thought no way and almost gave up. But, I figured what the heck, but on my craftsman mechanic gloves for strength and positioned myself [spin that body around and find best leverage for each bolt] for maximum arm strength on each bolt. Turns out, they were all tight...but SOFT...in that they came loose but didn't 'BREAK' loose...so after the first one I had confidence knowing it just needed a comfortable position and some stamina. Maybe [maybe] I hit one of them with a claw hammer, but ended up pushing with one hand and hooking other hands thumb in the 'open' end of the wrench. NO fear of 'fast break' so no running hands into anything. Bottom line, they all come loose without a 'knuckle break' effect. You can do it, but give yourself the room.

Actually, getting the one 14mm on top of the motor mount took me longer that all those other 4 just because the mount was squished so bad, I was trying to go through this HOLE in that rubber and just couldn't find the darn thing. Finally realized I needed to ignore that 'hole' and just go 'under' the rubber cap.

Also, when jacking up the trans to get the mount out, don't be freaked out at how much the entire van goes up in front. You ARE moving the engine up and taking pressure off the mount, it just won't seem like it. It slid out shockingly easy with a light spin. I moved the already loosened rubber cap over to the new one in a few minutes and had the new one in place so quick I almost felt guilty. LOL.

Good luck. MindEddy

[MindEddy]

** Let me add, no offense to SCOTTN's first proceedure, but I believe the reason his "STEP 1" exists is because he took the 'must use impact from top' approach, which I found much more complicated and unnecessary on my 2006. The simplicity of the 6 inch 14mm box end wrench with the van up on plastic ramps and jack stands in back, honestly was me just saying "if I can get these loose, I do the job - otherwise, I pay the $130 for the shop" - nothing to lose. There is plenty of room under there and the nuts weren't 'seized up' like those two 17mm I had to break from the top with my big 1/2 stuff. Either way, the ony "impact" I own is all personality. Also, remember with the 'short box/open 14mm' you can always use "box end" on the nut, but hook another 'short' box end wrench into the open end of the first to give you a little more leverage. I may have done that on one. Again, good luck and have a Merry Christmas!

[zuzu2700]

@MindEddy, thanks for the extra information. That definitely cleared up my questions. My buddy and I are going to take a crack at it hopefully next weekend. I'll post back and let everybody know how it went.

After I get this rear mount changed. I'm thinking of disabling the VCM, but doing it so that the engine check light doesn't come on.

Cheers,
Joey

[danalihd]

I just did this job on our 07 EX-L

took me around 2hrs mostly because I forgot to bring the instructions out into the garage so I spent a solid 30min trying to remove the mount without separating the 2 pieces. once I realized that was necessary it was easy. I loosened the 2 17mm nuts from the top with a 3/8" breaker bar and several long extensions. No prob.

Test drive was positive but I think the front mount may need to be replaced now too. Still feels like i'm getting rear ended every time I let off the gas. gotta attempt to crawl back under there tomorrow and see if I can get my eyes on the indicator tab. Also, I don't think it's broken, but my left hand is not gonna work right tomorrow. SLAMMED it into something breaking the first bolt loose.

[MindEddy]

@Danal - Yes, the "rear ended" feeling must be somthing else: My 2006 never had that. My symptoms were a vibration at idle then HEAVY vibration/rattle when ECO mode kicked in, now the van drives like new with new 'Honda' rear motor mount.

[danalihd]

I'm looking at this old mount and I'm wondering if it was even bad. The top where the mounting tab sits isn't concave like in pics I've seen on here. Hmmm

[MindEddy]

@Danal - There are very specific "symptoms" [read my previous post] for the rear mount being bad. It is quite obvious. If you didn't have those symptoms and/or have had no change in performance, then you may have been given bad information. At the dealer, the mechanic just sat in my van and immediately looked at me and said "rear motor mount", then asked if it vibrated/rattled when "ECO" mode kicked in. Combined with information from this forum, mine was obvious. What were your symptoms that caused you to replace yours?

[danalihd]

Horrible drone and vibration when Eco kicks on, and/or when the tcc locks, feels like I'm being rear ended when I let off the gas, like it immediately downshifts or something. There was zero gap at the indicator tab.

The front mount seems fine. I'm gonna get the trans flashed with the most updated settings probably next week.

[MindEddy]

Ok. Hopefully the 'drone/vibration with Eco' is gone with new rear mount. I never had the "rear ended" feeling at all in regards to failed rear mount, so that must be something else. Good luck.

[tfcdont]

I went to the dealership about 2 months ago to get the timing belt job done (I am at 107K), I was told that the rear engine mount had to be replaced because it was "leaking." I told them I would get back to them about the rear engine mount job. While I was doing a oil change about a month ago, I decided to take a took at the mount. I could not tell the clearance between the engine block and the mount (indicator tab), but I touched the rubber ring portion of the mount and noticed that it was "hollow" and had the feel of poking a "dying" ballon. I DO NOT have the drone and vibration when Eco activates. I Do have the "rear ended" feeling but only when I am braking (the car is downshifting). I am pretty handy with tools and I have plastic ramps, jacks, etc. so I can do the job of replacing the mount. Also, I visually checked for engine movement will a buddy was revving the van and changing between gears, but only noticed slight engine movement which I think is normal. What do you guys think?