How hard is it to replace the cylindrical rubber cushion in the front engine mounts on a 1973 Dart with 318? I was thinking of replacing the original rubber with a polyurethane bushing but keeping the original metal mount. How does the old rubber come out? Does the new one just slide in? The shop manual makes it seem easy. I think it would be hard to access the bolts with power steering. It seems like a hard place to get your hands and wrenches into.
engine mount rubber replacement 318 Dart NEW QUESTION
- Thread starter Lasalle
- Start date
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It’s not a bad job. U will have to loosen the through bolts on the mount then Jack up the engine to have clearance to get the mount out. Use a block of wood on the oil pan. U may have to remove the distributor cap depending on how much clearance u need to get the mount out. Kim
Ironracer
Gearhead
I went all poly engine and Trans mounts. LOVE IT! The trans mount was easy. Needed a 20 ton press to install the engine ones. The damn company I used ( ES) kit has the wrong bushing. Had to grind it down.
Ironracer
Gearhead
Well, if the poly mounts are available fully assembled, easy. Just 1/4 turn at a time, sometimes. I had to retro fit my existing mounts and keep the sleeves...used brake cleaner and a wire brush on a drill to get the mess out
Question to the point: Is the rubber part of the motor mount attached to or vulcanized to the metal? In other words, when I take the motor mount off, does the rubber slide out or is it attached and have to be forcibly removed? Do I have to dig it out some way? The new polyurethane ones from Classic industries appear to just slide in the original metal.
Ironracer
Gearhead
See above... you can burn em out, or drill em. The poly ones slide back in. I don’t think the poly ones are available fully assembled any longer
The originals are molded to a steel shell and the steel is then "crimped" to hold it in.
I understand now. I was confused because Ironracer said he got the wrong part. Even with the correct replacement polyurethane you still have to drill out or burn out the original rubber. Thanks for the replies.
Ironracer
Gearhead
The wrong part I was referring referring to was a bushing kit from Energy Suspension. One of the bushings was Wrong. They sent me a duplicate of the other side, but it showed up after I milled the other one down to fit. Sorry for the confusion... sometimes it follows me... lol
In the end I reused the original engine mount brackets and replaced the rubber spool type inserts. I had to undo the factory crimp to slide the old ones out. I slid the oval steel cylinder out with the old rubber inside. I could not reproduce the factory crimp as good as it was so I put a dot or two of weld between the new steel cylinders and the old brackets to ensure it would stay in place. Engine is smooth.
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