16.08.2005: Saab NG900 Engine Mounts

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16.08.2005: Saab NG900 Engine Mounts

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Engine mount replacement on the 1996 Saab 900. The old mounts were severily worn and broken, which caused excessive engine movement and shifting difficulty at high boost. To firm things up further, the transmission mount has been upgraded with a sport polyurethane mount from Taliaferro.

Tools:

17 mm socket (rear mount);
16 mm socket (rear and transmission mounts);
15 mm socket (side mounts);
13 mm socket (gearshift linkage);
10 mm socket (throttle body inlet, plastic shields);
8 mm socket (plastic shields);
8 mm Allen socket (passenger side mount);
two L-shaped 3 mm Allen keys;
long socket extension;
ratchet handle;
torque wrench;
flat screwdriver (throttle body clamps);
hydraulic jacks and stands.

	16.08.2005 Shields down Raise the front end of the car and remove the lower shields under the bumper. The wheels are turned to the right to get an access to the serpentine belt cover.		16.08.2005 Jack Support the transmission with a jack (the differential case looks like a good jacking point). Don't raise it too high, just make sure it takes the weight off the transmission mount.
	16.08.2005 Transmission mount Locate the transmission mount under the left fender. Slacken the 15 mm bolts that secure it to the car body and make sure the jack supports the engine/transmission properly.		16.08.2005 Transmission mount Remove the bolts attaching the mount to the car body. Unbolt the mount from the angle bracket on the transmission (16 mm socket). Remove the mount from the car.
	16.08.2005 New vs old The old mount is cracked. Its bracket it so thin I can bend it with my bare hands. You can see how much stronger the sport mount is. It has a thick metal frame that doesn't allow any flex.		16.08.2005 New vs old The Taliaferro mount is completely filled with polyurethane, while the stock mount has three relatively soft rubber sections. The old rubber spacer is no longer needed, you can discard it.
	16.08.2005 Transmission mount Attach the mount to the bracket, then put in the bolts attaching it to the side member. You might need to raise or lower the jack to make it fit. Tighten the bracket bolts to 29 ft-lbs.		16.08.2005 Transmission mount Tighten the remaining two bolts to 54 ft-lbs. It's a pity such a beautiful piece of hardware remains hidden from view.
	16.08.2005 Engine mount The passenger side engine mount is located under the right fender. Support the oil pan with a jack and loosen the 15 mm bolts holding the mount to the car body.		16.08.2005 Engine mount There's only one bolt going to the engine bracket, but if the mount is worn and sagging, there's a chance the bolt head won't match the hole anymore, so you'll have to hunt it inside the mount with a long 8 mm Allen key.
	16.08.2005 Old vs new All bolts are out, and the mount is removed from the car. You can immediately see how deformed it is compared to the new mount. The engine sat so low the oil pan was touching the subframe every time the engine moved.		16.08.2005 Old vs new This shows how the bolt does not match the hole anymore. You can force it through, but with a limited clearance under the fender it is not a easy task. In fact, with a bit of load placed on the mount, the bolt hides from view completely.
	16.08.2005 New engine mount The torque values for this mount are the same: 29 ft-lbs for the bolt in the centre, and 54 ft-lbs for the bolts going to the side member.		16.08.2005 Lower rear nuts There are two nuts attaching the rear mount to the subframe from below. On my car one of the nuts was 16 mm and another 17 mm. I'm not sure if this is always the case, so be prepared.
	16.08.2005 Rear mount nut The third nut attaches the top of the rear mount to the engine bracket. You can reach it using a long extention with a U-joint. Removing the throttle body inlet pipe just gives you enough room to work. You can see that I took this opportunity to clean the throttle body and the IAC valve.		16.08.2005 Rear mount nut The nut itself is 16 mm. Unfortunately, there's very little room to get to it and apply proper leverage, that's why a long extention works better. I've also disconnected the gearshift rod from the linkage to get more freedom in lifting the engine. If you do that, don't forget to align it afterwards.
	16.08.2005 Jacks The engine is now supported with two jacks: under the oil pan and the differential. This allows to lift it as much as possible to create enough room to remove the mount. When lifting the engine, be careful not to jam or break any hoses or other parts.		16.08.2005 Rear mount Even with the engine tilted to the max, there's barely enough room to wrestle the mount in or out. The Saab Manual actually orders you to lower the entire subframe instead. For some silly reason it also calls for removing the wheels for the side mounts.
	16.08.2005 New vs old This mount was in the worst shape of all -- it was torn completely, and the hydraulic fluid apparently leaked long time ago.		16.08.2005 New vs old The big washer goes on top of the mount with the cut-out facing the rear of the car. Put the new mount in, remove the suporting jacks and torque all three nuts to 29 ft-lbs. Done!

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