[-JrHatch-]

My moms 07 335i convertible passenger side motor mount died recently so I installed new ones for her. Before doing so, I looked up a few DIY’s for the motor mounts and everyone had a different way of doing it and many said that the job took upwards of 10 hours. I have dropped a few subframes in e46 m3’s but never in an e9x so if figured I would try removing the subframe to replace the mounts rather than struggling to get enough room to remove the mounts.
It is important to note you can only do this method if you have an engine support bar.
I bought one a year or two ago from harbor freight so I already had one. These are awesome tools to have if you are a DIY mechanic so I highly recommend having one around.
In the end, doing this method to replace the motor mounts only took me 4.5 hours start to finish. Now that I have done it before I could do it in probably 3 hours on a coupe, ( Does not have the 4 V braces connected to subframe that he convertibles do). No idea about Xi cars but i assume sedans are about the same.
Sorry there's not any pictures and lots of detail but I had not planned on making one of these but when I was finished I was really impressed how easy and fast it was compared to what other DIY’s had described.

1. Jack up front of car as high as possible
2. Remove front wheels
3. Remove plastic under shield - 8mm bolts
4. Install engine support bar, need to remove engine cover to access jack point
5. Remove bottom V brace ( Convertible Only ) - 16mm and 18mm
6. Remove sway Bar completely, otherwise will be in the way -13mm ( I think) and 16mm and 17mm for endlink connection to shocks
7. Remove bolts for steering rack - E10 and 16mm wrench
8. Loosen the 4 suspension arms where they connect to subframe - 18mm bolts
9. Remove 3 t30 bolts holding plastic coolant tube to subframe (May need super low profile ratchet for this
10. Remove 3 t30 bolts holding heat shield on the passenger side motor mount
11. Remove top and bottom bolts on both motor mounts - E10 and 16mm ( I think)
12. Remove front V brace and bracket connected to subframe ( Convertible Only ) - 16mm ( I think)
13. Remove 6 Subframe bolts, take bolts all the way out but only lower the subframe enough to remove motor mounts, use jack stands to support subframe as to not put stress on components still connected - 18mm
14. Reinstall everything starting with your new motor mounts, then get the subframe aligned with jacks, be careful not to cross thread subframe bolts, they should go in very smoothly and easily by hand
15. Note* before tightening subframe bolts, ensure there is still room to install the 3 torx bolts for coolant hose and the heat shield for motor mount, would probably make sense to install the heat shield before lifting subframe back up but i did it once it was already up.

Here is the Engine brace im talking about and the low profile ratchet to remove the torx bolts

[mweisdorfer]

Originally Posted by -JrHatch-

My moms 07 335i convertible passenger side motor mount died recently so I installed new ones for her. Before doing so, I looked up a few DIY's for the motor mounts and everyone had a different way of doing it and many said that the job took upwards of 10 hours. I have dropped a few subframes in e46 m3's but never in an e9x so if figured I would try removing the subframe to replace the mounts rather than struggling to get enough room to remove the mounts.
It is important to note you can only do this method if you have an engine support bar.
I bought one a year or two ago from harbor freight so I already had one. These are awesome tools to have if you are a DIY mechanic so I highly recommend having one around.
In the end, doing this method to replace the motor mounts only took me 4.5 hours start to finish. Now that I have done it before I could do it in probably 3 hours on a coupe, ( Does not have the 4 V braces connected to subframe that he convertibles do). No idea about Xi cars but i assume sedans are about the same.
Sorry there's not any pictures and lots of detail but I had not planned on making one of these but when I was finished I was really impressed how easy and fast it was compared to what other DIY's had described.

1. Jack up front of car as high as possible
2. Remove front wheels
3. Remove plastic under shield - 8mm bolts
4. Install engine support bar, need to remove engine cover to access jack point
5. Remove bottom V brace ( Convertible Only ) - 16mm and 18mm
6. Remove sway Bar completely, otherwise will be in the way -13mm ( I think) and 16mm and 17mm for endlink connection to shocks
7. Remove bolts for steering rack - E10 and 16mm wrench
8. Loosen the 4 suspension arms where they connect to subframe - 18mm bolts
9. Remove 3 t30 bolts holding plastic coolant tube to subframe (May need super low profile ratchet for this
10. Remove 3 t30 bolts holding heat shield on the passenger side motor mount
11. Remove top and bottom bolts on both motor mounts - E10 and 16mm ( I think)
12. Remove front V brace and bracket connected to subframe ( Convertible Only ) - 16mm ( I think)
13. Remove 6 Subframe bolts, take bolts all the way out but only lower the subframe enough to remove motor mounts, use jack stands to support subframe as to not put stress on components still connected - 18mm
14. Reinstall everything starting with your new motor mounts, then get the subframe aligned with jacks, be careful not to cross thread subframe bolts, they should go in very smoothly and easily by hand
15. Note* before tightening subframe bolts, ensure there is still room to install the 3 torx bolts for coolant hose and the heat shield for motor mount, would probably make sense to install the heat shield before lifting subframe back up but i did it once it was already up.

Here is the Engine brace im talking about and the low profile ratchet to remove the torx bolts

I recently did this DIY

Follow this one below & it will be easy.

http://www.n54tech.com/forums/showthread.php?t=22841

On step 7 of the passenger side DIY, just take a 6-8" 2 x 4 piece of wood and put it vertical on your jack. Then find a spot to secure it on the oil pan. This was a lot easier than it sounds. Everyone says the passenger side is the hardest to get out, but I didn't think it was all that difficult to be honest.

You are gonna want to put your car about 16" off the ground on all 4 jack stands.

[matreyia]

I did one and did not have to remove the swaybars at all... detach headlight sensor cable and take off subframe bolts and let subframe hang on the shocks and sway bar...more than enough room.

[mweisdorfer]

Originally Posted by matreyia

I did one and did not have to remove the swaybars at all... detach headlight sensor cable and take off subframe bolts and let subframe hang on the shocks and sway bar...more than enough room.

You don't even need to remove the subframe bolts....

Look at my post. easy pleasey......

[Pinscher]

Originally Posted by mweisdorfer

On step 7 of the passenger side DIY, just take a 6-8" 2 x 4 piece of wood and put it vertical on your jack. Then find a spot to secure it on the oil pan. This was a lot easier than it sounds.

I wish I could picture what this looks like.

[mweisdorfer]

Originally Posted by Pinscher

I wish I could picture what this looks like.

Position the jack under the oil pan. Stand a 2 x 4 piece of wood vertically, that's about 6 to 8" in height, on the jack pad.

Position the top part of the 2 x 4 on the oil pan and jack the engine up about 2" or so.

All you need to be able to do is slide the old engine mount out and put the new engine mount in. The engine mount bracket secured to the block just needs to be lifted high enough to clear the stud on the top side of the engine mount plus maybe an inch.

[Pinscher]

alright, I saw a picture of this in some searching. thank you! I really think I need it.

[nilesd22]

Hey, so I didn't feel like removing the subframe and wanted to do the least amount of disassembly possible. So I put a jack stand under one side of the motor on the corner, placed two stands at the jack points just in case, then used floor jack at front point to lower car until the motor lifted and tilted enough to replace the mount. Sorry, writing this at work cause I did this a few days ago and I don't want to forget. Here are my pics. It took me about 30mins to replace the passenger mount. The only things removed was the sway bar and steering rack.