How to replace rear engine mount in 1996 Camry, 4 cyl?

[basil]

I've got a 1996 Camry with the 5SFE engine and automatic transmission. A recent visit to the dealer resulted in the service advisor telling me all three engine mounts were bad. (I've seen another thread indicating that the poster had never seen a bad rear engine mount, but I'm going by what the service guy told me.)

I changed the front mount and the torque strut (dog bone) without incident. However, I can't see how the rear one comes out of the car without removing either the entire bracket it attaches to or the entire engine from the car.

Two questions, then:
1. Can this mount be removed without removing a bunch of other stuff? If so, how?
2. Is there any advice on how to loosen the 17mm nut on the top of it? I can't get enough torque on my box-end wrench, and I can't see anyway to get anything bigger in there.

Thanks in advance from a pastor who bought a great low-mileage Camry (71k) with a lot more decayed rubber than he realized.

[REAPER STRAIN]

Not as easy but not too hard. To do this right you will have to:
1. Remove the passenger's side CV axle because the mount supports the bracket that the axle passes through.
2. Support and lift the engine either from above or from below.
3. Loosen the bolts that tie the motor mounting brackets that back of the engine.
4. Loosen the bolts that hold the rubber mount to the frame.
5. Loosen the bolt that holds the rubber mount to the bracket.

You will need a good bit of clearance bcos many of the bolts are long and need a good 2" to clear the whole.

I would advise you to make sure you NEED to change this mount. If your engine is sagging a considerable about (you will know it when you see it) then its definately time to change it. If it isn't and you dont feel a lot of jerking when your car shifts gears you may be ok. It's a bitch to do that mount because you have to do a good bit of maneuvering of the parts and such.

good luck

oh, be sure to check out the service manual or haynes manual for diagrams and detailed description and tools needed.

[basil]

Thanks for the quick reply. I'm replacing the drive axles on both sides (torn CV boots; easier to buy reman units than deal with boots it seems) in the next week or so anyway, so I'll consider that mount when I take up that fun job. I don't notice any sag, btw, but I've only owned the car for 6 weeks or so.

I decided to do the work myself, to save a few hundred dollars. The dealer wanted $900 to replace all three mounts.

As for the manual, I have Haynes as well as the downloadable one from here. Neither of them is all that clear about that mount.

Basil

[REAPER STRAIN]

Well it will be pretty self explainatory once you have the axles off. Your a good man for doing the work yourself. The dealers are a bunch of thieves but they are in business to make money. Again be sure you have a jack and a block of wood to lift the engine a considerable amount for the proper clearance. I will help to take the bolts off the other 2 mounts too so you dont damage then during the lift. Other than that it shouldn't take you that long. If you can get some cheap labor then do so.

[D0UG]

Two questions, then:
1. Can this mount be removed without removing a bunch of other stuff? If so, how?

Yes. Remove the dogbone and bolt from front mount. Remove mount bolts. Jack up engine to make clearance to remove mount from under car.

2. Is there any advice on how to loosen the 17mm nut on the top of it? I can't get enough torque on my box-end wrench, and I can't see anyway to get anything bigger in there.

I used a couple of socket extensions and a 24" pull bar to break it loose. The extensions will go by the intake manifold. You have to place the socket on the bolt from under the car because you can't manuever it onto the bolt with the two extenions attached.

I did this about a year ago so I know it can be done. I did not pull the passenger side axle though the repair manual says to do it.

[bobdotc]

I will have to do this soon. I had to replace the dogbone torque strut. The old one had cracked rubber inside the mount. When I was replacing it I found that the engine was laying backwards toward the dash and the dogbone would not fit. I did put a bar to the engine to pull it forward about 3/4" and the dogbone then fit. The rear engine mount had collapsed a little. RockAuto has all three mounts for around $75.00+tax and shipping. Tnks for info on how to install.