How the heck do i get the rear trans mount off?

[concealer404]

Hi,

I'm concealer404, you may or may not have seen me on various other Mazda forums.

Anyways, i have this rusty pile of junk MX3 GS that i'm trying to remove the drivetrain from for another project.

The motor is ready to come out, save for one thing. I AM taking it out through the top. This car is entirely too rusty to attempt to take it out the bottom, since it likely won't go back together, and i have to be able to tow it to the crusher.

So. How does the rear trans mount come off? This is the only thing left, and i'm getting really pissed off about it. I can't take the through bolt out because the head of the bolt is facing the frame, and there's only about 1.5" of clearance before it runs into the car. Is there any "easy" way to do this?


Thanks in advance.

[wytbishop]

Remove the two nuts that secure the mount to the transmission mount member that runs from the front to the subframe.

http://www.mx-3.com/manuals/showimg.php ... J2-012.gif

Item #22 in the diagram is the trans mount member. The nut is marked "D" and goes to the rear mount where you'll find the other "D".

[concealer404]

Thank you!

I looked at those, but they looked like welded/captive nuts, maybe due to rust?

Do i need to remove the east/west crossmember deal that goes across the trans crossmember to remove these? I guess it would be item #14 in that diagram.

[johnmx3ze]

just cut the bolts head then slide it out the other way!

[concealer404]

just cut the bolts head then slide it out the other way!

I have no idea what i could possibly fit down there to cut the bolt. Plus... i can't really get to the nut on the through bolt because i had to cut the linkage off before the "head" of it, so i can't get a socket up there.

Haven't tried the "wrench trick" yet, though.

I think i'm going to remove "Item #14" and see what that gets me. I have air tools and a 40" breaker bar if need be.

[wytbishop]

I think you do have to remove the crossmember to get to those nuts. Not sure. I haven't been down there is a bit.

[concealer404]

I think you do have to remove the crossmember to get to those nuts. Not sure. I haven't been down there is a bit.

Pretty sure i can get to the front one with the crossmember still attached, but probably not the back.

Luckily, after looking at the diagram closer, it's just a brace, really. So if i have to cut it off, i'm cool with that. Car is crusher-bound anyways.

Any of you need anything?

[concealer404]

Well that sucked.

Rounded the last bolt on the crossbrace, so couldn't get it off like that. 20 minutes with a cutoff wheel later, i had access to both bolts. They looked sketchy, so i soaked them in PB Blaster and did other things for awhile.

Came back, threw a 14mm socket on one, and it was loose as hell. Got down to a 12mm before it fit. Made sure it was seated well with a dead blow hammer. Then promptly rounded what was left of the bolt. Looking closer, some moron had tightened and stripped these to nothing in the past.

Started to cut the mount out of the crossmember from underneath, but that wasn't happening in any sort of timely manner.

After banging my head on the floor and beating the hell out of the driver's front fender with said dead blow hammer in a blind rage, i gave it one last hurrah before i called someone with an oxy-torch. Spent 30 minutes walking out what was left of the bolts with an air hammer. I will post pictures of the carnage when they are uploaded in the morning.


I hate previous owners, idiots, and rust.

6 hours to pull a motor that was only attached by front and rear motor mounts, all ancillaries and wiring harness already removed. Ridiculous.


This car was a great drive for the 750 miles i drove it, but i hope it dies a fiery death in hell.

[wytbishop]

That sucks. Sooo been there.

[johnmx3ze]

ive taken my crossmember off so many time it takes me 20 mins to take it off and put it back on...

[Ryan]

yeah... if I'm pulling the motor I don't even remove the mount, I just drop both crossmembers. I do remove the front mount though, for clearance.

[concealer404]

ive taken my crossmember off so many time it takes me 20 mins to take it off and put it back on...

Crossmember was too rusty to come off. The bolts on that were actually worse.






Here's some more carnage:


This picture was after i already cleaned it as well as i could, and pounded a socket over it. (Are these supposed to be 12mm?)


And.... the nuts after i finally got them off: (Ready for a laugh? I could use some sympathy if anyone has any spare.)

[wytbishop]

That is pretty funny. That's the worst I think I've seen. I believe they are 14mm nuts.

[concealer404]

And the aftermath. The car looks like it was raped by a gang of Mack Trucks. Notice that it's bleeding out.






Oooooooo V-Mount AC Exchanger!