How to Replace the Motor Mounts in a Contour
by Allen Moore
The Ford Contour has two motor mounts: one located on the top (often referred to as a torque mount, due to its primary role of preventing the engine from shifting under heavy torque), and one located on the chassis (this is the lower mount, which supports the engine’s weight on the chassis). Replacing these motor mounts is a half-day job, best undertaken by someone with experience in performing automotive engine repairs and with good upper-body strength. If that’s not you, do yourself a favor and leave this job to a professional.
Step 1
Drive the front tires of the Contour onto the ramps. Set the parking brake and place the wheel chocks behind the rear wheels.
Step 2
Raise the hood and locate the top engine mount, which runs from the top-front of the engine out to the strut tower. The mount is popularly referred to as a "dog bone," due to its resemblance to a dog’s bone, which makes its visual identification quick and easy.
Step 3
Unbolt the mount from the strut tower bracket by placing one socket and wrench on the bottom nut to hold it steady while you loosen the bolt from the top with the other socket and wrench. Be careful not to let the nut fall into the engine well.
Step 4
Unbolt the mount from the engine in the same manner, using both socket and wrench combinations to remove the bolt and nut. Pull the mount out by hand.
Step 5
Bolt the new mount to the engine in reverse of the removal procedure. Align the other end of the mount with the strut tower bracket and bolt that side down in the same manner. You may need to move the engine a bit to line them up, using the pry bar. Be careful not to pry on anything that can break--such as exhaust shields, engine accessories or plug wires.
Step 6
Roll the floor jack under the Contour and jack the engine up slightly. Unbolt the lower engine mount from the chassis, using the socket set, then jack the engine up further, until the mount studs lift out of the chassis holes.
Step 7
Unbolt the mount from the engine block and bolt the new one in its place, using the socket set. Lower the engine back down with the jack, until the mount studs go back through the chassis holes.
Step 8
Bolt the mount to the chassis, using the socket set, and then remove the jack.
Step 9
Move the wheel chocks, close the hood and drive the Contour off the ramps.
References
- "Ford Contour & Mercury Mystique 1995 thru 2000: Haynes Manual;" Ken Freund; 2000
Things You'll Need
- Ramps
- 2 wheel chocks
- Socket set
- 2 Socket wrenches
- Pry bar (optional)
- Floor jack
Writer Bio
Allen Moore's career includes awards in poetry and creative fiction, published lyrics, fiction books and nonfiction articles as well as a master certification in automotive service from the Ford Motor Company. Moore is a contributing writer for RF365.com and various other websites, a ghostwriter for Rainbow Writing and has over a dozen works of fiction currently in print.
