How easy is it to change the engine mounts on MKI - Esp the Rear?

[Jazzmeister]

I recently ditched my 1.3 MKII CVT Jazz and got a 1.5 CVT MKI(We got the 1.5 in SA) - so much better, the 1.3 had no grunt in the lower end, gutless... Anyway the new 1.5 needs an engine mount or two, seems the upper engine mount is solid and pretty durable but the lower and gearbox mount are the flex mounts that do wear out reasonably regularly.

How easy is it to change the engine mounts on MKI - Especially the Rear mount looks like it could be a ********** to get out and refit?

Any tips about assessing the mounts and replacing them would be appreciated!

[Jocko]

You have a Mk2 but you are asking about changing the mounts on a Mk 1?
I have never heard of them failing regularly. My 2006 has the original mounts after 133,000 miles.

[sparky Paul]

I'm not sure if the 1.5 has a different arrangement for engine mounts to the 1.3 engine we have over here, but as Jocko says, problems with the engine mounts don't seem to be an issue. In fact, I can't ever remember it being mentioned, but it is primarily a UK site with very few 1.5L owners.

If the lower mount is a rear tie bar, or 'dog-bone', then the usual check is visual, to check the condition of the bushes, and checking the engine for any excessive rocking fore & aft. A worn tie bar will show up with clunking on throttle/overrun, often on 1st to 2nd gear change.

[Jazzmeister]

You have a Mk2 but you are asking about changing the mounts on a Mk 1?
I have never heard of them failing regularly. My 2006 has the original mounts after 133,000 miles.

You haven't read the op...

[olduser1]

Try a search of the US Honda Fit website owners there are always delving into their 1.5l motors
https://www.fitfreak.net/forums/

[sparky Paul]

Try a search of the US Honda Fit website owners there are always delving into their 1.5l motors
https://www.fitfreak.net/forums/

Good idea 

[Jocko]

]You haven't read the op...

I did, but your profile says 2012.

[Si Crewe]

Seeing as how I've spent the last couple of days staring at these from a distance of around 30cm...

The rear gearbox mount will be a PITA to replace, should you need to.
Fortunately, it's a fairly substantial thing. My Jazz has done 130k miles and the mount looks like new.
If you DO need to replace it, I'd suggest loosening all the other engine mounts, split the join between the exhaust manifold and the cat', removing the bolt from the middle of the mount and then wriggling the engine forward to give yourself space to get to the other bolts.

The mount on the right side of the gearbox is similar to the rear one, with the benefit that there's easier access to all the bolts.

The weakest mount is the one on the "front" of the gearbox (actually also located on the right side of the gearbox but facing forward).
That's got a "rubber spider" in it which is pretty flimsy and is likely to need replacing if it hasn't been done before.
The bolts for that mount are kind of fiddly but it's possibly to get them off from underneath the car with a regular spanner (no room for a socket), with the wheel off.

The engine mount, itself, is also pretty tough (again, still like new on mine).
The only awkward thing about removing it (or loosening the engine/gearbox mounts in general) is that you're going to need a deep 14mm socket to fit over the long studs in the engine mounts.
Support the engine with a trolley-jack, remove the solid part of the mount from the engine and you can undo the bolts and remove the rubber mount.

[Jazzmeister]

]You haven't read the op...

I did, but your profile says 2012.

Ah yes I haven't updated that, the 2012 is sold and gone to the new owner!

[Jazzmeister]

Seeing as how I've spent the last couple of days staring at these from a distance of around 30cm...

The rear gearbox mount will be a PITA to replace, should you need to.
Fortunately, it's a fairly substantial thing. My Jazz has done 130k miles and the mount looks like new.
If you DO need to replace it, I'd suggest loosening all the other engine mounts, split the join between the exhaust manifold and the cat', removing the bolt from the middle of the mount and then wriggling the engine forward to give yourself space to get to the other bolts.

The mount on the right side of the gearbox is similar to the rear one, with the benefit that there's easier access to all the bolts.

The weakest mount is the one on the "front" of the gearbox (actually also located on the right side of the gearbox but facing forward).
That's got a "rubber spider" in it which is pretty flimsy and is likely to need replacing if it hasn't been done before.
The bolts for that mount are kind of fiddly but it's possibly to get them off from underneath the car with a regular spanner (no room for a socket), with the wheel off.

The engine mount, itself, is also pretty tough (again, still like new on mine).
The only awkward thing about removing it (or loosening the engine/gearbox mounts in general) is that you're going to need a deep 14mm socket to fit over the long studs in the engine mounts.
Support the engine with a trolley-jack, remove the solid part of the mount from the engine and you can undo the bolts and remove the rubber mount.

I jacked the car up yesterday and fortunately it looks like it's only the front gearbox mount that needs replacing.

[Jazzmeister]

I had a good look at the front one under load and no signs of tearing, there is a line in the rubber that looked like a tear but it was just the crease where it flexs. Honda claimed it needed replacing but I'm going to leave it for now and monitor it.
Honda also claimed all the coilpacks needed to be replaced... the car runs great, I don't know if they just look at the mileage and suck their thumbs for work that "needs" doing.

[sparky Paul]

I don't know if they just look at the mileage and suck their thumbs for work that "needs" doing.

Plenty of that goes on here in the UK.

[Si Crewe]

I had a good look at the front one under load and no signs of tearing, there is a line in the rubber that looked like a tear but it was just the crease where it flexs. Honda claimed it needed replacing but I'm going to leave it for now and monitor it.
Honda also claimed all the coilpacks needed to be replaced... the car runs great, I don't know if they just look at the mileage and suck their thumbs for work that "needs" doing.

If you're replacing the front mount, there's a 17mm bolt through the middle that needs removing to split the two halves.
On mine, this was rusted solid and I couldn't get it apart, which was rather frustrating.

I figured I'd have to unbolt both halves of the mount from the gearbox and the chassis rail (which is a bit fiddly).
I started by undoing the 3x 14mm bolts that attach the mount to the gearbox and... the entire centre of the mount just fell out! 

Course, that gave me more room to undo the bolts from the chassis rail and meant I could take the centre section to a workbench and grind the nut and bolt off so I could fit a new rubber bush.