Changing Motor Mounts with Kooks headers installed? Who has done it? What to expect?
01-06-2014, 09:45 PM
#23
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I've done the pass side motor mount with Kooks headers installed.
Once the upper and lower brackets are disconnected, I disassembled the mount from them above the sub frame. Remove the bottom bolt. Then flip the top bracket with the motor mount and remove the top nut. Then pull the mount out the side towards the wheel.
To drop the sub frame, you can reach the driver's side 13mm bolt by getting it from above with about 3' of extensions with a wobble on the end before the socket. I used 3/8" and then adapter to 1/2" to a wrench. If you look down between the 1st and 2nd long tube at the head, you can see the head of the bolt. (Shine a light down in front of the first long tube). You may have to go back under to get the socket onto the head of the bolt, then go back up top and back it out. I left the bolt in the subframe and it was still there when buttoning everything back up, saves from fighting to get it back to its home.
I didn't do the drivers side...but it looks tough with less room to work and pass side isn't much room, but do-able.
Use lots of various extensions and wobbles.
Once the upper and lower brackets are disconnected, I disassembled the mount from them above the sub frame. Remove the bottom bolt. Then flip the top bracket with the motor mount and remove the top nut. Then pull the mount out the side towards the wheel.
To drop the sub frame, you can reach the driver's side 13mm bolt by getting it from above with about 3' of extensions with a wobble on the end before the socket. I used 3/8" and then adapter to 1/2" to a wrench. If you look down between the 1st and 2nd long tube at the head, you can see the head of the bolt. (Shine a light down in front of the first long tube). You may have to go back under to get the socket onto the head of the bolt, then go back up top and back it out. I left the bolt in the subframe and it was still there when buttoning everything back up, saves from fighting to get it back to its home.
I didn't do the drivers side...but it looks tough with less room to work and pass side isn't much room, but do-able.
Use lots of various extensions and wobbles.
01-07-2014, 10:33 AM
#24
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02-01-2014, 10:54 PM
#25
UPDATE: Just wanted to post my findings. I hate when I read a thread and no-one updates with results.
Finally broke down and did my motor mounts today with success. They were the original OEM mounts now with 30k miles on them. They were completely destroyed. I went with the Creative Steel black poly mounts. Bought them on sale right before the new year.
My impressions of these new mounts is very positive. Quality product and fit perfectly with the supplied heat shields. I am impressed. The vibration and noise/ clunking is now completely gone. The engine is sitting about 1/2 higher. This is where it should sit. It was sagging due to the old mounts. The header now has ~1/4" clearance for the steering shaft like it should. It was rubbing before. All is good, night and day difference.
It was an all day job with two of us working on it. We have never done mounts on one of these cars before.
My suggestion, TAKE THE HEADERS OFF. Just break down and do it. I feel it would be almost impossible to do with them in place, especially on the driver's side. Got nowhere trying to get to everything with the headers still installed. The Kooks headers drop right out after being unbolted. No BS, these Kooks headers are the best fitting LT header I have ever worked with. These are 10x easier to remove than the LG headers on my Corvette and I have had those on/off many times. Remove the headers and the entire mounts come right out. No fighting with anything underneath trying to disassemble under the car. Installed the new mounts and bolted everything up very straight forward. Then put the headers back in afterwards. Did new NGK TR6 (4177) plugs and MSD (32819) wires at the same time, since they needed to come out as well.
The subframe did NOT have to be lowered at all to get anything out.
Installed brand new OEM MLS header gaskets. These are ACDelco 12617944. ~$30 per set of 2. These OEM type don't leak and I have reused these same ones many times on my C5. I'm not sure what type were on the car, but they were not OEM. The old gaskets did not seal well. There was a metal flange with graphite rings at each cylinder. Found one of them was leaking bad at the head.
These are just my observations....
Finally broke down and did my motor mounts today with success. They were the original OEM mounts now with 30k miles on them. They were completely destroyed. I went with the Creative Steel black poly mounts. Bought them on sale right before the new year.
My impressions of these new mounts is very positive. Quality product and fit perfectly with the supplied heat shields. I am impressed. The vibration and noise/ clunking is now completely gone. The engine is sitting about 1/2 higher. This is where it should sit. It was sagging due to the old mounts. The header now has ~1/4" clearance for the steering shaft like it should. It was rubbing before. All is good, night and day difference.
It was an all day job with two of us working on it. We have never done mounts on one of these cars before.
My suggestion, TAKE THE HEADERS OFF. Just break down and do it. I feel it would be almost impossible to do with them in place, especially on the driver's side. Got nowhere trying to get to everything with the headers still installed. The Kooks headers drop right out after being unbolted. No BS, these Kooks headers are the best fitting LT header I have ever worked with. These are 10x easier to remove than the LG headers on my Corvette and I have had those on/off many times. Remove the headers and the entire mounts come right out. No fighting with anything underneath trying to disassemble under the car. Installed the new mounts and bolted everything up very straight forward. Then put the headers back in afterwards. Did new NGK TR6 (4177) plugs and MSD (32819) wires at the same time, since they needed to come out as well.
The subframe did NOT have to be lowered at all to get anything out.
Installed brand new OEM MLS header gaskets. These are ACDelco 12617944. ~$30 per set of 2. These OEM type don't leak and I have reused these same ones many times on my C5. I'm not sure what type were on the car, but they were not OEM. The old gaskets did not seal well. There was a metal flange with graphite rings at each cylinder. Found one of them was leaking bad at the head.
These are just my observations....
Last edited by Steve01SS; 02-01-2014 at 11:09 PM.
02-02-2014, 10:20 AM
#27
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UPDATE: Just wanted to post my findings. I hate when I read a thread and no-one updates with results.
Finally broke down and did my motor mounts today with success. They were the original OEM mounts now with 30k miles on them. They were completely destroyed. I went with the Creative Steel black poly mounts. Bought them on sale right before the new year.
My impressions of these new mounts is very positive. Quality product and fit perfectly with the supplied heat shields. I am impressed. The vibration and noise/ clunking is now completely gone. The engine is sitting about 1/2 higher. This is where it should sit. It was sagging due to the old mounts. The header now has ~1/4" clearance for the steering shaft like it should. It was rubbing before. All is good, night and day difference.
It was an all day job with two of us working on it. We have never done mounts on one of these cars before.
My suggestion, TAKE THE HEADERS OFF. Just break down and do it. I feel it would be almost impossible to do with them in place, especially on the driver's side. Got nowhere trying to get to everything with the headers still installed. The Kooks headers drop right out after being unbolted. No BS, these Kooks headers are the best fitting LT header I have ever worked with. These are 10x easier to remove than the LG headers on my Corvette and I have had those on/off many times. Remove the headers and the entire mounts come right out. No fighting with anything underneath trying to disassemble under the car. Installed the new mounts and bolted everything up very straight forward. Then put the headers back in afterwards. Did new NGK TR6 (4177) plugs and MSD (32819) wires at the same time, since they needed to come out as well.
The subframe did NOT have to be lowered at all to get anything out.
Installed brand new OEM MLS header gaskets. These are ACDelco 12617944. ~$30 per set of 2. These OEM type don't leak and I have reused these same ones many times on my C5. I'm not sure what type were on the car, but they were not OEM. The old gaskets did not seal well. There was a metal flange with graphite rings at each cylinder. Found one of them was leaking bad at the head.
These are just my observations....
Finally broke down and did my motor mounts today with success. They were the original OEM mounts now with 30k miles on them. They were completely destroyed. I went with the Creative Steel black poly mounts. Bought them on sale right before the new year.
My impressions of these new mounts is very positive. Quality product and fit perfectly with the supplied heat shields. I am impressed. The vibration and noise/ clunking is now completely gone. The engine is sitting about 1/2 higher. This is where it should sit. It was sagging due to the old mounts. The header now has ~1/4" clearance for the steering shaft like it should. It was rubbing before. All is good, night and day difference.
It was an all day job with two of us working on it. We have never done mounts on one of these cars before.
My suggestion, TAKE THE HEADERS OFF. Just break down and do it. I feel it would be almost impossible to do with them in place, especially on the driver's side. Got nowhere trying to get to everything with the headers still installed. The Kooks headers drop right out after being unbolted. No BS, these Kooks headers are the best fitting LT header I have ever worked with. These are 10x easier to remove than the LG headers on my Corvette and I have had those on/off many times. Remove the headers and the entire mounts come right out. No fighting with anything underneath trying to disassemble under the car. Installed the new mounts and bolted everything up very straight forward. Then put the headers back in afterwards. Did new NGK TR6 (4177) plugs and MSD (32819) wires at the same time, since they needed to come out as well.
The subframe did NOT have to be lowered at all to get anything out.
Installed brand new OEM MLS header gaskets. These are ACDelco 12617944. ~$30 per set of 2. These OEM type don't leak and I have reused these same ones many times on my C5. I'm not sure what type were on the car, but they were not OEM. The old gaskets did not seal well. There was a metal flange with graphite rings at each cylinder. Found one of them was leaking bad at the head.
These are just my observations....
If you remember, an update on the mounts a year from now would be nice.
Thanks again, Max
03-04-2014, 03:30 PM
#28
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Same with me I watched the video and did it with the oem manifolds installed, didn't take off anything. I lowered the cross member and it wasn't to bad. Lowering the front cross member/frame what ever you call it is key
CTS-V motor mounts removal (part 1 of 2) - YouTube
CTS-V motor mounts install (part 2 of 2) - YouTube
CTS-V motor mounts removal (part 1 of 2) - YouTube
CTS-V motor mounts install (part 2 of 2) - YouTube
03-04-2014, 03:52 PM
#29
Just follow the UMI how-to. It worked wonderfully for me.
By the way, installed Creative Steel motor mounts over the weekend and I did not even attempt to do it without taking the Kooks out. It's so easy to take the headers off, I don't know why anyone would want to make the mount swap harder on themselves. Does it add on a few hours? Sure. But it also takes away a TON of frustration. I'm running the "street" mounts from CS and the vibrations are not bad at all. The transmission mount adds more than the motor mounts, I think.
By the way, installed Creative Steel motor mounts over the weekend and I did not even attempt to do it without taking the Kooks out. It's so easy to take the headers off, I don't know why anyone would want to make the mount swap harder on themselves. Does it add on a few hours? Sure. But it also takes away a TON of frustration. I'm running the "street" mounts from CS and the vibrations are not bad at all. The transmission mount adds more than the motor mounts, I think.
03-04-2014, 04:18 PM
#30
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By the way, installed Creative Steel motor mounts over the weekend and I did not even attempt to do it without taking the Kooks out. It's so easy to take the headers off, I don't know why anyone would want to make the mount swap harder on themselves. Does it add on a few hours? Sure. But it also takes away a TON of frustration.
03-04-2014, 04:41 PM
#32
I agree with everything bmylez posted in this thread.
Stock "manifolds" do not need to be removed and would advise against doing so. They are really not in the way. Longtube headers are a different story and is best to remove them.
Stock "manifolds" do not need to be removed and would advise against doing so. They are really not in the way. Longtube headers are a different story and is best to remove them.
03-04-2014, 06:13 PM
#33
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06-01-2014, 11:55 AM
#34
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UPDATE: Just wanted to post my findings. I hate when I read a thread and no-one updates with results.
Finally broke down and did my motor mounts today with success. They were the original OEM mounts now with 30k miles on them. They were completely destroyed. I went with the Creative Steel black poly mounts. Bought them on sale right before the new year.
My impressions of these new mounts is very positive. Quality product and fit perfectly with the supplied heat shields. I am impressed. The vibration and noise/ clunking is now completely gone. The engine is sitting about 1/2 higher. This is where it should sit. It was sagging due to the old mounts. The header now has ~1/4" clearance for the steering shaft like it should. It was rubbing before. All is good, night and day difference.
It was an all day job with two of us working on it. We have never done mounts on one of these cars before.
My suggestion, TAKE THE HEADERS OFF. Just break down and do it. I feel it would be almost impossible to do with them in place, especially on the driver's side. Got nowhere trying to get to everything with the headers still installed. The Kooks headers drop right out after being unbolted. No BS, these Kooks headers are the best fitting LT header I have ever worked with. These are 10x easier to remove than the LG headers on my Corvette and I have had those on/off many times. Remove the headers and the entire mounts come right out. No fighting with anything underneath trying to disassemble under the car. Installed the new mounts and bolted everything up very straight forward. Then put the headers back in afterwards. Did new NGK TR6 (4177) plugs and MSD (32819) wires at the same time, since they needed to come out as well.
The subframe did NOT have to be lowered at all to get anything out.
Installed brand new OEM MLS header gaskets. These are ACDelco 12617944. ~$30 per set of 2. These OEM type don't leak and I have reused these same ones many times on my C5. I'm not sure what type were on the car, but they were not OEM. The old gaskets did not seal well. There was a metal flange with graphite rings at each cylinder. Found one of them was leaking bad at the head.
These are just my observations....
Finally broke down and did my motor mounts today with success. They were the original OEM mounts now with 30k miles on them. They were completely destroyed. I went with the Creative Steel black poly mounts. Bought them on sale right before the new year.
My impressions of these new mounts is very positive. Quality product and fit perfectly with the supplied heat shields. I am impressed. The vibration and noise/ clunking is now completely gone. The engine is sitting about 1/2 higher. This is where it should sit. It was sagging due to the old mounts. The header now has ~1/4" clearance for the steering shaft like it should. It was rubbing before. All is good, night and day difference.
It was an all day job with two of us working on it. We have never done mounts on one of these cars before.
My suggestion, TAKE THE HEADERS OFF. Just break down and do it. I feel it would be almost impossible to do with them in place, especially on the driver's side. Got nowhere trying to get to everything with the headers still installed. The Kooks headers drop right out after being unbolted. No BS, these Kooks headers are the best fitting LT header I have ever worked with. These are 10x easier to remove than the LG headers on my Corvette and I have had those on/off many times. Remove the headers and the entire mounts come right out. No fighting with anything underneath trying to disassemble under the car. Installed the new mounts and bolted everything up very straight forward. Then put the headers back in afterwards. Did new NGK TR6 (4177) plugs and MSD (32819) wires at the same time, since they needed to come out as well.
The subframe did NOT have to be lowered at all to get anything out.
Installed brand new OEM MLS header gaskets. These are ACDelco 12617944. ~$30 per set of 2. These OEM type don't leak and I have reused these same ones many times on my C5. I'm not sure what type were on the car, but they were not OEM. The old gaskets did not seal well. There was a metal flange with graphite rings at each cylinder. Found one of them was leaking bad at the head.
These are just my observations....
THanks for the update and part numbers Steve - i take it these plug wires will work with OEM steel plug boot sleeves?
I think i will add some DEI plug wire covers at the same time...stock wires run too close to the headers for me.
I will be installing CS mounts with kooks headers at the end of the month - will probably get the new AC Delco header gaskets at the same time.
06-01-2014, 12:46 PM
#35
No, the MSD wires do not fit the stock steel plug boot sleeves. The MSD boots are skinnier. I have used these same wires on 3 different LS cars. You can flex the end of the boot for best clearance on the exhaust and it stays put.
The DEI covers might not be a bad idea, but I didn't see the need personally.
I used TR6 plugs since the car has a Magnacharger and are one heat range colder than stock. I would go with TR55's (3951) if it was naturally aspirated.
On another note, the mounts and all are still working great.
The DEI covers might not be a bad idea, but I didn't see the need personally.
I used TR6 plugs since the car has a Magnacharger and are one heat range colder than stock. I would go with TR55's (3951) if it was naturally aspirated.
On another note, the mounts and all are still working great.
06-04-2014, 09:23 AM
#36
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So I finally got around to changing out my motor mounts with the revshift blues and it took me about 4 hours on ramps & hand tools. Not something I want to do again for a long time, but well worth the time & effort spent on it. Haven't noticed any increase in vibrations either.
Last edited by MarkOne; 06-04-2014 at 09:30 AM.
