I have a 2002 S2000 with stock exhaust. My left rear diff mount is leaking...as they are prone to do. Since I do almost all the work on my car myself, I decided I would do this as well. So I researched forums and manual before attempting to do it and it looked simple enough.

They key according to what I read is to remove the bolts holding the sway bar to the body/frame and swing it down a few inches. I did this and I still have no room to remove the left mount. The sway bar does not move low enough because the exhaust is in the way.

I then loosened the support bar that has the long bolts that the mounts attach to. (I supported the differential of course) I tried moving everything around, but I still can not get the mount off.

The next logical step seems to be to disconnect the rubber exhaust hangers at the mufflers so the exhaust lowers a bit, but even then I am not sure there will be enough room.

I really don't want to take it to the dealer and have them remove the diff. There must be something I am missing here.

Can anyone tell me how they did it?????

Thank you so much,
9000 RPM Marc

 

there should be a write up on removing the diff some where on here..... try a quick search

 

Thank you, but removing the diff is a very different process. You remove it from front to back. This is exactly what I need to avoid as the rear mounts would be one of the latter steps in the process. There is a way to remove them without removing the diff, I just need to know what that process is.

 

Are you trying to remove the whole diff? or do it w/o removing the diff?

Because once you take off the diff - the mounts come off in like 2 seconds

 

I do not want to remove the diff. I just want to remove the left rear mount and replace it.

 

I had it done a long time ago and we had to drop the muffler!

 

Undo the rear sway bar from it's u clamps and let it drop down, then loosen the center bolt holding the mount, next undo the 4 bolts that hold the mount to the framing of the car loosen the 4 bolts holding the other rear mount to the framing of the car.
Use a floor jack under the diff to lift gently so you can ease out the bad mount and replace with the new.

Good luck

 

There we go! I had heard about dropping the exhaust (thank you for that advice), but wanted to avoid that if possible. I will definitely lift the diff until the mounts come off.

thank you

 

are tehy liquid filled?

 

[QUOTE=S2KPUDDYDAD,Mar 12 2008, 05:33 PM]Undo the rear sway bar from it's u clamps and let it drop down, then loosen the center bolt holding the mount, next undo the 4 bolts that hold the mount to the framing of the car loosen the 4 bolts holding the other rear mount to the framing of the car.