How to replace the lower engine mount (rear engine link, support) on a Dacia / Renault Duster, 4WD.

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  • OVERALL DIFFICULTY INDEX: 2/10
  • IF YOU HAVE NO TOOLS YOU PAY $25 TO GET THEM FOR THIS JOB
  • IF YOU HAVE NO EXPERIENCE YOU SPEND 45 MINUTES TO CARRY OUT THIS JOB
  • RISK OF BURNS, SEE BELOW​
BEFORE YOU START
  • Be careful not to touch any hot part of the engine.
  • This tutorial applies to FWD vehicles with a transverse engine. Most will have a limited ground clearance. You might need to lift your vehicle to reach the lower engine mount. See our tips for safely working beneath a vehicle.
DISCLAIMER:
Our pictorials are of informative nature and do illustrate works carried out by ourselves at our own premises for our own use and satisfaction.
Readers who envisage to carry out similar works inspired by the below method shall do this at their own risks and liability.

Symptoms of a damaged back engine mount (lower engine support)

The back engine support (lower engine mount) links the transverse engine of a vehicle to the bottom of the car body.
Its rubber component isolates the chassis from the engine vibrations.
This engine link ages and deteriorates with time as explained in the below listed symptoms:
  1. Increased vibrations felt in the vehicle (difficult to notice)
  2. One-time hammer like noise upon pressing the clutch pedal
  3. One-time hammer noise at each start in a traffic jam
  4. Repeated hammer noise when driving at very low speed on uneven roads
  5. One-time hammer noise upon steering in any direction when driving at very low speed
  6. Noise is felt most in the middle of the car and to the gearbox side i.e. to the left of the vehicle in front of the driver
The below picture shows how the 120,000Km old engine / transmission mounting has aged, with deep cracks showing on the rubber part:

Bottom (back) engine support replacement tutorial on a Dacia or Renault Duster. Similar on all vehicles with a transverse engine.

Start by unscrewing (but without removing) the middle and back bolts that hold the engine protector.
This will lower the oil pan oover a little bit so you can later easily extract the engine mount of the Duster.
Slacken the two bolts that hold the lower engine support and take them out.
Slide the engine mount of the Renault Duster to one of the sides, then take it out from the back side of the engine protector.
Always make sure you purchased the right replacement, specifically the distance between the two bolts and that the bolts holes are of the right diameter. 
​In the case of the Dacia (or Renault) Duster, you might need to transpose the additional reinforcement from the old engine support to the new one as shown below.
Refit the new engine mounting, tighten to 8mKg each of its bolts, tighten the engine protector bolts and that's it!

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