morebhp

Greetings,

I'm new to the forum. I need to replace the front motor mount. (its actually on my wife's 2000 Odyssey but it's still the 3.5) Is it safe to support the engine from the bottom of the oil pan with a floor jack as long as I use a thick piece of lumber to disperse the weight evenly? I did it last fall with my Taurus SHO 3.0 with no problem. I was looking for confirmation that this is safe and advisable with a Honda 3.5.

--Thanks.

MSchu

What, are you serious. if you are asking becuase you dont know, please help yourself and go to a mechanic that knows what he is doing...

Laughing My Arse Off

morebhp

Glad I could be a source of entertainment for you.

Accord1234

It wouldn't be a wise move. The oil pan isn't meant to support such weight as the car. It might be able to hold but I would never trust it or risk it.

YeuEmMaiMai

you can use the oil pan but ther should be a spot on the trans housing to use as a support point.

ford's 3.0:L sho motor and trans is about the same weight as a J series so it should not be an issue

ChanceIt

I have used the oil pan with a chunk of 2x8 lumber pleanty of times.
Just be sure your not lifting any of the actual vehicle, just supporting the engines weight alone.

YeuEmMaiMai

yeah he only needs to jack it up about 1.5" tops

wellinghurst

You need to support the actual car with jack stands first in the appropriate locations, and then only raise the engine with the jack, not the entire car.

morebhp

Guys, thanks to you all very much. I was looking for someone who had already done this before I tried it. I was reasonably sure it would be okay but to try it and find out otherwise is, well, not an option.

I'll likely drive it up on ramps and then support the engine with the jack while protecting it with a piece of 2x10 lumber. Like ChanceIt said, I only need it hold the engine up about 1.5" inches. It shouldn't involve a great deal of force.

Thanks again.

kndj30

you shouldn't do this. it's not good for the car. why?

because instead of jacking up the entire car from the frame, you are using the motor mounts to jack up the entire car now. your motor mounts are meant to hold up a motor, not an entire car.

if you can use the oil pan, you can use the front tow hooks. please don't kill yourself by unsafely jacking up your car

morebhp

The weight of the vehicle will still be born by the front wheels as it will be on ramps to raise the front so I can access underneath. The only force the jack will be providing is the amount necessary to raise the engine enough within the subframe to clear the mounting holes during the front mount replacement. --About 1.5 inches. There will still be (if I'm not mistaken) three other mounts intact so we are talking only a fraction of the engine's overall weight that must be overcome.

I wouldn't think of jacking the vehicle by the oil pan. That would certainly result in disaster.

YeuEmMaiMai

well it can be assumed that he was going to support the car on ramps and then use a jack to support the engine via the oil pan.........no one suggested that he support the whole car/front end using the oil pan.........

his original question was

"Is it safe to support the engine from the bottom of the oil pan "

and yes it is safe/ acceptable to do so.....as long as the rest of the car is supported.......