So I bought this Integra to use as my daily driver for work thinking it would be a fun, cheap car that I could wrench on until our finances were such I could get something newer in a few years (having recently had to trade in my 07 Accord so we could get an Odyssey). I had planned to do some maintenance to it and get it up to snuff and maybe a few bolt ons for fun later on, but I feel I am doing nothing but digging myself deeper and deeper into a pit.

The car has 180k miles and originally came from Massachusetts (I should have stopped there). A number of bolts and small brackets under the hood are rusty, but I figured it wouldn't be a big deal. I decided to replace the belts as one of my first tasks not knowing that the AC compressor clutch was bad but also that the torque mount (driver's side lower motor mount) would need to be removed. I got the nut off the arm from the motor, but couldn't get the bolts to come off the mount itself and noticed that the mount had failed so I pulled the center of the mount out which gave me enough room to get the belt through and put on. I finished up the PS belt thinking I had done pretty well, but knew I'd need to get the motor mount off so I could replace it.

Here is where it gets worse. The bolts backed off a little, but then seemed to just turn and were still taking considerable force to move. I kept on the front most bolt and finally a pop which made me think I broke the bolt, but instead, I have broken whatever is inside the frame that the bolt screws into. I'm guessing it is like a nut that was welded in and is now spinning free. There is no way into this area from what I can tell without cutting a hole in the frame which I couldn't do anyway if I thought it were a good idea to try (don't have tools for that).

I'm so lost at this point and the only thing I can think to do is hope for pity from the Acura dealer and that there's a mechanic that has a heart for Integras that can help me out somehow.

I am hoping to be reassured that there is hope for me and my car...

 

Can you take a picture of the area you're talking about?

Not all hope is lost. See if there is a specialist in your area that does "tap extraction". The dealership won't be able to do anything. For future rusty nuts and bolts, try heating them up with a torch or using a penetrating lube (not WD40).

 

The red square is the bolt that is freely spinning. Through the hole in the frame, I can see something on the topside of the bolt that is spinning. The other bolt on the mount "turns" but isn't moving. I am in the Houston area so hopefully there is someone that can help.

 

They might have to cut/grind the head of the nut off, then re-tap the hole or weld a new nut on to it. It's not a terrible situation if you get the right guy to do it.

 

I'm worried about the "weld a new nut" option since there is no way into the frame here without cutting a hole... at least, as far as I can tell. I guess it could be worse, this car just doesn't want me to have it road worthy anytime soon. Driving my son's car to work for now. Luckily, he isn't 16 yet.

 

I have an appointment this afternoon with a shop that does bolt extraction. The guy I talked to seemed to be pretty familiar with my model car, so that gives me a little reassurance.

I will post back with results. I can still drive the car (with its myriad of other issues) luckily, but I certainly am taking it easy without that mount.

 

So what happened?

 

Nothing yet. I dropped the car off yesterday evening after 5 and they didn't have time to do anything to it then. I hope they can get it done today so I can get back to working on it and driving. Yesterday was the first day I took it to work and it was fun to drive, even driving quite easy.

 

I got the car last night and the welder was able to put it back like stock. He only had to drill one small hole to tack a new nut inside the factory location, tapped the rear mount hole and put some new bolts in place. The nuts and bolts I got from the dealer were way bigger than what was in there before. They must have given me part numbers for the upper motor mounts by accident.

Onwards to more projects. I replaced the cam plug to stop an oil leak and replaced the thermostat that was stuck open. Thanks for the replies.

 

Nice. Glad it worked out.

 

Poor salty, neglected Geser

Glad to hear your getting her in working order