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MINI Cooper R56 Right Engine Mount Replacement

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Project Time: 2 hours
Tab: $200
Talent
Tools: Set of sockets, (13, 16, 18mm), hydraulic or screw jack, block of wood

Parts Required: Engine mount and fasteners
Performance Gain: Reduce engine vibration
Complementary Modification: Replace transmission mount

The engine in your MINI has to be secured to the chassis in order to provide maximum power transfer.

MINI achieves this by using a hydraulic motor mount (liquid filled). These mounts have hollow chambers inside that are filled with fluid that helps to create a stiff engine mount while maintaining the highest level of vibration dampening.

The R56 drivetrain (engine and transmission) is supported by a system of mounts. The engine rests on two engine mounts, one on the right and one at the bottom center near the engine oil pan. At the left side, the transmission rests on a mount, which is bolted to a support bracket.

When an engine mount begins to fail, you will feel more vibrations from the engine. The engine may sag in the engine bay or the engine may have excessive movement under torque if a mount is broken. When working under your vehicle, you may notice fluid leaking out of your engine mount(s). This means the mount has failed and should be replaced.

In this article, I'll go over the steps involved with replacing the engine mounts on the MINI R56 with an Turbocharged 4-cylinder engine. Other engines are similar.

Keep in mind that when your car was serviced before, parts may have been replaced with different size fasteners used in the replacement. The sizes of the nuts and bolts we give may be different from what you have, so be prepared with different size sockets and wrenches.

Protect your eyes, hands and body from fluids, dust and debris while working on your vehicle. If you're working with the electrical system, disconnect the battery before beginning. Always catch fluids in appropriate containers and properly dispose of any fluid waste. Recycle parts, packaging and fluids when possible. Never work on your vehicle if you feel the task is beyond your ability.

Our vehicle may vary slightly from yours as models do change and evolve, as they grow older. If something seems different, let us know and share your info to help other users. Do you have questions or want to add to the article? Leave a comment below. When leaving a comment, please leave your vehicle information.

Place the radiator support in service mode. See our tech article on radiator support service mode.

The following steps highlight removing the right side engine mount.

Hot tip

Replace fasteners

Nick Czerula, DIY Expert

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Project Photos

Figure 1 The right engine mount (red arrow) is right below the radiator support (green arrow). To remove the right engine mount, the radiator support has to be moved, as it blocks access.

Figure 2 Start by supporting the engine from below using a jack or jack stand and a wood block (green arrow). Be sure to evenly spread the weight using the wood block.

Figure 3 Working at the right side of the engine, remove the four 13mm engine mount fasteners (red arrows).

Figure 4 Next, remove the 13mm ground strap nut (red arrow). Be sure to support the stud from below when removing the nut. It is not captured and may fall out. Reinstall the nut to secure the stud so it does not get lost (inset).

Figure 5 Remove the 18mm engine mount nut (red arrow).

Figure 6 Then remove the engine mount support bracket from the engine (red arrow).

Figure 7 Working at the mount, remove the 16mm fastener (red arrow). Then remove the two 13mm fasteners (green arrows).

Figure 8 Lift the mount (red arrow) out of the engine bay and remove it.

Figure 9 To make getting the mount out easier, you can remove the right side headlight and remove it through the headlight mounting area (red arrow).

Figure 10 Before installing the new mount, be sure the mounting surface and holes are clear and clean (red arrows). Note the sand and dirt on my subject vehicle. Leaving this in place could cause the fasteners to bind or the mount to sit crooked. When installing the mount, install the three fasteners finger tight before tightening. This helps to align the mount to the body. Reverse the remaining steps, and you are done.

Comments and Suggestions

Help

October 23, 2024

Do you replace both engine mounts at the same time on a 2019 Mini Cooper S convertible?

Followup from the Pelican Staff:

I would suggest replacing them as a set. Replace one at a time though during the procedure. - Nick at Pelican Parts

David

March 12, 2024

Agree with Tom, and verified on the 2013 R56GP. If you just want to get to the engine mount to replace the friction wheel or even replace the mount, remove left headlight, one bolt from the right headlight in the radiator frame, the black and silver bolts in the frame, and the torx head bolts holding the hood latch and whatever it is on the right side. Pop up the hood latch plastic thin on the right side for wiggle room and the radiator frame should be loose enough to move around. Loosen the charge pipe clamp and if its stuck gently pry the hose away from the charge pipe with a plastic interior tool or screwdriver BE CAREFUL not to crack the charge pipe and squirt some lube in-between the pipe and host. Give it a couple minute then wriggle until it comes loose. I took my grill off too. Its very easy to do. Take the AC pipe loose form the bracket on the radiator and take the bracket off so you can get to the torx screw holding the charge pipe to the radiator. Take that loose so you can wiggle the charge pipe around. That provides enough space to get to the mount bolts with a swivel, and should allow the engine to be moved up/down to access the friction wheel bolts and water pump pulley, the latter of which I could not get out without moving the engine. There may be a trick, but I couldn't find it!

Followup from the Pelican Staff:

Thanks for sharing your repair process and experience. These types of comments add so much to the Pelican tech community. - Nick at Pelican Parts

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February 16, 2024

Followup from the Pelican Staff:

Wes

September 29, 2023

Is it ok to support the engine at the oil pan? Is that what I am seeing in your figure 2 photo?

Followup from the Pelican Staff:

For a single mount removal, yes. As long as you spread the weight as shown using wood. - Nick at Pelican Parts

John

August 26, 2020

Regards,

I needed to change the engine mounts, and looking at your tutorial I got confused. I have a mini cooper R56 S. You say to use the part number 22-11-6-782-374, but on other sites it says the part is the part number 22-11-6-778-645. Can you explain the difference and which one I would need for my car model?

Thanks!

Followup from the Pelican Staff:

With your vehicle info handy, give The Pelican Parts parts specialists a call at 1-888-280-7799. They can figure out what part or repair kit you need. - Nick at Pelican Parts

Tom

June 19, 2019

Update: I replaced the Transmission Mount. It was actually a lot more of a pain than the Right Engine Mount. I would almost say it would be worth the hassle of Radiator Service Mode just to get some space to work in, but I just put up with it and got it to work. Lots of thick wires, the DME, fuse box, coolant hoses, washer fluid reservoir, the black u-shaped support, etc in the way.

A great time to replace this mount would be when you replace all your coolant hoses since having those out of the way would help.

My 2009 R55 Clubman has about 90k miles, and is almost 11 years old. This is what I observed about the original mounts I removed from my car:

Right Engine Mount: completely worn out and floppy. new one is very firm.
Left/bottom Engine mount: seemed fine, couldn't tell much difference between old and new.
Transmission Mount: somewhat less firm than new, but not a lot maybe 80%-90% as firm.

I think I'll replace the Right Engine Mount every 50k miles from now on, the others probably in 100k miles.

Last note: On the Right mount, the 2 bolts that bolt the mount to the chassis and also the nut on the top of the mount are supposed to be replaced. On the Transmission mount, the 3 bolts that bolt the mount bracket to the body and the nut on top of the mount are supposed to be replaced.

Followup from the Pelican Staff:

Thanks for sharing your repair process and experience. These type of comments add so much to the Pelican tech community. - Nick at Pelican Parts

Tom

May 6, 2019

One more thought about this- there is another similar mount on the top left side of the transmission. Since the transmission is bolted to the engine and they act as one solid unit, you could think of that mount as the left engine mount...

Seems to me they should both be replaced as part of an 'engine mount' job. I only accidentally found out it exists- maybe you guys could add it to this write-up or at least mention it. It does not look too difficult to get to, just need to get the intake pipe, fuse box, and maybe a few other things out of the way.

Followup from the Pelican Staff:

Great tip, thanks. - Nick at Pelican Parts

Tom

May 2, 2019

On my 2009 R55 Clubman, this job was 100X easier than the method in this writeup, because you DO NOT have to put the car in 'radiator service mode.'

All you have to do is remove passenger side headlight 4 bolts and 1 electrical connector, remove the radiator grill probably not necessary, and then remove all the bolts from the black u-shaped part that spans the engine bay the piece that is directly above the engine mount you're trying to replace, as you can see in figure 1 above.

This black part looks like a structural part that supports the radiator or something, but actually isn't- that's the key to making this job so much easier. This piece is just some thin sheet metal that a few things 1 headlight bolt each side, hood lock mechanisms, windshield washer fluid bottle, radiator grill are attached to. Once you unbolt it you can move it out of the way and have plenty of access to the upper engine mount to replace it.

Basically follow the steps in this writeup, but instead of radiator service mode, you just need to move that black u-shaped support.

Followup from the Pelican Staff:

Thanks for sharing your repair process and experience. These type of comments add so much to the Pelican tech community. - Nick at Pelican Parts

IHATEMINIS

November 10, 2018

I have an engine, rubbing the Air Conditioner Pully, on the frame, thanks to a Liquid fill POS over engineered Engine mount that you have to take apart halt the car, to get to.

Followup from the Pelican Staff:

With your vehicle info handy, give The Pelican Parts parts specialists a call at 1-888-280-7799. They can figure out what part or repair kit you need. - Nick at Pelican Parts

Greg

July 25, 2018

Do I have to remove the air charge pipe the solid one to get access to the engine bracket/mount

Followup from the Pelican Staff:

Yes. Place the radiator support in service mode. See our tech article on radiator support service mode.- Nick at Pelican Parts

cporsche

January 13, 2018

I wish on all tech articles you would give torque specs. I spend half my time looking for the specs.

Followup from the Pelican Staff:

It's difficult to track them if they change, that is why pelican does not give torque specs. - Nick at Pelican Parts

sikamini

June 8, 2017

What is the torque for the four 13mm hex bolts on the engine mount and are they reusable? Any idea on the torque for the four E12 on the lower bracket? I had to take it off for another repair.

Followup from the Pelican Staff:

I don’t have torque information. I would suggest you grab a repair manual, you should own one. It will have the procedure, special tools and torque specs. Give our parts specialists a call at 1-888-280-7799. - Nick at Pelican Parts

Mel

March 18, 2016

Is there any way to just unbolt the two bolts at the rad support by the mount and bend the rad support enough to get a swivel head socket and remove the bolts for the mount? Thanks

Followup from the Pelican Staff:

Not that I know of. - Nick at Pelican Parts

Got more questions? Ask any of our automotive experts.

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