Excellent! Thank you so much! This was great! Thanks for the insights on the tools. As I did the job, I had to wait through A couple Amazon delivery cycles to finsh. On my ML350 six-cylinder, the driver's side top front/left T12 did require me to move the AC compressor out of the way. I think on the eight-cylinder versions the engine mount bracket is longer and there is more room to do the job without moving the compressor. Next time here is how I would go, passenger no brainer, drivers side problematic. 1) On jackstands, both wheels off, both wheel well shields off. Keep the airbox in. Don't move the coolant tank. 2) With the engine still down, remove the little 10mm engine fan shield bolts, lift the serpentine belt off the top idler pully. 3) With the engine still down, remove all three AC compressor t12s - one of these is the lower left engine bracket. 4) With the engine still down, remove the three 10mm on the heat shield. 4) With the engine still down, remove the four bottom 16mm engine mount bolts. The rear driver's side nut is a bitch, I had to chain three universals to short 16. 5) Lift the engine with the floor jack. A 2*6 or 2*8 cut lumber at about a foot long. 2*4 is not tall enough 6) Use the 18mm offset spanner to remove the top engine mount bolt. 7) Ok here is important: get yourself a real 1/4 by 12Torx. It will be hard to find. (3/8 by 12Torx will not do.) Add 1/4 universal and get the top front engine bracket bolt 8) The other three 12T engine brackets are no prob. 9) Swap out the mount, and reverse the steps above. 10) But here is the frustration. The rear bottom 16mm, is almost impossible to get back on and tight because it is blocked by the top of the CV axle. I have a ratcheting 16mm crowfoot on order, it's the only sane way I can see to tighten that nut. Or the ML can live without it by maybe double-nutting the front stud? Cheers.
I had the same type of ML the w163 for 10 years and still own one today. I would say 90% of these vehicles' mechanical parts are easy to fix and reachable to fix them. But only a handful of parts may need a mechanics shop, like the engine mounts, the rear coil struts, EGR valve. These vehicles are easy to work with and maintained.
Great video, I like all your detailed engine bays, very professional. Speaking of, I recommend some cheap steel cap sneakers for home jobs. Even that engine mount will break toes if it falls. They aren’t as bulky as boots so good for crawling underneath cars. Keep the videos coming please 👍
Glad to hear you like the clean engine bays - not many people appreciate that in general, although I've found that many here on RU-vid comment on and love it. I'll have to look into steel toe sneakers...although I'm not sure how breathable they will be for our weather in Arizona, they would probably be great during the winter here when I typically do all of my heavy work on vehicles. Thanks for watching!
