Next job on the list to do was installation of my new front exhaust mount on my Audi A3. This was highlighted on my last MOT in 2025, it was on my list of things to do and I just never get around to it. As I’m still on holiday from work, and the weather was good I decided to plod on with it.
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Tools I used to replace my exhaust mount on my Audi
After purchasing a replacement front exhaust mount on eBay for my Audi A3 it was just about removing and installing the new mounnt with the tools that I used
- Trolley Jack
- Axle Stand
- Sharp Knife
- 13mm Spanner
- 1/2″ Ratchet
- 13mm Socket
- Granville – Red Rubber Grease
- Granville – Ceramic Grease
- Drill with Wire brush
- Irwin Vise Grips
How I replaced my exhaust mount on my Audi A3
Below are the steps I carried out in order to replace the front exhaust mount on my car.
First step was jacking up the car, and putting it on Axle stands to support the vehicle whilst working onto it. Will be under there a while, so didn’t feel like bench pressing a 1500kg car if it squashed me.
After the car was jacked up and secure, the two nuts holding in the mount were removed using a 13mm spanner, and 13mm socket on a ratchet. I used the spanner at first, as I wanted to gauge how tight the screw was and if it was going to start stripping threads, or the head of the bolt. When it started turning, I knew it was easy enough to remove and finished it off with the ratchet and socket. In order to aid removal of the mount I lifted up the exhaust with the trolley jack
Whilst I’ve seen people do this technique differently, some people prefer to remove the old mount by using a pry bar and forcing them out. I didn’t care less about the rubber. I matched up the parts and could tell it fit. So I used a low tech approach and got a sharp knife and started cutting the rubber. You only need enough to create a gap so that the stop which expands is removed. After this it will come off.
Now that the old mount was removed, I decided to properly match it up. Whilst the holes did look slightly out of alignment, I can confirm the part fit fine. The old mount is made of a plastic, with spacer inserts on it where the screws go into. The new mount I purchased was made of solid steel, and the holes for the screws are more inline with the actual screw holes. I feel confident this is going to last a while before it fails (if something fails it will be the rubber before the metal). This is a comparison of the old vs replacement part. You can see the middle parts of the plastic mount where it was cracked and splitting where the screws held it in. One of the screws had already brokwn off, so the exhaust was only being supported by one clamp.
Just a picture for comparison, I don’t believe this is the part number, but it was the only stamp I could find on the part. The old mount was stamped up with the code 0110896A on it. For reference when I purchased it on eBay, the part number I found it under was 1K0253144BD
To simplify installation of the new mount I installed some red rubber grease from granville into each hole where the metal studs will push into in order to help it slide in better. You only need a small amount here, no bigger than a garden pea in size.
I always new installation of the new mounts was going to be a pain, and had to work out a technique to fit them. In hindsight, I would recommend lining up the holes first and getting the plate into position where it bolts up. Then it’s just simply a case of pulling the mounts into their holes. The technique I used was basically one hole at a time. I lined up a hole, and inserted the screw to hold the plate in place. I then used a big ass pair of Irwin Vise Grips (which I love… it’s actually my 2nd pair, my brother pinched my first ones cheeky get).
Once the grease was inserted and holes were lined up. I then just inserted the jaws to the edges and pulled them into each other. Rather than holding the jaws against the plate, you can clamp against the alumnium subframe. As you’re not exerting that much force. The big vise grips I STRONGLY recommended. These have saved me more than once for weird jobs for their size. I don’t have the exact model code to hand, however I know the jaws are large (maybe 16″). I purchased them around 15 years ago from machinemart in the UK. They sell another variant (10″ jaws for around £25) this should be enough. I think their proper name are groovelock pliers. Irwin GV10 is a variant that commonly sells now
After I inserted one bung onto the exhaust, it was just a case of repeating on the other side. Now as a note (this is why I say hindsight). I think it would be better to position your plate first (and screw them in), so that you then need to just pull the bungs into place. HOWEVER, if you did it like me, then the approach I’d recommend doing would be insert one side. Then remove the screw and pull the exhaust towards (depending on which side of the car you’re working from). This then gives the accessibility to position the plate onto the other screw hole, and get the rubber in position with the mount bungs. It’s a bit fiddly, but you can be a bit rough with the car, it’s used to bouncing around on the road anyhoo
After this then bungs are then inserted, and you can bolt the plate back onto the car if you haven’t already. I used the wire wheel brush to clean up the threads on one of the screws slightly first. Then I used some Granville Ceramic grease on the threads to aid removal and insertion.
After everything was finished, I made sure the screws were tight and bungs were fully seated. The job for replacing the front exhaust mount on my Audi A3 was then complete
How long did it take to replace the front exhaust mount?
The total time taken was approximately 2 hours to jack up the car, remove the old mount, install the new mount and put down the car and put away the tools
Video help regarding removal and installation for exhaust mount
I made the below quick Youtube short video in order to help people who are having problems removing the old mount, or installing the new mounts. Some people use pry bars, I guess you could also torch the old rubber and melt it off, I went low tech. I just got a sharp knife to hack it off, then used big vise grips to push them on. Worked easy for me.
FUTURE THOUGHTS
I shouldn’t need to look at the mount any more before the next MOT as it’s now replaced. So next jobs on the list are replacing the bonnet lock since it’s eventually failed (and an eBay seller I wouldn’t recommend) because they were slow as hell. Then possibly any further jobs and see if I can do my own pre-MOT inspection on the car.
At the moment the faults can be rectified later, but I’ve always been meaning to do a new seatbelt buckle, a new brake sensor connector so that the car can properly manage the brake pads. After this it will be a case of also replacing the brake pads at the rear if they can’t be overhauled if required.
