Please Read This On Motor Mounts

Katoom

Registered User
So, I had my motor mounts replaced on Saturday. I decided to ditch the stock fluid filled mounts and go with solids from Car Quest.
The oil filter and pan were close to the crossmember, and we had destroyed one power steering line to date, it rubbed through on the oil pan, luckily the oil pan is okay.
I expected the old mounts to come out in two pieces but they didn't. The passenger side was leaking fluid and had collapsed. This did not become visible until it was removed from the car. This side was easy to replace. We removed the exhaust, starter, and removed the knock sensor, but left the insert in the block to avoid losing coolant. Once that was done, we just bent the shield up and out of the way.
The drivers side was in one piece, and although there were no rips, or signs of fluid leakage, it was collapsed as well.
We had more difficulty with this side.
Now that the job is done, the engine sits 2.5 inches higher in the chassis than before. I can actually fit my hand in between the oil pan and crossmember now!
Here's the scary part. I thought that the only positive effect I would notice would be a smoother running engine...WRONG!
The car handles much better, because the center of gravity is back to where it's supposed to be.
The car accelerates better and braking is better too. The only explanation I have for this is that maybe the driveshaft is now running at a much more efficient angle compared to where it was before.
There was a whole lot of clunking in the front end when the car travelled over bumps. I know that the struts are starting to leak oil, and the lower control arm bushing is bad on the drivers side, so I assumed it was that. Changing the motor mounts got rid of 90% of the front end clunking I thought was worn front suspension parts. Now there is only one little click, coming from the strut. You can hear it now. Before it was clunking everywhere.
The car runs smoother, quiter and it feels like brand new now. The AOD even shifts better.
Once again, I would like to mention that my mounts both came out in one piece, but both were faulty.
 
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Your old collapsed mounts didn't show any signs of leakage because the fluid was long gone. That's why they were so short compared to the new ones.
Excellent point about engine height versus drivetrain alignment, glad you mentioned that because you've given everyone a good reason to change them. Sounds like it did a world of good for the overall situation.

thanks,

'bird
 
Agreed on the effects of good mounts. I had the one swapped out last week, when I thought the main problems were the upper control arms. Well, this too. The mechanic said the engine was raising itself several inches when you get on the gas, and coming down which was the clunking sound. I'm sure the fluid had leaked out long ago, and maybe just now completely ripped? The clunking I caught early which is when I took it right in, like in 1 day. Mine's a 5 spd. It now shifts much more certainly, puts the torque to the ground faster, since it's not being applied to raising the engine, so it's more responsive, the ride is better, and it *starts* much faster. Go figure. The other mount was fine, even looked fairly new, so we just put in the one hydraulic again.

Who'd have thought that securing your engine to the car could be so beneficial? ;) :rolleyes:
 
engine mounts

congratulations on having your engine re-aligned to the body !!!!

had teh same experience except it cost me a new power steering hose and some welding on the oil pan.

One other thing to check. I found that the intercooler pipes needed to be realigned at the intercooler. I assume that teh previous owner had run the car without mounts for some time and the intercooler alignment got moved too.

just my 2cents..
james
 
Car Quest part # (Canada) is 31-3503
Both sides are the same. All they give you is the rubber insert, you have to re use your original brackets.
 
Don't forget your transmission mounts

Hate to be the bearer of bad news but your transmission is mounted similarly....fluid mounts. I found out when I swapped my engine mounts two years ago and rebuilt the transmission. I did them all at once.
 
I spent 10 hours on replacing the driver's side motor mount Saturday. I bought both mounts anticipating replacing driver's and passangers side mounts. I did a search on the subject and other members have posted very good instructions.

A friend had motor mounts go bad and found out when they collapse, metal to metal contact results in knock sensors pulling timing out, causing idle to drop and engine to stall.


Here is my story:

1. Frozen cross bolt. Broke two 3/8" drive 13mm sockets. Run to Autozone and purchase 1/2" drive metric impact socket set for $20.

2. Cross bolt snapped. Lucky for me, it broke in the nut and did not prevent removing mount.

3. Front two mount bolts very tough, difficult to reach, and almost rounded off bolt heads. Spent 2 hours getting them out. No fun trying to access from below near front of engine. Factory must have used Locktite on threads. When reinstalling, discovered you can access front bolts a lot easier from wheel well thru hole by the sway bar using a extension and universal joint. Drove to Home Depot to pick up longer 10 inch 1/2" drive extension. While there, bought new cross bolts. Forgot to bring broken one. Bought wrong size, so need to return.

4. Finally got old driver's side mount out. Passanges side appeared in good shape, so decided not to replace it. I was beat anyway.

5. Drove to Pep Boys to get new 10mm x 120mm cross bolt to replace broken one. Heated pressed in nut on lower mount bracket to remove broken bolt stub. Pressed nut twists out of bracket, so need to use a new nut. Luck for me, I bought a nut when at Pep Boys.

6. Tried to bolt new motor mount to cross member first then lower engine on to mount. Holes don't line up from mount to engine. Tried crow bar, etc. Can not get lined up. Decide to bolt new mount to engine first, then lower on frame. Piece of cake as mount has location pin. Should have done it that way first. Go back and read instructions from member that said bolt to engine first. I am stupid.

7. Look again at passangers mount and it looks fine.

8. Go to bed at 10 pm. Sleep like crap thinking about what took so long and what has to be done next.

9. Get up at 6 am Sunday and reinstall exhaust system. Could not slip hangers into bracket at rear of transmission. Had to drop "U" bracket behind trans and loosen trans cross member to lower rear of trans 1 inch to get exhaust back on hanger. Finished at 9 am.

10. Start engine and runs smoother but still get some engine vibration in interior. Nuts. But does not stall when shifting to reverse. Good sign, but think should have replaced passangers mount.

11. Drive about 5 miles and alternator light comes on. Put multimeter on battery and reads 11.9 volts. Jack up car to insure did not short anything out underneith. Look at passangers side mount and conclude it was was also collapsed as metal tang was resting against lower mount. Also, concluded alternator died.

12. Got rebuilt alternator one at Autozone for $127+tax+core. To get alternator off, need to get upper intercooler tube out of the way. Spent the rest of the day taking things off engine to remove alternator and put new one on.

13. Make mental note to replace passangers side on Saturday and working a super charged car sucks.
 
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