Collapsed Engine Mounts

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2008 MB C300 w/M272 V6. 130k miles.

Visually, the engine and transmission mounts appeared to be collapsed. After replacement, there is a noticeable improvement in the NVH characteristics. However, before replacement, the vibration at idle and during acceleration would be acceptable to the average person.

Attached pictures show the difference between the new mount and the old one. The old mounts were not leaking. In your opinion, do sagging/collapsed engine mounts warrant replacement, or should engine mounts only be replaced when they are broken or leaking?
 

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The fluid filled mounts are a wonder when new or in good shape. My 944 Porsche had collapsed ones and the noise and vibration was deafening. New mounts solved all that. My 87 VW cabriolet had dashboard vibration till I changed them. My next change is coming soon on my 65 VW Beetle. Tired of hearing it. Want to just hear the whistle of the little twin tailpipes.
 
Sagging is just as bad as a broken or leaking one. When one goes, all should be changed.All your engine and transmission geometry are affected and stress exhaust, CV joints and other components. Aftermarket ones are junk. Hopefully you used OEM units.
 
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Very common for Mercedes mounts to go. Those look like the RWD mounts, the AWD ones are different. They're a real pain on the W212 but much easier on the W211. How bad was it on the C class? Mine have gone in less than 60k. On my second set of replacement mounts on my W211. This time got them from FCPeuro so hopefully they will be the last time otherwise free 3rd set.

Normally it's a very quiet and smooth ride when they're working so you notice some extra vibration when they're bad. But I've given rides to people with the bad ones and they thought it was very smooth and quiet, although they can't feel the vibrations I get through the steering wheel.
 
Very common for Mercedes mounts to go. Those look like the RWD mounts, the AWD ones are different. They're a real pain on the W212 but much easier on the W211. How bad was it on the C class? Mine have gone in less than 60k. On my second set of replacement mounts on my W211. This time got them from FCPeuro so hopefully they will be the last time otherwise free 3rd set.

Normally it's a very quiet and smooth ride when they're working so you notice some extra vibration when they're bad. But I've given rides to people with the bad ones and they thought it was very smooth and quiet, although they can't feel the vibrations I get through the steering wheel.
It is tighter than the 211, but not terrible. It took me a little under 2 hours but someone more experienced can probably do them in 1. I think book time is 4.2 hours.

I used the aftermarket Lemforder mounts. Which ones have you been using?
 
Sagging/collapsed mounts are considered worn out and should be replaced. They are certainly better than a broken mount at keeping the engine from moving around too much.
 
It is tighter than the 211, but not terrible. It took me a little under 2 hours but someone more experienced can probably do them in 1. I think book time is 4.2 hours.

I used the aftermarket Lemforder mounts. Which ones have you been using?
Same, Lemforder. FCP claims that they're the OEM makers.
 
I have been using the Lemforder also, they are OEM, I have gotten some with the OE emblem and part# ground off. Corteco is decent and I have read they are OEM for some VW (no idea if that is accurate).
 
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With a service life of only 60k, it makes me wonder if these are seconds. My set of Lemforders did have some markings removed.
Possible. Lots of people complain about the bad motor mounts all the time and seem to be in the 60-100k range. I think the only ones that have them last 100k+ are the ones who must drive on really smooth roads so they don't take a pounding or maybe lots of highway miles. The first replacement set lasted around 50k. I just had a shop do them so don't really know what they used on the first replacement set.
 
Possible. Lots of people complain about the bad motor mounts all the time and seem to be in the 60-100k range. I think the only ones that have them last 100k+ are the ones who must drive on really smooth roads so they don't take a pounding or maybe lots of highway miles. The first replacement set lasted around 50k. I just had a shop do them so don't really know what they used on the first replacement set.
Friend of mine has a 16 E350 with 130k+. He started experiencing a light vibration at around 100k but it was minimal. Mounts were only slightly collapsed. Dealer replaced all 3 under CPO. I think his mounts would have taken at least 150k miles to reach the state of the mounts that I replaced yesterday.
 
VW transverse transmission mounts are the worst due to the rubber bushing design. I got 130,000 miles on mine... so I have to replace it, probably when I do the transmission fluid R&R again

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Critic. You may want to look into poly inserts for the open non hydraulic mounts if they available. I use them on quite a few Euro cars especially on the rear of horizontally mounted engines.
Under acceleration the engine tends to tilt to the rear and puts a lot of stress on the mount which in turn stresses the rest of them. I am talking about a soft compound poly insert not a full poly mount that would rattle your teeth out. There is no vibration but when you mash the throttle at a red light it really keeps the engine stable and not trying to do a circus act under the hood.

Use the softest compound available, do not use race compounds of a street car unless you don't care about vibrations. This is the type of mount that can use the insert, unfortunately I have found no solution for the hydraulics especially the $600 (for one mount) Honda odyssey rear.

Something to check out..





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I’m going through the same thing with my V6 Accord that has 100K miles. All mounts look great but could be worn and I have replaced all except for the expensive pain in the butt rear engine mount.
 
Mercedes W212 engine mounts seem to go 60-100k miles or less considered, just TIME, as these cars started production in 2010, so many are nearing 10 years. Just did them on our '11 E350 wagon (114k miles) and the '11 E550 (100k miles) is next. Many user experiences on MBWorld with lower mileage mounts being "worn" causing additional NVH.

Another caveat... I bought both these cars needing mounts from the get go. Who knows how long they've really needed them. Both cars were exclusively serviced at MB dealer and they just put a new PS rack on the wagon prior to sale. They must have known it needed mounts and that's close to a $2k job on 4matics. If you've done them, you know why...

The mounts for the E350 were Corteco, $75 ea, but the E550 doesn't an OEM alternative and they were $160 ea from MB.
 

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Corteco are decent unfortunately I don't believe they make any for Honda or any Japanese for that matter.

This is for the rear Honda mount, this is the older one but the newer ones of this style are pretty much the same.

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That is a 300-400 dollar mount, aftermarket are rubbish and fail very quickly don't use one of them. Are you getting vibration/droning in the cabin?
Depends on the model. Most are the $4-500 range but the 05-10 Odysseys are now over $800 for the rear mount.
 
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