Engine mount

[supton]

What's the diagnosis of a bad engine mount, and is it something I can ignore? This '11 Camry has been a bit shaky when taking off, unless if I really slip the clutch for a long time (which I don't do because of obvious clutch wear). I noticed that the dogbone mount is not centered, it's like the engine may be sitting forward now. Maybe the front engine mount is collapsed?

The rear side of the dogbone:

The front is not taking a good picture, but it's basically kinda rolled forward.

 

[Kawiguy454]

Get someone you really trust with emergency/brakes on to lightly operate fwd and reverse while you're watching under the hood. You'll see those elatomeric mounts move around as they should and then judge weather they move more than they're supposed to. Back in the day with the big V8's it was usually in reverse gear the engine would lift up and hit the hood ...then you knew it was broken.

 

[The Critic]

If that one is torn, the two side ones and the top dogbone are probably torn as well.

If you're changing the two side mounts, you might as well do the lower control arms.

 

[supton]

Yep, turning into a nice list of parts now.

 

[supton]

Yep, turning into a nice list of parts now.

Went to toyotapartsdeal.com and entered in LCA's, ball joints, struts and related, swaybar end links, engine mounts. Hit $1,937 in parts plus another $227 in shipping. Should add in front wheel bearings, they can't be far behind either.

I know with quick struts and some generic parts I could cut that down, just wanted to ballpark it first.

 

[JohnnyG]

It's dead Jim...
Nooo! it can't be, it's a Toyota!

 

[supton]

It's dead Jim...
Nooo! it can't be, it's a Toyota!

Ha! To its credit, it did over 220k before needing this, until now it's been tires, a battery and a set of brakes. Maybe it's just middle aged, where everything feels like it is over the hill and done for (but in reality it just needs a reality check).

 

[JohnnyG]

Well that is quite impressive! So what's the problem? Spend the cash and go another 200k!

 

[supton]

Spend the cash and go another 200k!

Trying to convince myself to do that. I mean, who knows what will break next. I kinda don't like the car, seat doesn't agree with me, don't like the throttle programming. The car has long lost its sheen, after 10 NH winters (rust has been kept in check but plenty of rock chips and door dings).

But fixing is cheaper than replacing, I do know that much.

 

[JavierH19]

If that one is torn, the two side ones and the top dogbone are probably torn as well.

If you're changing the two side mounts, you might as well do the lower control arms.

Yeah that's how it always goes. Yo go in then see worn parts and start replacing everything at once to get it out of the way but it's the best thing to do unless you're gonna dump the vehicle in no time.

 

[grjr]

Don't ignore bad engine mounts, they will cause more wear and tear on other mounts and it could even get to the point where it starts breaking other things under the hood from the engine/trans moving around too much and pulling on or smashing on stuff.

 

[Lubener]

Went to toyotapartsdeal.com and entered in LCA's, ball joints, struts and related, swaybar end links, engine mounts. Hit $1,937 in parts plus another $227 in shipping. Should add in front wheel bearings, they can't be far behind either.

I know with quick struts and some generic parts I could cut that down, just wanted to ballpark it first.

Sounds like you ran the snott out of it before deciding to fix things.

 

[supton]

Yeah that's how it always goes. Yo go in then see worn parts and start replacing everything at once to get it out of the way but it's the best thing to do unless you're gonna dump the vehicle in no time.

I had a thread earlier on here where I posted pics of the LCA bushings, to see if they were on their way out--they are cracked but not through. But the car has this wander to it on the highway--I think it's struts, they are original, and there is a tire imbalance that comes and goes--I think it's the struts not tires since it comes and goes.

Sounds like you ran the snott out of it before deciding to fix things.

Didn't having issues until maybe a year ago? wife wasn't complaining much, and I certainly wasn't driving much over the last year. Wasn't until I took it on the highway a couple months ago that I realized how much had changed over a year. Pre-pandemic I would drive it on the highway a few times a year and I don't recall any issues.

Personally I'm content. I bought it to go 10yr/200k, for $20k, and it did that without complaint. Rust is really starting to pop out on it now (and I did Fluid Film it for the last few years), and I'm thinking, I could be content with moving on.

 

[atikovi]

Dump it now before rust gets too bad and you won't get much for it. The Africans here love those cars and would pay over $3,000 for it.

 

[madeej11]

Ha! To its credit, it did over 220k before needing this, until now it's been tires, a battery and a set of brakes. Maybe it's just middle aged, where everything feels like it is over the hill and done for (but in reality it just needs a reality check).

You didn't mention oil changes. Another long drain guy. I like him already.

 

[supton]

Finally got around to looking at this today. Parking brake off, car in gear, rocking car back and forth: front engine mount has like a half-inch of play in it. As in, the mount separates by that much (or more). So I'm guessing that's the definition of kaput.

 

[Astro14]

From the torn rubber in the picture, we already knew it was toast. Run one bad mount for a while, and the others get trashed by the extra movement and stress on them. Personally, in today‘s way overpriced car market, I would fix everything on your list and keep the car.

 

[supton]

From the torn rubber in the picture, we already knew it was toast. Run one bad mount for a while, and the others get trashed by the extra movement and stress on them. Personally, in today‘s way overpriced car market, I would fix everything on your list and keep the car.

Starting to sound like that is the way to go. Time to build it into the budget for next year.

For the record, I've patched one rust hole, and the garage has told me to watch what I spend on this car--I think they are worried about the rust on the fuel system, which has gotten beyond surface rust and some stuff is hard to tell what it was. Heaven forbid I take an evap code at this point, it's gonna be bad back there, as I don't think anything will come apart (and go back together).

I'm also mortified that the dog had an accident in the backseat... for some reason that bugs me more than the kids have their upchuck incidents when they were younger!

 

[Astro14]

Well, the garage knows a lot more about your car than I do, perhaps they’re right in being worried about the rust. That’ll kill it for certain when it gets bad enough.

 

[wpod]

What is the car realistically worth? $2000. 00 to get a few years of use may be worth it but then maybe not.