Motor mount failure after a few days?

J

Jonas

Joined
Jul 13, 2020
Messages
569
I mentioned this in a previous post, but wanted to start fresh. My 2009 Vibe GT (2.4l 2az-fe engine) had been vibrating at idle since I've owned it. I finally replaced the last of four mounts (top passenger side torque mount) and started her up. The car was glass-smooth through all RPMs... for about an hour. Over the course of about four days, it had gradually reverted back to vibrating just like it was-no better or worse. I wish I had a picture of the new mount, but it looks just like the old one now. The rubber cylinder was firm and concave when new, but now it's protruding like a bubble just like the old one. It's especially disappointing since I got a brief taste of a smooth running car for the first time in the ten months I've owned it. The mount is OEM Toyota. It seems unlikely I just got a dud, but I can't imagine why it would work so well for such a short amount of time. Any ideas why this would happen? I'm beyond frustrated at this point. Here's a pic of the old mount if it helps.
Top:
1622254820303.jpg

Bottom: (the black rubber cylinder in the middle is what is bulging on the new mount-I pushed this one back in)
1622254916021.jpg
 
Last edited:
Were the other mounts recently replaced and OEM or like quality? It's not uncommon for a mount to go bad quickly if some of the other mounts are in poor condition. Best to replace mounts together as a set (whenever possible), it helps keep the load even across all mounts. But your post seems to imply that you've recently replaced the others.
 
92saturnsl2 said:
Were the other mounts recently replaced and OEM or like quality? It's not uncommon for a mount to go bad quickly if some of the other mounts are in poor condition. Best to replace mounts together as a set (whenever possible), it helps keep the load even across all mounts. But your post seems to imply that you've recently replaced the others.
Click to expand...
Yes, they are all oem and were periodically replaced over the last four months.
 
I'm pretty sure the mount is supposed to hold vacuum and it somehow leaked because, though it's bulging, it's fairly firm to push back in like it has air in it if that makes sense. The old one is shot and the rubber gives easily. I'll try to take some pics in the morning.
 
I would loosen all the mounts put a jack and block of wood underneath the engine jiggle the engine a bit then tighten them before I did anything else. Make sure you have the front and rear level either on a lift, 4 ramps or stands, you want the engine relaxed for lack of a better word in there.
 
SatinSilver said:
Since you bought the parts, did your brother in law install them?
Click to expand...
He replaced the rear motor mount and transmission mount after the rebuild. I later had a mechanic replace the front motor mount. Then I replaced the top torque mount myself last Sunday. This was all within four months. All four mounts were bad/damaged when replaced.
 
Trav said:
I would loosen all the mounts put a jack and block of wood underneath the engine jiggle the engine a bit then tighten them before I did anything else. Make sure you have the front and rear level either on a lift, 4 ramps or stands, you want the engine relaxed for lack of a better word in there.
Click to expand...
I doubt I'd be able to do that. I don't have ramps or access to a lift. I suppose I could loosen/re-torque the mounts one at a time. Even then, I wouldn't be able to get the engine level because of the sagging top mount. I should mention the engine was perfectly smooth, briefly with the torque mount installed.
 
Last edited:
One other thing I can think of is I may have installed the mount incorrectly-wrong order or procedure. I had the engine jacked up on wooded boards, then lined up all the holes and loosely started the bolts. I gently snugged the mount to the frame. Then, the part that connects to the engine (silver, 2 larger holes) was about a half inch above contact because the engine wasn't jacked up high enough, so I snugged those two bolts thereby raising the engine a little by the mount itself. That's the only thing I can think of I may have done wrong-not jacked the engine up high enough and used bolt tension to pull the engine up to the mount. This was all done easily by hand before I tightened all the bolts, then let the jack down.
 
I also looked at the other motor mount from underneath and it was virtually inaccessible. All I could tell is that it looked fine to me and none of the through bolts were loose.
 
I can only access the through bolts under the car. Should I loosen all of them, even the trans mount? Maybe start the car with them loose? After that, should I install the torque mount fist, then tighten the other mounts? I'm kind of in the weeds on this one.
 
Mounts (as Trav suggested) have to be installed in a neutral position, that is, in the center of their travel. If they're installed stretched, like a bushing installed twisted, then their life will be short.

This was a failure due to stress from improper installation - based on your description. You used the mount to pull the engine up, which really stretched this mount, and it lived a short life as a result. Motor mounts are simple parts, but the install requires being able to move the engine, and being able to have the mount installed properly in relation to engine position and the other mounts.

Get a new mount, and hope the rest are still OK. They might not be. Install the new mount loosely. Then, loosen all of them. Push the engine around by hand to "settle" them into a relaxed, or neutral position, then tighten each one.

If you can't do this safely, or you can't access all of the mount bolts, get a shop to do the work.
 
Astro14 said:
Mounts (as Trav suggested) have to be installed in a neutral position, that is, in the center of their travel. If they're installed stretched, like a bushing installed twisted, then their life will be short.

This was a failure due to stress from improper installation - based on your description. You used the mount to pull the engine up, which really stretched this mount, and it lived a short life as a result. Motor mounts are simple parts, but the install requires being able to move the engine, and being able to have the mount installed properly in relation to engine position and the other mounts.

Get a new mount, and hope the rest are still OK. They might not be. Install the new mount loosely. Then, loosen all of them. Push the engine around by hand to "settle" them into a relaxed, or neutral position, then tighten each one.

If you can't do this safely, or you can't access all of the mount bolts, get a shop to do the work.
Click to expand...
Is it possible that if I had jacked the engine up higher rather than pulling the parts together with the bolts it would have been fine? I certainly can't undo all the mounts myself and it would probably be very expensive to have someone else basically re-mount my engine. Were the mounts installed incorrectly in the first place, or just out of order or something? I feel sick.
 
This is normal. I installed a new side engine mount onto from my Prius and observed the same “changes” when I had to remove the mount after several weeks.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.

Similar threads

OM605
Mercedes: motor mounts bad out of the box?
2
Replies
21
Views
1K
OM605
92saturnsl2
Brake caliper mounts - which side is which?
Replies
9
Views
524
92saturnsl2
A
Any good motor mounts for my 91 Grand Am?
2
Replies
32
Views
1K
14Accent
alcyon
Anchor and Westar Transmission mount - A review
Replies
4
Views
540
Lubener
OM605
Mercedes driveline rumble
2
Replies
34
Views
860
D60
Back
Top