motor mounts

does my vehicle need to be raised to replace all of the motor mounts?
My car has an automatic transmission.
Experienced mechanics share their insights in answering this question :
Hello. Yes, in order to replace the motor mounts on your van you will need to be able to access the vehicle from underneath, and you will need to be able to lift the engine. If a hoist is not available I typically put the front of the vehicle up on jack stands and lift the engine slightly with an engine hoist. The engine can also be lifted with a floor jack and a block of wood from under the engine if done correctly. If you would like to have a professional take care of this task for you, consider using YourMechanic, as a certified mechanic can come to your home or office to replace your motor mounts.

How to Identify and Fix Common car Problems ?

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there ar 4 mounts.
Your engine has four rubber mounts holding it in place.
Cars usually have between two and four motor mounts. If one motor mount is damaged or worn, you can likely get away with just replacing that one. Still, it`s a good idea to check the other mounts since they are around the same age and could be close to wearing out.
Typical vehicles have between three and four motor mounts depending on their size and the stability of their engine. Certain cars may have four mounts due to how the engine is positioned relative to its other car body components and vice versa. Again, your car`s manual will likely contain these details.
How often do engine mounts need to be replaced? Engine mounts typically last 60,000-100,000 miles, but can fail prematurely with aggressive driving, outside storage, dry climates, and traffic collisions.
A failing motor mount can lead to serious engine damage and will also greatly impact the performance of the vehicle. It is very unsafe to drive with a broken motor mount. If you feel a lot of vibration in the vehicle while you are driving, there`s a good chance it`s the motor mount.
Factory original mounts last a pretty long time, but engine oil leaks are a common cause of premature degrading. Worn mounts will allow a running engine to shift and bounce in all kinds of unpredictable, power-sapping ways.
There are several reasons why your engine mount could leak oil. Since this piece works hand-in-hand with your engine, it`s exposed to the same oil that keeps your engine running. Unfortunately, if there`s a hole within your mount, this causes the oil from the engine to leak– thus causing a massacre of problems.
Typically, one motor mount fails before the others. As an engine revs, it wants to rotate in the same direction as the crankshaft. That tends to stretch one motor mount and compress the others. Usually, the mount that stretches is the one that fails first, Mazor said.
As mentioned, a failed motor mount may make a clunking or banging noise and/or you may feel the engine shift and you might hear the fan hitting the shroud on a rear-wheel drive vehicle with a broken mount.
Whilst a hydraulic engine mount can be tuned to exceed the performance of a solid rubber across a broader range, they also tend to be more expensive and less durable than solid rubber mounts. Opting for a solid rubber mount ensures long-lasting wear for lower load capacities, and at a lower cost, too.
The Odyssey seats eight people across three rows. Cloth upholstery, heated and power-adjustable front seats, fold-flat third-row seats and Honda`s Magic Slide second-row seats are standard.
Motor mounts keep your engine attached to the car. Weak or broken mounts can`t hold the engine tight in the engine compartment and creates a vibration at idle.
One of the first signs that your engine mount is going bad is abnormal vibrations. The mount absorbs most of the vibrations caused by the combustion cycle, so without them working properly, you may feel some jittering or shaking while driving – especially when you`re idling or braking.
Engine mounts are made of a hard rubber material which allows them to absorb these vibrations. When a motor mount is damaged or broken, not only will you feel excess vibration in the car, other parts in the engine can get misaligned and ultimately break since the engine is not in its precise location.
The most common symptom of the bad engine mount is engine vibrations felt on the steering wheel or seat when the car is in Drive. The radiator hose pulled out of the radiator due to the bad engine mount. The engine then lost most of the coolant and started to overheat.
A very simple steel or rubber mount may start around $10 and can rise to $150, depending on the make and model of vehicle.
Mounts can be visually inspected for cracked, loose or broken brackets, loose or missing bolts, collapsed rubber or fluid leaks (hydro-mounts). A pry bar can be used to check for separated or broken mounts.
A classic passenger car with 2WD, rear wheel drive, and longitudinal engine placement will have 2 motor mounts and 1 transmission mount. A modern SUV with FWD, transverse engine mount, and automatic transaxle will, likely, have 2 (or 3) primary engine/ transaxle mounts and 2 torque links.
An inch or two should be totally fine. Dont worry about distance it`s moving as much as noise. If it clunks loudly and harshly back and forth the engine mounts are probably bad… But even that is not a major engine repair, it`s just essentially the shock absorbers of the engine.
Your motor mounts can be broken from the over-revving of gears, slamming the vehicle, and letting out the clutch or power-breaking before takeoff. This kind of driving can greatly reduce the life expectancy of your motor-mounts.
Hydraulic engine mounts are made of rubber, and they feature a hollow centre filled with hydraulic fluid, usually a glycol/water mixture.
The Importance of Protecting Threads from Rust (Oxidation)

Greasing the threads of the engine mounts and the threads at both ends of the control cables (throttle, transmission and stop lever, if fitted) helps prevent rusting (oxidation).

Why are they liquid-filled? The engine mounts are liquid-filled to increase the dampening effect of the vibrations and noise generated by the engine while running. It`s very similar to a jelly-filled seat-pad or the discs between the vertebrae.

Relevant Questions and Answers :

the most relevant questions and answers related to your specific issue

Are the motor mounts touched during a tune up? When are the motor mounts touched?
ANSWER : There is nothing in a basic tune up that would require loosening or touching the motor mounts. If the motor mounts are in fact loose, they could potentially cause damage to the axles if the motor were to shift enough while driving; however, this would take time and there would have been a very distinct vibration and clunk that you would have very likely noticed while driving. I would recommend having a certified technician, such as one from YourMechanic, come take a look at the car to properly diagnose and repair your motor mount problem.

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What is cost to neutralize motor mounts, I switched out front mount but now it vibrates off of frame
ANSWER : I believe you need to replace all of your mounts. You are saying it is touching the frame, so I would suggest the rest of them be replaced also. You may also look around and see if you have anything obstructing the fact that it isn’t sitting properly. I hope this helps with your issue.

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I changed out the top motor mount twice. I still have vibration. Could it be the lower motor mounts?
ANSWER : To check for engine-mount problems, you can try shifting from "neutral" to "drive" and back, while the engine is running. If the vibrations disappear or reduce dramatically in "neutral," it’s likely that you need new engine mounts. Whenever there is excessive engine vibration, be sure to first rule out engine operating conditions. For example, rough running at idle can be caused by faults in the air induction system as well as the ignition and fuel systems. If you want the running condition of the engine evaluated by a certified Mechanic, dispatched by YourMechanic right to your location, please request a rough idle diagnostic. To evaluate the motor mounts, request an engine vibration diagnostic. If you do end up replacing additional motor mounts, genuine OEM mounts are recommended in order to maximize the chances of resolving the problem. If you have further questions or concerns, do not hesitate to re-contact YourMechanic as we are always here to help you.

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Pulled motor and put in a newer motor but can’t get motor mounts to line up ?
ANSWER : The first thing to do is to compare the motor mounts on old and new motor to make sure they are the same on each motor and swap them if they are not the same.

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Just got a new upper motor mount for 2001 Cavalier and the OEM screws won’t fit inside the new mount. I’m stuck
ANSWER : Hi, thanks for writing in. I suggest returning the motor mount and getting the correct one before proceeding with the repair and replacement.

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2005 Nissan Altima SE 3.5L, motor mount replacement
ANSWER : Any broken motor mounts should be replaced immediately. If "all" are broken, then all should be replaced immediately. The problem with operating a vehicle with damaged mounts is the engine gets out of position and that can cause collateral damage to the CV axles (as the CV axles, in turn, run out of position) and other components. HOWEVER, it is unusual for all mounts to in fact be bad, all at the same time, and so you should ask that the mechanic PROVE to you that the (or each) mount is defective (show you, by visual demonstration, the break, deterioration or other fault in the mount) before you make a decision. Trust but VERIFY. If no actual evidence is shown to you of a fault in the mount and/or if the explanation that is given to you of the fault does not make sense to you, run for the exits. Alternatively, get a second opinion, but there again, you have to have proof. If it turns out that you need new mounts, do not waste your time with aftermarket mounts. A motor mount is a high tech, highly engineered part these days and indeed some are actually hydraulic in operation. If you want the motor mounts that were designed for your car, buy the mounts from the dealer (OEM). That is the ONLY way you can be sure they will fit and work properly. As far as the serpentine belt is concerned, generally the belt only needs to be replaced every 100,000 miles or so. If your belt is original, absolutely replace it. However, if the belt has been replaced already and perhaps has only 50,000 miles or so on it, there is no need to replace it again now. If the belt is replaced, all of the pulleys, the tensioner, and all rotating elements in the circuit, MUST be carefully inspected and replaced as needed. You might ask the mechanic the open ended question, "what about the pulleys that the belt rides on?". If he doesn’t immediately state in response, "after we remove the belt, of course we inspect the pulleys for smoothness of operation and to be sure the grease is still good", run for the exits.

If you desire an inspection of the motor mounts (and drive belt), and advice and replacement as needed, please simply request motor/transmission mount inspection/replacement and the responding certified mechanic will get this taken care of for you. If you have further questions or concerns, do not hesitate to re-contact YourMechanic as we are always here to help you.

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Rubber mount or hydraulic mount
ANSWER : Engine mount and motor mount are completely interchangeable terms that refer to the identical component. There is an additional mount though and that is the transaxle or transmission mount. That mount is important, too, in minimizing vibration. For ordinary passenger cars, there are no choices as to mount type (i.e., hydraulic versus solid rubber). Vibration at idle can have multiple causes so you should be sure that the mechanic has provided you with an accurate diagnostic, accompanied by reasoning as to why the mounts are the cause of the vibration versus other potential causes.

In your circumstance, where you are trying to resolve a vibration issue, it is recommended that the original OEM mounts, as designed and manufactured by Honda, be used as the replacements. If you use aftermarket mounts, and the vibration issue persists, it will literally be impossible to rule out the aftermarket mounts as a "new" source of vibration due to a defective design. To save yourself headaches, and further diagnostic problems if the vibration persists after replacement, if you suspect motor mounts are bad, replace with OEM mounts only. Obviously, the Honda mounts are going to be more expensive though. After replacing the mounts, if the vibration issue persists, the problem is either engine running condition, or a mechanical or balance issue with the engine, for example the harmonic balancer. Before doing anything, I would ask the mechanic who told you the mounts are bad what his reasoning is. If he has no credible explanation, you should get a diagnostic FIRST before replacing any parts. If you are in need of a diagnostic, please use YourMechanic’s vehicle engine vibration diagnostic service page. If you have further questions or concerns, do not hesitate to re-contact YourMechanic because we want you to make the most of your repair dollars and help you to get the best possible results.

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Hi I had a friend replace my motor mounts on my 2004 Pacifica v-6. Apparently getting them in and out were difficult.
ANSWER : Hi there. The leaks from the transmission could have came from the oil pan. When using a jack to lift up the engine, if the jack was sitting on the transmission oil pan, it probably cracked the pan, or the jack could have cause a line to bend and rupture. Go under the vehicle and look for the signs of leaks and look to see if there is any damage to the transmission. Do not attempt to start the vehicle with no oil in the transmission as this will damage the transmission. Replace the parts that are damaged and fill up the transmission with new fluid. If you need further assistance with your engine not starting after you discovered transmission oil under the vehicle, then seek out a professional, such as one from Your Mechanic, to help you.

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