Can you visually check if your front engine mount is busted?

Is this something I can replace myself? Are there any DIY's?

 

I was told to look for Fluid leaking out..

 

There's a way to check...

1. Have a friend get into your car.
2. While the engine is running, apply the brakes, get into drive (D4) and while holding the brakes press the gas pedal.
3. Shift the car into reverse and while the foot's still on the brakes press the gas as well
4. While your friend does this, you'll be the one outside checking out the engine, if you see alot of movement in the front of the motor, your front mount's gone.

As for replacing the mount, you can do it yourself. But if you don't want to get your hands dirty just get someone else to do it for you. All I did to replace mine was lift my engine from underneath, removed the bolts, lifted the engine a little higher, and swapped the old mount for the new. Don't get the mount from Autozone or Advance Auto parts though, the stud that the old bolt comes on strips too easily. Go to the dealership ($128 or so) or just order it online.

 

i had a harder time replacing my front engine mount. for some reason i couldn't jack the engine high enough to slip it out. so i ended up unbolting the whole clip that is physically attached to the front of the engine block that rests on the front mount.

it wasn't terribly hard to do all in all, just time consuming for me. i personally recommend buying some reversible, ratcheting wrenches for getting into the tight spots if you remove the clip on the engine block (i found this out the hard way). otherwise if you have some extensions and a good socket set you'll be fine.

SSTS

 

How did you lift the engine? Did you use the car jack and if so, what did you put it under?

 

I first had the car already on jack stands and since I have an SUV jack, I get to lift alot higher than a regular car jack.

I actually put a piece of wood (4x9) in between the jack and bottom of the engine so when I push up on the engine, I wouldn't crack anything. The thing is, you'll reach a limit where the engine can't be raised anymore so you'll have to either wiggle out the mount and install the new mount, or there's an arm that is attached to the mount, you can take that off along with the mount and vice versa, it's pretty straight forward.. you just have to be patient.

 

Did you lift the engine up on the Engine Oil Pan or on the Engine Block itself?
Did you have to feed the engine mount out through the top?
Did you have to remove the upper radiator hose?

 

i put a piece of 2x6 under the tranny pan IIRC and lifted it just by that with a floor jack.

i fed it through the top, there are a few obstacles but it will go in. you may find it easier through the bottom though. i personally recommend the top.

nope, didn't have to. i was able to move it out of the way enough to slip the mount in.

 

Thank you, Bro.

 

I heard the front mount is easy but the rear ones are A LOT tougher..true? is it a DYI kind of thing?

 

Can you just replace the stud? How much of the price difference of Autozone/AA parts compared to dealer ($128) ???

 

acutee, no problem dude!

yeah this is true, you need the transmission out to get to the rear mount. not really a DYI considering the amount of time it would take. plus the rear mounts rarely go bad, IIRC.

SSTS

 

Trans doesnt have to come out for the rear (but it would make it easier) Just need some good extensions and to be able to reach over the motor. (its possible that the down pipe of the exhaust has to come off to remove it)

 

ah, my mistake. but was i correct about the rear rarely failing? i could have sworn that came from you.

 

Yes the rear seems to rarely fail (as most of what ive seen here on this forum is people saying that the dealer replace the front and side)

 

every now and then when i turn on engine and end of start up. itll shake harder than usual

is this cuz its cold or watever or the mounts cuz i can tell the engine is shaking.

 

well i guess the first question is how cold does it get in huntingon beach? because in the morning when it's 25 degreesF here i would expect the car to shake a little bit before warming up. if it smooths out then i don't think the mounts are your problem. have you had someone look to see if the engine moves excessively when you goose the throttle?

i knew i had a problem because when i would start my car it would lurch forward from the engine moving. i didn't visually see any problem until i took the mount out though. then i could tell the mount was shot.

 

Was the rubber cracked on it? Its seems like whenever the fan kicks in my engine jumps alot.

 

no, no cracks, but all the hydraulic properties of the mount were nil. it offered no support whatsoever. there is a "plate" in the front mount that hydraulically supports the mounting point on the engine block. it should not compress that easily (as in "by hand"). the plate my old mount was completely loose and able to be moved by hand. when i took the mount out all the fluid leaked out of it, so it was clear to me it was shot.

now if you're asking how i knew to replace it in the first place, i didn't. i took the car to the dealer because it was shifting funny. they told me to change the mounts (the easy way out instead of just admitting the tranny sucks) so i did it myself instead of paying them to do it. it didn't fix the problem but the mounts were definitely shot so they would have needed to be done anyway.

 

Does anyone know how much threaded stud should be showing on the mount top for the front mount. I think the dealer screwed mine down to far when they installed it years ago. The rear only has 5-lines showing while the front had like 15 or more. I am changing the mount now and I am wondering if maybe its not actually bad because it rose up and I cant push it down easy right after I changed the side mount and jacked the front of the engine up.

 

Agreed, i am having my (passenger) side engine mount replace as it is worn and rocks.

Indeed this is probably a highly overlooked and undappreciated maintenance but well worth the checking.

 

Are ther any performance mounts available that anyone knows about?

 

Having come from an acura integra, i would suggest you stick with OEM mounts. After market engine mounts tend to be stiffer and trasmit a bit of vibration into the cabin. Its expected in a economy car but not on the TL.

I did notice a better throttle response to the tires after installing the new mounts. Needless to say, if your car had 95000 miles, you better expect to do some maintenance rather than wait for things to start failing. It has allowed me to enjoy the car more so than worrying about what will fail next. Then again, it depends on the type of owner and driver you are...

 

Kool ill stick to the stock mounts then thanks