I'm waiting for the side engine mount to be delivered and have a few questions on the install. BTW its for a 2006 TL and it was completely shredded and dry rotted. Was getting a really bad vibration at start-up and a knock going over rough pavement. Initially thought it was front end links or other suspension problem. Anyway the install seems pretty straight forward and the question is whether I need to support the engine for this side engine mount install (the one next to power steering reservoir)??

Since this one is so worn I'm now concerned about the rest of them. The front mount looks good and have no fluid leaking from it.

Any advice is helpful!

 

The front mount is harder to tell if it's broken by just looking at it. You would have to look under the rubber cover where the middle bolt goes thru and see if it's broken around or have someone do a power brake and look at that same spot.

Usually you don't need to support the engine for the side mount. It doesn't hurt to do it though. Once, you have the side mount out lift the engine some more and check the front mount.

 

Did the mount this afternoon and it was very straight forward removed all the bolts and replaced with new. Most likely could have reused but was just being safe. The mounts top shroud shredded off and after taking out the mount it was in two pieces (not sure if that the way its designed) but is looked really bad with chunks of rubber gone. There was no need to jack the engine up to get this one in. The car runs much smoother the rough start-up and reserve vibration problems are solved and the clunks are gone. Going to take a harder look at the front mount just to be on the safe side, but that one appears to be more robust than the side mount and it has no obvious fluid leaks. There is a good post on here about the install so search for that if you need detailed instructions.

 

Here are some pictures of the failed mount.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/1069604...in/photostream

http://www.flickr.com/photos/1069604...in/photostream

 

That's definitely broken. I previously thought that all of the mounts were liquid-filled; the side-mount looks to be solid rubber.

Did you see any fluid inside there?

 

The side ones have some fluid in there. It'll leak out a brown fluid on some blown mounts.

 

I did not see any fluid, but this thing was completely destroyed and it may have failed long ago and leaked out...the bottom of the mount is relatively thin rubber so not sure at all if it holds all that much fluid...maybe just for some lubricant. My front mount looks really good and there in no fluid leak from that one, the rubber housing is not dry rotted like this mount and the entire area around the mount is very clean.

 

the one that causes most vibrations is the rear mount. but it's a PITA to replace.....if your side mount was broken, most likely your others ones are gone too. good luck