Transmission mounts/Motor mounts
 

So for some time now i've tried to source a vibration I get under load.

Some back story on the symptoms:

When cold: 2nd gear to 3rd is loud, as if an actual chattering is occurring while switching gears and during acceleration.

When warm the vibration eases and is less prominent.

I looked over all of my suspension components and they are all fine and in working order.

Clutch is pretty new bully stage 1.

Tires are balanced (may need an alignment but the vibration doesn't always occur either. only under acceleration, neutral it immediately stops, and while cruising you cant tell.)

So we looked at my transmission. great news as my rear main seems to be leaking as there is oil collecting at the bottom of the bellhousing.

in addition, we noticed that the driver side transmission mount is done. you can wiggle the bellhousing around by hand with NO effort. Driver side engine mount is also not stellar, but in far better shape than the driver side trans mount. Passenger side for both motor and transmission are in better shape.

Not sure this figures out my issue, but it has to be taken care of,

I was inquiring to see if anyone has a link for polyurethane mounts for the transmission? I saw that ES has the motor mounts but cannot find anything for the trans.

p.s. Anyone have any reviews on urethane mounts in their 4th gens?

Insight would be appreciated.

ES doesn't have a tranny mount for our cars and probably will never make one. http://forums.maxima.org/5th-generat...es-mounts.html this thread should give you an idea of what it would be like since most guys get the manual mounts off the 4th gen to put them on their 5th/5.5 gen. This thread>> http://forums.maxima.org/5th-generat...otoype-11.html is the closest you may get but I'd read the entire thread before going this route for the tranny mount side. There were complications with fitment for the tranny mount but its a work in progress as far as I know. Simplest solution would just to get an aftermarket mount and be done with it.

Btw I wouldn't immediately blame that oil leak on the rear main seal either...could be the lip seal on the upper oil pan(much cheaper less intensive fix compared to a RMS anyway)

Hope That leads you in the right direction

Anyway to tell that the leak is coming from the upper oil pan vs the rear main?

the oil spot where it collects on the tranny housing looks a bit odd for me, but i'm no mechanic either.

p.s. thanks for the links.

if there is a way to tell I haven't found it. I have the same leak and the price difference is pretty significant between the two jobs if you have a shop perform it. I can't see how anyone could tell the source of the leak without taking it apart because the location of the lip seal and RMS are so close together. You can search about the oil leak but finding a definitive answer will be a challenge(its usually an either or type deal). Most cases I read it was was the upper oil pan though

Ninja edit.. upper pan was dry.

Pot memory.

does your oil leak look like this?

Attachment 56001

Attachment 56002

Yes only it looks worse. lol

I guess it can be isolated through trial and error.

Redo the upper oil pan gasket and wait to see if the oil returns to the above pictured spot.

Your upper pan was completely dry bro. BUT, that doesn't include those two lip seals...which can't be seen from underneath.

Well if your leak looks like that your upper pans isnt dry because where you see those large bolts is the upper oil pan.

In the pic below you see the red circle is the RMS around the crankshaft(it comes with that half moon shaped bracket its attached from the dealer and most aftermarket suppliers) and other red line is one of the upper oil pan lip seals(now you see why its easy to mistake the two leaks. HOWEVER you have such a great view of the RMS because the tranny and flywheel has been removed, then you have to remove the upper oil pan(along with many other parts)just to remove that RMS. But with the upper oil pan leak you dont have to remove the tranny to fix it.
Attachment 56000

hrrrmph, the plot thickens. Sad part is that i have to do the mount on the transmission anyway. lol

well that's way less labor intensive than repairing your oil leak

I'm having a similar issue as the OP. I have a 2nd to 3rd gear crunch only when I take my engine to redline then shift. I never have any actual issues getting into 3rd, it just grinds which worries me. I have poly passenger mount, front and rear and a intact OEM tranny mount. My transmission was rebuilt this summer with new shift forks as well.


When I'm driving normally, my 3rd gear is fine. Another thing, while cruising in 3rd gear. I hit the accelerator, my shifter physically moves forward. Once I let off, it goes back to normal position....moves back and forth. Only 3rd and forth. I'm not sure what else I can do to get rid of this crunch. I'm running Amsoil 75w-90 synthetic. Also, my synchros are fairly new. The mechanic who rebuilt my transmission reccomended replacing the bushings that are with my shift fork? I am unfamiliar with these bushings.

I'd say our issues are quite different, mine lies in both gear changes and staying in one gear. aka if i were to mat the gas in 5th gear on the highway, the vibration is very noticeable, literally feels like something is shaking.

if ur shifter moves it because of bad mounts prolly the trans mount i had a a issue like this when i put a new trans in my mount was completly broke in 2 in

That sounds like the front and rear engine mounts to me go with some ES and change to a poly shifter bushing which I think is available, and if not, just go with OEM shifter bushing........ it's really easy to remove and install.....I just found out last night that my 98 A/T Max uses the electronic front motor mount which I thought was available on 2000 up only! Well I used my old 03 VQ35 A/T F/R motor mounts since they were in my inventory just collecting dust.....I'll more then likely go the El Cheapo Route first by filling all my mounts with 3M Window Weld and I'll search the junkyards for 95-03 M/T motor mounts ($10 ea) for a future ES MMs if I don't like the way the 3M performs...I have the ES on my 03 A/T TE and They're awesome! Using the 3M will only be for a comparison in how they perform compared to the ES poly bushing!

Im having the same issue. Im thinking on going poly on my 95 fro front and rear. I have the sensors in the mounts and im wondering if going to a non sensor mount would be and issue..?

I have POLY ES front and rear motor mounts. Poly Passenger mount...my tranny mount looks intact too. That's why I'm stumped. It's not that big of a deal but I'd like to get it fixed. My tranny mount from visual inspection looks in 1 peice. I just bought a poly shifter bushing from a org member. See if it does anything