I just got a little cheap $10 key fob camera off Ebay. It's small enough that I was able to tape it to the top of the coolant reservoir and along with a cordless work light get a pretty good shot of the engine while I was driving. I've suspected that my passenger side motor mount has been in need of replacement for a while, but after seeing this video, it seems the front and rear mounts are very weak as well. I really don't know if the engine is supposed to move this much but this seems excessive to me.

In the video the camera is atop the coolant reservoir facing towards the passenger side motor mount. The large bolt at the left bottom of the screen is the top of the pass. motor mount. Oh, and that whine is not a supercharger. It's the noise my car has made ever since I changed out the high pressure ps hose.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2wUOgvY_774

Here is where I bought the camera btw:

http://cgi.ebay.com/Spy-Car-Key-Hidd...item230a82acb0

Keep in mind you'll also have to buy a 2gb or 4gb micro sd card. The 4gb will give you an hour of recording time. I bought mine at Amazon for about $8.50 shipped. So all in all a $18.50 troubleshooting camcorder you can fit almost anywhere.

 

Great job! To try and recreate mount issues in the drive way is tough...Coordinating all the pedals (even with the ebrake) is always tricky...especially on a manual tranny. Camera definately safer and you get a much cleaner idea about what all the "moving and shacking" is about as you throttle up, down, and shift.

 

I Have to say, does not look like that you have many miles on that engine.looks nice n clean.

 

That is just f***ing cool! A keyfob camera? What is the practical use for that?

 

I have 103k on it now. Here in Colorado Springs, they use very little salt on the roads in the winter. Actually, it's a sand mixture with a bit of salt in it. The bad thing is the "sand" chips the paint and windshield. The good thing is it takes a LONG time for a car to rust here. My wife's '91 Maxima has no rust on it for instance.

 

Ah, same here. No rust. Like the video too.

 

That is way beyond cool! Imagine other possibilities (Do not strap it to your shoes in a mixed company :-)

Who would have thought we could get miniature video cameras for $10 and could shoot under the hood of a moving car??

- Vikas

 

I may also tape this thing up to my tie rod to see if I'm getting any play in them.

 

I know. I saw this camera over on Jalopnik. The very first thing I thought was getting a shot of the motor mounts while driving. I first taped the camera to the A/C line right above the pass. side motor mount. It was too close though and turned out blurry.

The next thing I'm going to do now is tape the camera somewhere below to get a shot of the front and rear mounts while I'm driving.

 

Anyone have any comments on these mounts? To me they look shot, but I'm certainly no expert on motor mounts as I've never had to replace one.

 

you need the torque mounts replaced for sure.

bty that's a really cool camera for 10 bucks.

 

I can hear the same little "squeeky - shimmying" sound that mine is doing now....only mine is worse and more prevalent.

i'm assuming for now, that it's coming from the m.mounts, but dunno for sure.

looks like your engine is definitely moving under load -- !

good post!

gr

 

Get the mounts done. It'll feel like a new car. And awesome video. I'm tempted to buy one of those keyfob camera things.

 

I think this is a first on the Org. Very creative effort, OP.

And if knight_yyz things the video is demonstrating worn out torque mount bushings, then there's your answer.

As to your rust-free location... grrrr. Lucky, SOB.

BTW, at about the 1:00 mark, did you put the car in reverse? The block started rocking towards the firewall instead of towards the front.

 

Yes, I had pulled into a parking lot to turn around and at the 1:12 mark had to put it in reverse. Some other things to note time wise on the video.

At about the 30 second mark I drive over a dip in the road that always makes my car "clunk" in the front end. You can see the engine travel downward at that point.

Also at the 1 minute mark is where I pulled into a driveway. It had a fairly abrupt lip to it and you can actually hear metal hitting metal to something. It sounds to me like it was from the pass. side mount.

The video I made was over 12 minutes long, but I cut it down so as not to torture you guys.

And you're right Rochester, if knight says the torque mounts need to be done, then you better believe I'm going to do them, as soon as I find out what those are.

 

Torque mounts? Do you mean the pass. side engine mount?

 

They are the lower mounts that prevent the engine from rocking back and forth under acceleration and deceleration.

 

Ah, ok. I thought those were referred to as the front/rear engine mounts. After seeing this video though, I'm going to replace the lower mounts and the pass. side.

 

Also referred to as the front and rear crossmember mounts.

 

sorry about that. I'm used to calling them the torque mounts because that's what energy suspension calls them.

 

Stock motor mounts on the lower crossmember:


ES Polyurethane Mounts swapped onto the lower cross member:


Video below is with stock motor mounts, watch at about 29sec. mark when it is punched to see the engine torque movement.



Change your lower torque mounts as in picture #2 and the next time you put the mini cam in to watch the engine you will see ZERO torque movement from the engine.

 

No problem knight. When you think about it that makes sense as since the Maxima doesn't have a torque bar like I've seen on a lot of the GM V6's, the motor mounts have to do all of the work.

I noticed Rochester has a torque bar. My guess is having one of those with even the stock motor mounts has to make a huge difference in engine movement.

 

Wow that's a pretty sick camera for 10$ cant go wrong plus I have like 6 sd cards at my house not being used, I already have the mounts on my order list but Im just waiting for some other stuff.

 

The ES bushings are intriguing, but I've read on this forum that they tend to be pretty rough at idle. I don't mind a bit more roughness at idle if it keeps the engine a lot more stable, but then I don't want my car feeling like a 4 cylinder Honda Accord auto. at idle either. I always thought when the time came I'd simply get the "Ebay set" and call it good. I wonder though if they would be that much of an improvement over my old stock mounts? I'll definitely have to give this some thought.

 

It'd be neat to do a before and after video. Oh and keep in mind these cameras only take the micro-SD cards, the tiny ones.

 

ya I have both sd cards lol. What motor mounts are you buying the Energy Suspension ones ?

 

Honestly I never thought I'd be giving any thought to the ES bushings because of the "harshness" I've read they can bring. I do think they would hold up a lot longer than oem ones though, and I like that. In answer to your question, I have no idea what I'm buying yet lol.

 

Eh even after i changed out all my mounts with ebay ones I feel a little jerk when putting it in drive

About to go for the ES mounts

 

I've notice that about Rochester, too.

kbohip, the engine brace isn't the right solution for worn out mount bushings. Deal with the bushings first, either with OEM replacement, or ES polyurethane.

"Torque Mounts" are the two engine mounts that take the beating when the engine rocks from the firewall to the front of the car and back again.

The "Passenger Mount" and "Transmission Mount" are the two at each fender on which the engine is pivoting.

 

http://upload.streetfire.net/video/S...yno_111916.htm
not a maxima, but it is a vq35 with worn torque mounts...

Here's my car with ES torque mounts
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=us7FO-AhN64

 

And DAYummm.....yours doesn't move AT ALL!

methinks I (personally) want to be somewhere in-between those two.

gr

 

guys....mechanic tells me the motor mounts are bad all around. I looked at the mounts on the cross member (still on vehicle), and there does not appear to be any tearing from what I can see (really dont know what to look for). I clipped this pics from Ghost_54 and doctored it up to illustrate a point. The rubber (plastic?) end of the bushing (where the tip of the blue arrow is) that appears to be a "cap" is not connected on my mount. There is a gap between the rubber "cap" and the metal housing..about 1/3 inch. I also included a video of the parked going throught the gears.



http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0K5NYxuzef4

thanks for the input.....got 232k on her and I think I am good for another 100k.


Thanks..G

 

Once I removed them I found they were all completely ripped. A visual inspection with the engine in place doesn't cut it. Based on the video I'd say they are toast.
You have 232k miles???? I'd bet my left babymaker they're burnt toast!
Buy some EBay mounts and enjoy.

 

Good video - interesting - Does anyone have a direct working link to a passenger side engine mount - mine has gone cracked - I'm thinking about just replacing them all - Are there any links with the "set" of mounts together? I'm hesitant about buying mounts off ebay - Im sure they may work fine but I'd rather pay an extra 10 dollars and get a brand name from a authorized seller - Also the for the lower cross member where does one acquire those? Thanks for the direction guys

 

I got the ES motor mounts and the subframe bushings...BIG difference...engine does not move at all! It feels weird at first you'll get used to it!!!

 

My favorite mod.

 

I haven't done THAT many mods yet....but I'd have to say that the sprint booster is still my fav mod.....

 

IDK about that. It's a reasonably impressive list in your sig.

Between your clutch, flywheel and now these motor mount bushings... I'm sure your car feels far more visceral than the typical upscale sedan. You know, 90% of the time, I'm digging that transformation. But every once in a while, I wish it were a little more gentle.

BTW, if you like the ES mount bushings, you'll love the NWP Torque Link.

 

Here's a link for anybody that is interested:
http://www.nwpengineering.com/Phenol...tml#TorqueLink

 

Thanks...before I burn 500 on mounts, is there a way to tell which ones are history, or should I buy them all. I am not capable (time) of replacing mysefl.

thx