Anovice

Please keep in mind that I know nothing about cars. I mean nothing!

I have a 2000 I30 with 102,000 miles. Recently I have been noticing vibration with the engine. I went to the mechanic, who I trust, and he put the emergency brake on, put the car in drive, left foot on the brake and right foot on the gas. The engine had excess movement front to back. He then put the car on the lift and said the rear electronic motor mount is bad. He also said that the passenger side non-electronic motor mount is bulging, an indication it is getting tired.

As I need to hold onto the car, it seems best to replace all four. These are my questions:

1. Can/should all four be replaced with non-electric motor mounts?
2. What aftermarket brand(s) do you recommend?
3. Where online can they be purchased?

Thanks,

Anovice

DennisMik

iTrader: (2)

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Anovice

Dennis,

Thanks so much for your post!

My car is automatic. I went onto RockAuto and found the 3 motor mounts under the engine section and the 4th under the transmission section. From what I can tell, the front and rear are electronic and the other 2 are not.

If I want all the same brand for consistency, it looks like I need to get Anchor or DEA. When I do a Google search, I find less than seller reviews. I guess this is to be expected with the internet.

A few years ago my high pressure power steering hose went out. I came on this board and based on the posts concluded that an OEM hose was the best (only) way to go. While I can not afford OEM motor mounts, I am starting to wonder if this is a similar situation to the the power steering hose.

I have always been pleased with RockAuto and I can not imagine that if they had reoccurring problems with a part/brand, that they would continue to sell it.

I would hate to put on 4 new motor mounts, only to find out that I have more vibration. I can wait, but the car is 18 years old and has 102,000 miles. This problem is not going to get better. Do you have a feeling if Anchor or DEA is a better motor mount?

Again, thanks!

Anovice

TallTom

Automatic trans cars have front/rear electric mounts and manual trans cars have normal non-electric mounts. You can put the mounts of a manual trans car into an automatic and they are usually cheaper.

Anovice

Thanks!


I would like to order from RockAuto today. Any known difference between Anchor and DEA/MRC?


Anovice

AaronL

iTrader: (1)

Aftermarket, non-electric mounts will not give you the same vibrationless isolation that OEM mounts do. The electric mounts go soft at idle to reduce vibration transmission to the cabin.

From what I've read on the forum manual / non-electric mounts have more vibration but you only notice it at idle.

I can't comment on mount brands.

Anovice

I started out by having the motor mount next to the coolant and the upper strut mount replaced. There was a vast improvement.


Being there was still excess engine movement front to back (put the emergency brake on, put the car in drive, left foot on the brake and right foot on the gas), I had the electric front (radiator) and electric rear (firewall) mounts replaced.



While the excess movement is gone and the car rides nicely (a bit stiffer), I now have a vibration at idle. I must say it is annoying. I did see the mechanic plug in the front and rear electric mounts after putting the crossmember back up. He did not replace the rubber "washers" on the crossmember (used the old ones). Should have he? I should have called it quits with the replacement of the mount at the coolant!



I would not think that the vibration at idle is coming from the transmission mount on the drives side because the vibration did not start until the front and rear mounts were replaced.



Any thoughts?


Anovice