subject: Does Your Engine Mounting Need To Be Replaced? [print this page] The engine mounting is the unsung hero of smooth, stable and quiet driving. Carrying the weight of the engine and built of steel and rubber to absorb the weight and vibration of the engine, if it wasn't for engine mount, your car would feel unstable and uncomfortable. If you use the quality engine mounting, you will be sure of saving time and money on the car maintenance. If the engine mountings go to be damaged after a long usage, the engine could actually sag as much as a few inches which may cause shifting linkages to not work. With the engine drooping, the transmission will be affected possibly. Therefore, if you find its difficulty to get into or out of certain gears, or the transmission isn't shifting as usual, the broken engine mounting could be the reason. Once the broken motor mount is replaced, inspect to see that no link rod actually was bent while the engine was drooping because the car will likely still have symptoms.
On older cars or newer trucks with a radiator fan that is connected to the engine directly, a broken motor mount could let the engine to lift or shift when you drive with fast speed. And also it will make the fan contacted with the radiator. Engines are most at risk for this for the radiator fan placement and the torque they create, which can lift an engine several inches under hard acceleration When you find the fan is touching the radiator, inspect to see that the motor mounts and radiator mounts aren't broken, and repair them as soon as possible.
Sometimes when a vehicle has a broken motor mount, the engine will be allowed to lift at the period of acceleration, which may affect throttle cables or linkages. If the throttle sticks wide open under hard acceleration or towing, inspect the motor mounts and throttle linkages immediately. For obvious reasons, any car on the road with a sticking throttle can be of high risk. Again, if the problem still exists after motor mounts are exchanged, inspect the linkage for bent parts and repair or replace them.
Some manufacturers have provisions to make solid engine mounts for their cars. Normally, a motor mount is made of two pieces of metal with a hard rubber insert in between. The metal on either side is the attachment point for the mount, while the rubber insert absorbs vibration and allows for some flex so that the passengers can't feel the engine working.
