An engine mount is the part that holds the engine in your car. In most cars, an engine and transmission are bolted together and held in place by three or four mounts. The mount that holds the transmission is called the transmission mount, others are referred to as engine mounts.
In our Nigerian street lingo, this is more commonly referred to as "engine seat" or "engine seating".
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| Toyota Corolla engine mounts |
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| A Hyundai engine mount |
One part of the engine mount is bolted to the car body or frame. Another part holds the engine. An engine is a source of vibration, as it has many moving and rotating parts. The job of an engine mount is not only to hold the engine in place, but to reduce the engine vibration felt inside the car.
Engine mounts are made with a rubber material so that there is no direct metal-to-metal contact between the engine and the car body.
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| A Toyota Camry transmission mount |
To further dampen the vibration, some engine mounts are filled with liquid. A liquid-filled engine mount works like a shock absorber.
Some car manufacturers (e.g. Toyota, Honda) use active vacuum-controlled engine mounts that vary dampening as needed. Porsche offers electromagnetic mounts to actively reduce engine vibration transferred to the body.
An engine mount doesn't need any maintenance or regular servicing. It only needs to be replaced when it fails or wears out. Some technicians recommend spraying some WD40 on them. There's no real proof of its efficacy. I do it anyway. better safe than sorry.
How long can an engine mount last? In some cars, engine mounts can last the life of the vehicle. Some cars start having problems with engine mounts starting in 5-7 year-old vehicles. Transmission mounts last longer.
Engine mount problems
The most common problem with the engine mount is when the rubber part breaks or separates or when liquid starts leaking out of the liquid-filled mount.
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| A leaking engine mount |
Common symptoms of a failed engine mount is the increase in engine noise and vibration felt inside the car.
Often, the excessive vibration is more noticeable at idle with the transmission engaged. In some cars, a failing passenger side mount can cause a vibration and growling noise
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| Comparison between engine mounts |
In some cars, a broken engine mount can also cause a noticeable jolt or thump when shifting into Drive or Reverse or when accelerating or decelerating.
In Honda Accord V6, Odyssey and Pilot, for example, a failed front engine mount can cause harsh transmission engagement when shifting between Park, Drive; and Reverse, as well as vibration at highway speeds. The solution is to replace the front hydraulic engine mount.
In some Toyota cars, a failed engine mount can cause vibration felt in the steering at idle when the transmission is in Drive. The vibration disappears when shifted to Neutral.
A bad transmission mount may also cause squeaking when shifting gears.
In some cars, a bad engine mount can cause rattling noise when the engine is started or shut down.
How a failed engine mount is diagnosed
Visible signs of a failed engine mount include cracks, tears and separation in the rubber, as well as leaking liquid. A worn-out engine mount may appear sagging.
When one of the mounts is bad, an engine may appear seating lower on the side of the bad mount.
Often when one engine mount goes bad, it adds more strain on all other mounts. For this reason, it's not uncommon to see two mounts that need replacement at the same time.
Before a bad engine mount is confirmed, all other causes must be eliminated. For example, when one of the exhaust pipe hangers is broken, it may create the same symptoms as a bad engine mount. When a bent or damaged exhaust pipe touches one of the chassis components, it also creates vibration and rattling noise when shifted to Drive or Reverse noticeable inside the car.
Engine mount replacement
Replacement costs vary. A new engine mount may not be readily available, be of good quality or be affordable. Often times, we're forced to patronise the used goods (belgium) parts with little or no warranty.
Another option is the fabrication of these mounts. A piece of rubber is forced in place of the mounts by technicians commonly called "ojogun". The mounts certainly hold the engine in place but more often than not transfer excessive vibrations to the cabin.
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