24 replies to this topic

[s-express]

Got my vx on friday, and as I normally do when I buy a new car, I take it apart straight away...
The engine was making a grinding noise when giving it beans in 2nd so i decided to replace the side mounts, the drivers side had actually collapsed



Anyway - I get the feeling these things normally last about 40k miles? This one was original and has done nearly 85k miles!

Is that a record?

It must have been broken for a LONG time, the broken fragments had corrosion on the fracture lines and the actual engine mount arm had some pretty bad wear!



God knows how the previous owner lived with it for so long.........

[FLD]

Drive it steady and you'd never know. Done mine today as I had one like that too. Just happened across it no grinding noises!! I've got the yellow infills back and front if that stops the grinding noise.

[Crazyfrog (Fab)]

God knows how the previous owner lived with it for so long.........

they are some terrible things to see
glad i have a maintenance budget on mine

[ElizP987]

Some listed here:

CLICKY

[MaDFreeBiRD]

I killed a new pair in just over 6k before, so 85k thats pretty special lol. The original ones were on for about 26k on mine

[ChrisS1]

Anyway - I get the feeling these things normally last about 40k miles? This one was original and has done nearly 85k miles!
It must have been broken for a LONG time, the broken fragments had corrosion on the fracture lines and the actual engine mount arm had some pretty bad wear!

I think you've answered your own question there...it had been broken for a LONG time...so hasn't lasted 85k miles....

[Mangham54]

That doesn't really count as it has clearly been broken for some time. I however managed to finish off one in one fell swoop after 63k (that looked like it had to be the original) having checked it a fortnight before. Similarly the drivers side is still on it original (over 70k) and is still intact, but will be replaced next week for good measure.

[simsy]

Fitting the spacers on the other mounts makes the car drive a lot 'better'. The flex in the engine mounting goes away, transmittion and handling feel sharper. (A little bit of extra vibration is evident) I would recommend the fitting of the rear yellow bushes only....

[GeorgeBC]

Fitting the spacers on the other mounts makes the car drive a lot 'better'. The flex in the engine mounting goes away, transmittion and handling feel sharper. (A little bit of extra vibration is evident) I would recommend the fitting of the rear yellow bushes only....

Why only the rear? Im just about to fit the yellow powerflex bushes myself and was going to do front and rear. Is it just so the vibration isnt as bad or is there another reason why i shouldnt fit the front?

[s-express]

took the passenger side one off today, it was in 3 pieces - had been for a while

All fixed now.....!




I would also like to know why its best to only reinforce the rear mount and leave the front one as is?

[techieboy]

Christ, they properly got their moneys worth out of those mounts. Just to be different, only my front mount had the upgraded insert in. Not sure which way around is better but I'm pretty sure it's helped preserve the replacement mounts that were fitted 4 years ago (I replaced them a couple of weeks ago in an effort to find a knocking noise and they were absolutely fine on removal).

[Mangham54]

My biggest irritation is when you lift off the throttle in first in slow moving traffic and you get the horrid jump as the engine shudders into idle. Would the front/rear engine mounts make this better or worse?

[ChrisS1]

^^^^^^^^ that. You can literally feel the engine moving. As said is it best to use one one or both inserts and also is it a big (or Borg according to my predictive spelling!) job?

[techieboy]

Definitely doesn't feel that brutal on my car even with a lightened flywheel, unless I'm jumping off the throttle at 7k+ rpm. Inserts are very easy to fit.

[GeorgeBC]

Well I've fitted mine today and as no one said a valid reason not to fit both I went ahead and did both. Went for a drive and all is good (apart from my knackered shocker). Inserts are easy to fit but all the bolts are TAF and lock tighted in place which makes the job awkward. The one closest to the cabin is a piece of p*ss other is slightly harder to reach all the bolts.

[G-Bob]

I think I have the record for engine mounts. 70miles!

[Anarchy]

But what is the grinding noise when they are knackered someone might have been driving it for ???K miles like this?

[Mangham54]

But what is the grinding noise when they are knackered someone might have been driving it for ???K miles like this?

It is a very unpleasant noise to be honest... Hard to explain but sits somewhere between grinding and squeeling. At first I thought the engine was about to spit part of the bottom of itself.

Edited by Mangham54, 24 March 2011 - 06:41 AM.

[Andrew aka Stuwy]

50k miles and still on first set, got a spare set for when they go

[TheRealVXed]

My originals did 63K. 50 miles after I bought the car they started making the noise.. Interested in the powerflex bushes. does any one have a linky to them?