What are the symptoms of aging engine mounts?
2 Answers
The symptoms of aging engine mounts are: 1. Feeling engine vibration in the cabin during idle; 2. Noticeable engine shaking when reversing or starting; 3. Steering wheel vibration during idle, with obvious brake pedal vibration; 4. A 'dong dong dong' sound from the engine when passing over speed bumps. The functions of engine mounts are: 1. Eliminating resonance generated during engine operation; 2. Reducing hydraulic oil pressure. The method for replacing car engine mounts is: 1. Support the engine with a jack; 2. Open the hood, remove the air filter cover and pipes; 3. Remove the filter base; 4. Take out the old engine mount and replace it with a new one.
After driving an old car for so many years, I'm all too familiar with the symptoms of worn-out engine mounts. The most obvious sign is the steering wheel shaking like a massager, especially at red lights when even the seats vibrate and water cups in the car rattle. Cold starts are worse - the engine makes a loud clunking noise as if it's about to fall apart. During acceleration, there's this constant thudding sound from the impacts. These are all consequences of cracked and hardened engine mounts. Last year, my car would shake violently when shifting into reverse - the mechanic found the mounts completely shattered into pieces when he opened it up. Replacing them promptly is crucial, otherwise the engine could sag and crush the exhaust pipe, damaging the driveshaft too. At that point, repairs would cost way more than a few hundred bucks.
