Engine Clunking... UPDATE 10/3, PLEASE READ

[88red4cyl]

Here's the pic I was able to get.. I couldn't get much of a pic of the other side, so this one is the best I could do.. Like I said, it looks normal, but I've never even seen a tranny mount prior to this.

[Brian P]

hmm... hard to say, it may be fine though. I'm still running my original one at 183,000 miles and 4 transmission installs.

 

How much does the engine move now when you put it in gear? I'm not sure what else to suggest, other than to make sure nothing is coming in contact with the body (such as the exhaust downpipe).

[88red4cyl]

hmm... hard to say, it may be fine though. I'm still running my original one at 183,000 miles and 4 transmission installs.

 

How much does the engine move now when you put it in gear? I'm not sure what else to suggest, other than to make sure nothing is coming in contact with the body (such as the exhaust downpipe).

 

It's moving as much as it was when I took the last video.. Did you see the pics of the dogbones I posted earlier? Is the driver side one supposed to sit crooked like that?

[Brian P]

yeah they do that sometimes, the dogbone brackets can be unbolted and aligned some.

[88red4cyl]

yeah they do that sometimes, the dogbone brackets can be unbolted and aligned some.

 

I'll have to look into that.. So, do you think it would be a possibility of the torque strut mounts being bad? The one on the driver side looks like the rubber has pulled away from the metal most of the way around (the pass. side does too but not as bad).. It may never have been attached to the metal for all I know, the Fiero's dogbone mounts a completely different way (to a fixed bracket) so these rubber inserted ones are completely new to me..

 

Or, do you think the tranny mount is shot? And if that is, are there any writeups online showing how to replace it?

[Brian P]

when you said you replaced the torque struts, which part did you replace? The part that bolts to the engine (the fork) or the part that bolts to the front tie-bar/ mounting bracket? Or both?

 

 

The trans mount, if you want to replace it, is very easy. You don't have to remove much other than the splash-guard. Once that's out of the way, unbolt it, then lift the transmission up.

[88red4cyl]

when you said you replaced the torque struts, which part did you replace?  The part that bolts to the engine (the fork) or the part that bolts to the front tie-bar/ mounting bracket?  Or both?

 

 

The trans mount, if you want to replace it, is very easy.  You don't have to remove much other than the splash-guard.  Once that's out of the way, unbolt it, then lift the transmission up.

 

I replaced this:

 

Should I have replaced something else?

[Brian P]

yeah, where that piece bolts onto the bracket is a large square chunk of rubber. See how that looks.

[88red4cyl]

yeah, where that piece bolts onto the bracket is a large square chunk of rubber. See how that looks.

 

It seems like it's pulling away from the metal in a place or two... I don't know if there were ever attached to the metal, or just crammed in there.. It seems like there's a fair amount of movement in the rubber when I move the engine back and forth, but again, I don't know how much is acceptable.. It's thunderstorming now, but I'll grab some pics in the morning and slap them up here..

[Brian P]

k cool.

[88red4cyl]

k cool.

 

Alrighty.. Here's the passenger side rubber piece:

 

And here's the driver side piece (the one with the crooked torque strut):

 

Sorry for the crappy pics, my camera won't take good close up pics for some reason.. If you need a different pic, let me know!

[AWeb80]

hit the macro setting

 

 

but....they look worn out...

[88red4cyl]

hit the macro setting

 

 

but....they look worn out...

 

Thanks! I lost the manual for this camera, so I don't have much of a clue how to use it..

 

How is a good one supposed to look?

[Brian P]

I don't think they're too bad, but yeah sharper pics plz!

[88red4cyl]

I'll see what I can do as far as pics go tomorrow...

 

Something I have been wondering about though, I am not going to damage the lower mount running it like this am I? I figure since it's solid rubber, I can't hurt it, but I really don't want to have to replace it again..

[88red4cyl]

Alright, I snapped a couple new pics of the mounts... Thanks a bunch for the macro tip Adam!!

 

The first is the passenger side, and the second is the driver side... I also took a short video of the mounts as I rocked the car back and forth to show movement... I don't know if it's helpful or not, but I'll post it once it gets done uploading..

[rockfangd]

change the bushings. They look like they have too much flex. now thats good pics

[88red4cyl]

change the bushings. They look like they have too much flex. now thats good pics

 

The rubber piece inside the metal bracket you mean? Is there a site online that sells just the bushings, or am I better off to just buy the whole bracket assembly (rockauto has that for $21)..

 

And here's the vid I took this morning..

[AWeb80]

looks like the metal bar is hitting/rubbing on the mount ahead of it.....

 

 

 

 

[88red4cyl]

looks like the metal bar is hitting/rubbing on the mount ahead of it.....

 

What do you mean?

[AWeb80]

here

[88red4cyl]

That or I put my finger on it there..

 

Do you think it looks like they are bad though?

[88red4cyl]

I ended up ordering two new assemblies and the tranny mount from rockauto.com... I don't think I need the tranny mount, but the savings in shipping (I need it two day so I can do it on my next day off) and the 5% discount, gave me the tranny mount for about $3, so I figured what the hell..

[Andrew]

while you wait for your new parts, try the 'flip mod', basically rotating the square rubber bushing 90 degree's. there a how-to here somewhere. its really easy though.

 

:EDIT:

http://www.w-body.com/forum/index.php?topic=68851.0

[LuminaPower92]

Does your engine/tranny bang into gear and sometimes when upshifting and downshifting?