How I can check if my engine mounts are bad? (Mazda Miata)

[Christos Adam]

Hi guys (and gals)
I have the impression that at Saturday's GRA event in one of the 20 laps I broke one of my engine mounts (or maybe two - but definitely not three ).
Is there a relatively easy way to test that?

I just noticed that when the engine turns off it vibrates a bit more than it used to...nothing dramatic but I can definitely feel something different...

I currently have the Mazdaspeed mounts on my car - which I believe are a bit stiffer but not up to the new torque levels of the engine. I guess the constant downshifting/upshifting during the practice didn't help either }:)

Chris

[Casey Brier]

there is always the e-brake trick.

pull the e-brake up, (and/or push on the brakes) and with the car in gear try to move the car, meaning let the clutch out about half way rather quickly and then push it back in (so you dont stall). your looking for how much the engine moves. (takes two people). some movment is ok of course, but if it looks like its way more then just a little bit or it clunks thats a pretty good sign.
Here is a video of a guy doing what I said. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8pJuY4UO ... re=related" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

or you can just rev it up....
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FrK8-fd9cN8" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Hope that helps.

[George Schilling]

there is always the e-brake trick.

pull the e-brake up, (and/or push on the brakes) and with the car in gear try to move the car, meaning let the clutch out about half way rather quickly and then push it back in (so you dont stall). your looking for how much the engine moves. (takes two people). some movment is ok of course, but if it looks like its way more then just a little bit or it clunks thats a pretty good sign.
Here is a video of a guy doing what I said. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8pJuY4UO ... re=related" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

or you can just rev it up....
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FrK8-fd9cN8" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Hope that helps.

What he said. I've heard we have one of the best engine mount inspectors in the country right here in our region. Maybe you could give Renee a call for help on this.

[Casey Brier]

without putting too much thought into it, I belive you do the soame thing in reverse gear and it will test the other side. (it twist the engine in the other direction...... I think)

[Christine Grice]

without putting too much thought into it, I belive you do the soame thing in reverse gear and it will test the other side. (it twist the engine in the other direction...... I think)

You might want to think about that one just a little longer...

[Jeff Shyu]

without putting too much thought into it, I belive you do the soame thing in reverse gear and it will test the other side. (it twist the engine in the other direction...... I think)

You might want to think about that one just a little longer...

[George Schilling]

without putting too much thought into it, I belive you do the soame thing in reverse gear and it will test the other side. (it twist the engine in the other direction...... I think)

You might want to think about that one just a little longer...

I agree with Casey. The torque applied to the engine is derived from the locked up drive shaft which obviously reverses when the car is in reverse. Am I missing something?

[Jonathan Lugod]

[Marshall Grice]

without putting too much thought into it, I belive you do the soame thing in reverse gear and it will test the other side. (it twist the engine in the other direction...... I think)

You might want to think about that one just a little longer...

you might want to draw a freebody diagram real quick...





for the record the engine will rock the other direction in reverse when you release the clutch.

[Christine Grice]

Nevermind, Marshall, George and Casey are right.

(youtube is quicker than a free body diagram)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uKnQQoORbtk" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

[George Schilling]

Nevermind, Marshall, George and Casey are right.

(youtube is quicker than a free body diagram)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uKnQQoORbtk" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Yeaaaa. :gpower:

I'm almost always "right" but it's nice to finally have someone acknowledge it.

[Mako Koiwai]

How does the engine change direction THAT quickly when you go into reverse ?

[Tom Denham]

How does the engine change direction THAT quickly when you go into reverse ?

In a Miata??? Make sure your hamster has new tennis shoes.

[Christos Adam]

Hey guys, could you please watch the video below and let me know what do you think?

http://s15.photobucket.com/albums/a361/ ... V00867.flv" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

It seems to me that at least the driver side mount is shoot (which can be observed when I put reverse - at the begging of the video) :barf:

You can also hear the noise that I was talking about n the previous posts when I shut the engine off.

[Rick Brown]

I used to just put a jack under the engine and jack it up a bit and see if the mount separates. Of course that was on a 240Z where you could actually see the ground through the engine compartment and the mounts were not obscured by anything at all.....

[Steve Ekstrand]

Let Bill Schenker drive it. If its not broke yet, it will be.

[Christos Adam]

Let Bill Schenker drive it. If its not broke yet, it will be.

LOL, yeah I need to ask Bill he will know...

[Casey Brier]

looks to me that is the right side mount that is broke. (lifting to much).

when in forward gear all looks fine.

[Bob Beamesderfer]

looks to me that is the right side mount that is broke. (lifting to much).

when in forward gear all looks fine.

Broken or loose.

[George Schilling]

looks to me that is the right side mount that is broke. (lifting to much).

when in forward gear all looks fine.

I concur. Should be an easy change out on that side.

[KJ Christopher]

looks to me that is the right side mount that is broke. (lifting to much).

when in forward gear all looks fine.

I concur. Should be an easy change out on that side.

Just have someone ride the clutch in reverse and you'll get that extra arm room you need to change it.