Replacing Front Motor Mount, OEM or Pedros?
 

It looks as if I'm going to be replacing the motor mount, looked over the DIY and it looks pretty straight forward. I do not regularly do DE or AutoCrosses, I may fit one or two in an the next year or two. My question: Is the OEM unit a safer bet (there sure seem to be alot of them failing per these boards) for my type driving or is the Pedro's Enthusiast model more stout without being too harsh? Thanks in advance.....Mark.

I have the Enthusiast mount, and I am happy with it. Installation is a bit more of a ********************, as it has much less play. This also causes a bit more engine "feel" to be transmitted into the cabin. It does improve shift quality, and hypothetically should be longer lasting.

http://www.cheetahonline.com/products/c8036.jpg

This one is great for racing, but really vibrates at idle and low speed. It shows how much the stock mount gives, as the back end of the car really feels a lot more solid with this mount in.

But I use this one for my daily car, and it feels the same as stock, but is much stiffer.

http://www.cheetahonline.com/products/c8037.jpg

I have been throwing the idea around of adding / changing some of the mount locations; as I think that the engine moves too much, which preloads one rear tire more than the other (not good since we don't have LSD's stock).

Thanks for the responses. Just ordered the Enthusiat's Mount from Pedro, spoke to him on the phone, heckuva nice fellow.

is there any way to know if/when to change this w/out physically looking at it?

is there any tell tale sign that the mount is worn/loose/broken?

is the change in shift feel, etc noticeable if your stock mount is intact - or is the change more due to the new mount being stiffer - so that even going from a good stock one to the enthusiast mount would produce a noticeable improvement?

is this a good "bang for the buck" mod?

what exactly do you notice after installing it that is "better" than before?

Many people are probably driving around with a broken mount and don't even realize it. It "feels" more solid and stable when replaced. Hard to explain.

Mine looked like this:

http://www.cheetahonline.com/products/c8036stock.jpg

The engine and trans are not supported on the sides very well, so this front mount takes a lot of twisting abuse.

I think that no matter which route one takes, replacing it is a real good idea (especially if the car is driven hard).

I noticed a little more sloppiness to the clutch take-up / engagement. Hard shifts and aggressive driving resulted in the occassional "cradle thump" that I've had occur in other cars and I knew exactly what was wrong. To be sure you could pull the access panel and watch the motor shift or lurch upon acceleration for verification, when I felt the first thump behind my butt on a harder than usual 1st to 2nd shift I immediately knew the culprit.

is there any specific mileage where this usually goes out and should be replaced?

i had my car at the mechanic recently for a vacuum leak and they had the engine top cover off but no one said anything about my car needing a new motor mount. i'd like to hope that they would see it and tell me - not to make money but to just let me know things that need fixing - tjhey did notice water leaking off my water pump - very small amount - and they said i'd likely need a new one in the near future.... but no word was said of my motor mount...but that doesn't necessarily mean it's okay...

i do notice that when I go in reverse and then hit the brake, i get a small noticeable "clunk" that seems to come from the front of the car...not sure what that is...not a motor mount as that would be behind me... :)

To be fair, you can't blame the mechanic. Anything they spot other than what you brought it in for is a bonus - and checking motor mounts is really off the radar.

The list of potential checks is endless and would ultimately end up costing you money because of the slowdown for the mechanic. To him/her, time is literally money and they'd have to make up for it somewhere!

:cheers:

I replaced my engine mount on the weekend with an OEM one. The job is relatively straight forward if you have a decent set of tools. 15mm ring spanner very important as some of the bolts are impossible to access without this. I followed Pedro's instructions and the job took about 3 hours. I also changed the fuel filter while I was under there.

This has transformed the drivability of the car. Its amazing the difference it makes changing in and out or gear. You do not have to be as precise with the clutch for a smooth change with no jerkiness.

If you sometimes hear a clunking noise when you depress the clutch, then its pretty much your front mount thats gone.

Is the motor mount as much of a problem on a Tip car? If so what are the signs of mount failure? My 98 is approaching 60K and I want to start getting necessary replacement parts so that the winter down time can be productive. Thanks , Ed

I have a Pedro motor mount Works better than stock.. It the right one to pick!!

I have an '01 with 39K on the clock. I've always noted that engaging the clutch in first gear was a rough and embarassing experience until it gets warm, but even then I have to feather it carefully. I thought it was me, but perhaps it's the mount.
I also find that when I shift to 2d at below 4000 rpm I have to give extra care to have it feel right.
I have always gotten the minor vibration going through the 3000 rpm mark when decelerating.
The car had 28K on it when I bought it 2 yrs ago and it felt the same. Never raced.
Do I need a front mount??????????

Bob

People say the symptoms are you hear clunks, and shifting is more difficult, but I really didn't experience those symptoms. Instead, on my 01 Boxster, I noticed that under hard cornering (and in my case, hard right hand sweeping turns under power), I would get a really annoying grinding vibration from my left rear axle. Apparently, the driveline geometry was thrown off due to my worn out motor mount. This was what my motor mount looked like after it was out of the car at 58k miles. As you can see, there were several cracks in the rubber.

After the new updated 987 motor mount was installed, the grinding was gone, but I also noticed the vibration as you decelerate under 3k rpms was gone too. I'm very happy with the new mount, but it's been only 7 months with the new mount on. If it lasts another 58k miles before I need to change it, I can live with that, since I put less than 5K miles on the car per year.

http://i43.tinypic.com/2iv086t.jpg

I went with the WEVO Semi Solid Mount and it vibrated a bit too much for me. So I went with the 987 mount. However if you like a very solid mount as a part of a track car, this is the ticket. I am thinking of selling it and I will throw in the carrier too, so it is a direct R&R. PM me if interested.

Yeah, I changed it too last week. Clunks and shifting difficulty were the indicators in my case too. I chose the 987 one. My car is quiet now (I think...).
My life is a mess nowadays so I did it in a repair shop (I was doing the bearings anyway, so what the heck throw in some more $$$ :cheers: ). If you ask them they can check it visually and tell you how bad it looks (the truth is I couldn't see much but they saw that it wasn't too bad, yet broken. $226 from pelican. $300-400 from the mechanic, $100-150 from pedro... the choice is all yours, but it is one of the (many) repairs you will enjoy :cheers:

Did mine this last weekend. What a difference. Took about 1.5 hours with a lift and a tranny jack and I used the sport mount. Thought it was too much vibration and engine noise at first but the more I drive it the more I like it. For most people I think the sport mount might be a bit much but I do the Chinmotorsports track drives and NASA HPDE drives with it. Much more solid feel. :cool:

Don't buy the Cheetahonline motor mount!!!
 

I bought one of these aftermarket mounts from cheetah and it failed 11months later...if you do get one good luck getting any support...no instruction, no phone number and no warranty!!! He also failed to mention that you have to take the old mount to a machine shop to knock out the sleeve before you can slip in his rubber sleeve..(if you need more info/pics check out my posts at renntech.org) Look into Pedro's Garage he makes a damn good mount for half the price (he also stands behind his product) or just buy OEM, the new OEM mount is beefed up so it won't fail like the old ones.
Regards,
Kamran

i was about to order the Pedro mount...now I"m reading there is a "beefed" up 987 mount...which apparently fits into our cars.

so which is "better" for an "enthusiast"? thge OEM mount that is the new beefed up 987 one, or the Pedro enthusiast mount or possibly his "race" mount..?????

my car is a weekend "toy"... i may track it once or twice a year...at MOST. it mostly sees "fun" spirited driving on back roads, twisty mountain roads, and the on/off ramps. :) no "real "racing is contemplated.... just fun spirited driving.

my car has 75k miles on th stock mount, i'm sure it's toast. part of me figures anything wil be an improverment..stock or Pedros..but I hear a lot of good stuff about Pedro's parts.... but if there is a "new" 987 part, maybe it's just as good and OEM?

any suggestions appreciated. thanks!

*update*

I just went online and foudn the 987 / cayman mount everyone was talking about. $228 at pelican. ouch. Pedros w/core is like $100. is the OEM worth another $128...i kinda doubt it!!!

anyone???

maybe the cayman one is softer/smoother just like the OEM one?

I received my Pedro RaceMount today. Getting it installed Friday. Will post results then.

A 987 mount is around $170 (Check Suncoast). I just bought one. Porsche has had 11 yrs to improve the thing and it's used on all new Boxsters and Caymans that have a lot more power than mine.
Too ridged for street use is unnecessary, and will be uncomfortable.
The new product has a bit lighter frame that is obvious. What they've done with the rubbery insert is anyone's guess.
If it was a 10 min job to replace it, I'd maybe experiment, but labor considered, I only want to do this once.

Bob

i guess what I"m t rying to figure out is whether a cayman / new boxster mount for $170-200 (whatever is costs) is the same/worse/better than Pedro'senthusiast mount, which is only $100 w/core - for an "enthusiast" type driver like me.

I'm holding the 987 Porsche mount in my hand right now and it's easy to see that there is a lot more rubbery meat in Pedro's product. That will likely equate to more engine vibration in the cockpit. We want to correct broken mount symptoms, not necessarily make it stiffer and cause other vibrations, etc. If my new mounts fails early, I may look into other alternatives then.

Engine mounts are designed as a compromise, just like most components on a street car.

The greater the mount's ability to dampen vibration in the cabin, the more the engine is moving around under lateral acceleration or cornering loads, although the ride is comfortable.

If the mount is made solid, the engine doesn't move and therefore the car handles better at turn-in, less torque is lost lifting the motor under hard acceleration and gear change under heavy acceleration feels more precise. Downside is of course a harsher ride.

The decision really comes down to how hard you drive your car and what tolerance you have for vibration. The issue of the part's longevity is really secondary.

nice explanation. i think you pretty much nailed it. like many things with cars, it's all a trade off.

my Boxster is NOT my DD, so I'd by okay with some vibration in exchange for better turn in, shifting, etc. as long as it's not a "ton".... :) i need to find someone local who has one and go for a spin to see how "bad" the vibration reallhy is.....

I'll let you know Friday after my Pedro racing mount is in. My car is my DD, so the results will be interesting.

If you happen to find yourself "Down Under" in the next week or two I would be happy to take you for a spin. ;-)

I don't know that you'll be happy with the racing mount in a daily driver. I have the enthusiast version and while the shifting is way better, the vibration is significant. I ended up pulling it out a couple weeks ago and drilling a few more holes in it. The vibration is reduced, but still there a little. Its a livable compromise for now.

Bobiam, to be honest, the install isnt that bad. I used jack stands and a scissor jack (with a 2x4) and I have it down to removed/drilled/installed in less than 1.5 hours. To me, it is better to have something liveable as opposed to long lasting, since I dont mind crawling under the car and working on it. If I hadn't drilled it out, I don't know that I could have lived with the vibration.

On another note, Pedro is a super nice guy and makes good stuff. One of the rare guys you will find that is knowledgeable and easy to work with. :cheers:

+1 on Pedro being a great guy. It is rare to find an internet vendor with integrity, let alone one who is a nice guy as well. I will be a repeat customer, that is for certain.

Now I am doubting as to whether I have made the right choice going with the racing mount??? I will find out tomorrow I guess, and if it is too rough I suppose I can just drill the appropriate holes and re-install.

Will post tomorrow with my thoughts.

Is this the "987 motor mount"?

http://www.e-partssales.com/miva/merchant.mvc?Screen=PROD&Store_Code=P&Product_Code =98737502304&Category_Code=ENGMECH

Thanks!

Sammy

Yep. In fact I have one right here waiting to be installed.

Pedro's mount Vs OEM Go with Pedro!!
 

I installed one of Pedro's mounts and have been extremely happy with it.

Pedro is a great guy and is very helpful every step of the way.

I will most difinitely buy from him again!

Chris from California

The new GT3 has a no compromise 'Dynamic Engine Mount'. Pedro, can you fab some up for us? :D

Because the GT3 (and all other 996s and 997s for that matter) have the engine backwards it's much easier to do than on a 986/987/C7.
Our engine is mounted with the flywheel facing back, the 911s have it facing forward.
That's why we only have one front engine mount, instead of two.
BTW, the life of an OEM mount is 45,000 miles.
I don't know how long my remanufactured mounts will go because I haven't received one back yet (broken).
The first one I made I installed in my car 112,000 miles ago :).
I inspect it maybe twice a year, but haven't found any cracks yet.
The new mounts for the 987/C7 aren't really stronger, they're actually weaker, because they were made to absorb more vibration, hence they last less.
I also found a better compound for my remanufactured mounts.
The next generations will absorb better the engine vibration.
Happy Boxstering,
Pedro

I had to chuckle when I saw the 7 month old thread still going. Update, I installed the Pedro's Enthusiast Mount shortly after my initial post, I've been driving with it over 6 months now. Like everyone says, it transmits more vibration which is indeed noticeable but something you quickly get used to, nothing annoying or obnoxious. It fixed the thump, shifts are much more direct feeling, clutch feel is more consistent. Install was very straight forward and once again kudos to Pedro for being great to deal with. I'd buy his mount again in a heartbeat.

I had my boxster in the indi shop for a front bumper replacement (looks great BTW), so I also had them install Pedros Enthusiast front motor mount. I was going to do it myself as a weekend project, but the shop already had the car up in the air. When I talked to Pedro, he said that their Enthusiast mount that they had on hand had a little harder compound that would transmit more vibration and that I may want to wait for the next batch of mounts made up with softer material.

Because my car was not going to be in the shop long, I went ahead and got the mount with the harder compound. Well, it may be the cold weather, or it might be the GT3 seats I have, or it might be the lightweight flywheel I have, probably a bit of all three. But there is a fair amount of vibration with the new mount. Car shifts better, no clunking that was going on before, thats all great. I will have to put some miles on it, especially some long trips to see how I settle in with it.

Its interesting, it makes you aware of just how much vibration is comming from the engine when it is more tightly coupled to the body. Makes it more clear why a dual mass flywheel or some mode of damping harmonics seems like a good idea. Also, its clear as others have said that a front mount on a car with 90K like mine was toast,

Ed

:D

The new (better damping) compound is in.
I have a few of the improved mounts ready to ship and from now on all* of them will be remanufactured this way.
(*) except the full-racing version which will still use the harder compound for less HP loss.

Happy Boxstering,
Pedro

When will you start making/selling the new version?

[EDIT]
Due to the weird threading that the forum shows in hybrid mode, I didn't see pedro's comment about "from now on" they'll be manufactured with new material.
[/EDIT]