engine or transaxle mount?

[bonneville02]

i have a 2001 pontiac bonneville se fully loaded.
that came with some problems.
im fixing them slowly but for surely.
i got around to the motor mounts.
now when i hit the gas 1/2 or full throttle and let go i get a loud bang.
also at times you can feel vibrations at certain engine rpms or gear changes.
turns out the pass. side mount was bad and the motor was leaning on the frame.
when i first looked into the haynes book it basically said i would have to have an engine hoist...or something very extravagant like that.
but this site helped me with the side mount which took me about 45minutes...including taking my time etc.

so no vibrations during cranks, shifts, or certian rpms. and this may sound crazy but the car seems to have more get up and go,
but i still get that slam when i hit the gas hard and let go.
any idea's what this could be?

[Ken_W]

Could be that the engine is being flung forwards and backwards more than it should.

Did you change the front trans mount (the circular mount on the front of engine, down low, slightly off-center toward the driver side)? This is usually the one that wears out first. If you had to change a side mount, this one is almost guaranteed to need replacement also. Fortunately, it's the easiest of the four mounts to replace, and you don't have to move the engine or trans at all. Some replace with a common "Anchor" brand mount, available at most parts stores, but some also make their own mount out of hockey pucks, which lasts longer and is cheaper. If you do a search of the board's old posts, you will easily find several threads on this topic, as well as instructions on how to swap it out and/or replace with hockey puck mount if you so choose.

To see if you need to replace this mount, get into your car with the hood up. Start the car and put your foot on the brake. Look under the hood at the engine, and shift through the various gears. It is normal for the engine to move a little as you shift, but if its really jumping around in there, you should replace the front mount.

Ken_W

[redzmonte]

i would look at the front mount as well. but always check ball joints, tie rod ends and swaybar links. but definatly remove and inspect that front mount, it is a common failure.

[bonneville02]

well its the front mount for sure.
i started on the mount by unscrewing the bottom nut...which kept spinning and spinning any idea's ?

[bonneville02]

Any ideas?

[00Beast]

Get someone up top with a pry bar to wedge it up so it can't spin? I'm not really sure how it could be loose...

[bonneville02]

Im not either unless it was surrounded by rubber? This is the front mount on the driverside btw.
.if that helps.

[harofreak00]

The mount is made up of 2 bolts held together with rubber. When the rubber fails, it can cause it to release from the bolt. You'll hve to find a way to remove the rubber enough to be able to put a vice grips on the top of the bolt (doesn't have a hex head, just a smooth round flange).

[Archon]

While turning the nut on the bottom, have someone observe from about what might be turning. If it is the mount, you could try holding it with a strap type oil filter wrench. If you can't see what is turning, you'll like have to remove the top part, and then try to pry the mount apart to get at what is turning.

As Beast mentioned, you're treading on new territory, as this is the first report we've had of that problem. At least that I can recall.

[ray364]

just take the bracket out from the top of the mount, and deal with it out of the car, so much easier!!

[00Beast]

ray364, the top part of the mount isn't the issue. He's underneath where it goes through the subframe trying to loosen the nut and it's spinning, the nut sandwiches the subframe between itself and the mount, he would have to remove the subframe to do it "off the car". Not a good option.

[bonneville02]

Im surprised no one had this happened before. Ok so take the bracket off when I do that the top 1/2 should come off pretty much. Leaving the bottom one exposed and attach vise grips to em.

[00Beast]

Hopefully, or you should be able to lift it enough to grab it with a vice-grips.