Signs that side and front engine mounts are bad?

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Tim - 07 May 2007 07:42 GMT

I know my rear engine mount is bad from the way the engine vibrates
when I am in reverse.

As I replace the rear mount how do I know if the other mounts are also
in need of change?

Thanks,
Tim

91 Accord 173k

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Michael Pardee - 07 May 2007 13:34 GMT

>I know my rear engine mount is bad from the way the engine vibrates
> when I am in reverse.
[quoted text clipped - 6 lines]
>
> 91 Accord 173k

Before you condemn the mount... is this an automatic transmission vehicle?
If so, the rear mount is hydraulic and the problem may be in the control
system.

Take a look at the mount. If there is a lever on the top of it and a vacuum
tube, it is a hydraulic mount. That lever should be in one position - firm -
most of the time and in the other - soft - at idle in gear. Often that lever
gets stiff and oil may or may not fix it. In addition, be sure vacuum is
applied when idling in gear. The hose or the valve that controls the mount
would be suspect if the vacuum is absent or weak.

Haynes says an expert is needed to troubleshoot the hydraulic mount system,
but the real Honda manual available from helminc.com has the simple
procedure.

Mike

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Tim - 07 May 2007 19:36 GMT

On May 7, 7:34 am, "Michael Pardee" <michaeltn...@cybertrails.com>
wrote:

> Before you condemn the mount... is this an automatic transmission vehicle?
> If so, the rear mount is hydraulic and the problem may be in the control
[quoted text clipped - 12 lines]
>
> Mike

But I don't see a lever. Could that be just on other year models?

I see the vacuum hose to the mount going into a round case, about the
diameter of a half-dollar, at the base of the mount. There is
virtually no vacuum present in the tube as it goes into the mount (at
idle in gear.)

Thanks Mike.

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Michael Pardee - 08 May 2007 00:20 GMT

> On May 7, 7:34 am, "Michael Pardee" <michaeltn...@cybertrails.com>
> wrote:
[quoted text clipped - 30 lines]
>
> Thanks Mike.

At least this leads you to places that are easier to see and get at :-)

The hose is easy enough to follow up to the control valve, located near the
top of the firewall right in the center. The valve gets vacuum from that
short hose that connects it to the intake plenum. The connector has only two
pins, that should have something like 12 volts across them when the engine
is idling. (I must have been wrong about having to be in gear. In addition,
the troubleshooting flow chart requires the engine to be warmed up; the
radiator fan runs at least twice.) The vacuum is shut off by the valve when
the engine is above 700 or 750 rpm.

Mike

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Tim - 07 May 2007 19:38 GMT

On May 7, 7:34 am, "Michael Pardee" <michaeltn...@cybertrails.com>
wrote:

> Before you condemn the mount... is this an automatic transmission vehicle?
> If so, the rear mount is hydraulic and the problem may be in the control
[quoted text clipped - 12 lines]
>
> Mike

I don't see a lever. Could that be just on other year models?

I see the vacuum hose to the mount going into a round case, about the
diameter of a half-dollar, at the base of the mount. There is
virtually no vacuum present in the tube as it goes into the mount (at
idle in gear.)

Thanks Mike.

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