Engine Mounts & weird overall experience - Tilted Forum Project Discussion Community

popo · 06-16-2003, 09:08 AM

I had a full inspection of my car a couple months ago at a Pep Boys. They came back and said that the only problems were the struts and the engine mounts. We replaced the struts because we did notice that the car was feeling "low".

Unsure about the mounts, when I went to get a smog check at an independant mechanic, I asked him to take a look and see what he thinks of them. He said he'd definitely replace them and recommended not waiting even a couple weeks to do it. We made an appointment for it this weekend (about 2 months after the initial visit).

After we left the car there on Sat, he called me and said that the wrong parts had come and that it really needed 4 mounts instead of the 3 he initially told me. Because of the wrong parts, he couldn't do the job that day. When we dropped off the car, my wife had asked him to take a look at the brakes because of a loud noise the car made a few days back. Well, he now came back and said all 4 brakes are down to metal on metal and that the rotors also need replacement.

Now I got suspicious. I decided to head down to the station where the owner showed me the front right brake to point out the problem. Obviously I didn't know what I was looking at. I told him I was going back to Pep Boys to complain to them about the obviously poor inspectio I received from them just 2 months ago. I took the car back to Pep Boys and ask why their inspection from just 2 months ago said that there's no brake problem but yet we're now being told that all 4 need replacement. After taking a look, they said that the front LEFT was in bad shape but the back brakes AND the right front brake (which the independant guy showed to me as proof) were fine and that the rotors could be machined. The other guy said the rotors were too gone to be machined.

So, Pep Boys recommended replacing the front brakes (they said that you generally want to replace both sides at the same time). I'm ok with this and will get this done.

I was also talking about it with my brother-in-law who is an engineer working for GM and he says that he cannot believe that the engine mounts need replacing. He says that he would not do it.

Any thoughts?

reconmike · 06-16-2003, 11:37 AM

Find a AAA approved repair center, they are tightly inspected and verified by AAA, even if you are not a member.
They must have a certified tech for each aspect of repair they do.
Plus to get approved by AAA, you have to have a 97% customer approval rating.

shakran · 06-16-2003, 01:35 PM

It's hard to give thoughts on the likelihood of the engine mounts being bad without knowing what kind of car and how old it is. I mean, yeah, if it's a 84 cavalier with 300,000 miles on it (stop laughing everyone! It could happen. . . Maybe) then the mounts probably need replacing. If it's a 2000 NSX that's garaged all but one month out of the year, then they probably don't.

So. . .whatcha got?

popo · 06-16-2003, 02:09 PM

Yeah, I guess I shoulda mentioned that its a 1999 Nissan Altima with 65k miles.

Thanks for the replies.

merkerguitars · 06-16-2003, 03:28 PM

It all depends I know when my friend owned an old chevy pickup we broke both motor mount after he was driving down the road at 50mph after the throttle got stuck....and that broke them....but a fwd car doesn't suffer from that as bad I would think...

Kruz · 06-16-2003, 03:49 PM

the mounts on 4 cylinder Altimas are prone to rubber seperation where they are bonded to the brackets. sometimes it "looks" like the motor is sagging, or not evenly sitting in the cradle...

DEI37 · 06-16-2003, 04:14 PM

It's possible for engine mounts then...what part of the country do you live in? Is it an automatic or manual? The more likely scenario would be that the mounts are in satisfactory condition. But, think about this...two different places recommended it. That's got to tell you something. Mounts aren't crazy expensive...I don't think. I work at a Nissan dealer, and we haven't done many on Altima's in general.

popo · 06-16-2003, 05:13 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by DEI37
It's possible for engine mounts then...what part of the country do you live in? Is it an automatic or manual? The more likely scenario would be that the mounts are in satisfactory condition. But, think about this...two different places recommended it. That's got to tell you something. Mounts aren't crazy expensive...I don't think. I work at a Nissan dealer, and we haven't done many on Altima's in general.

It's an automatic transmission and we live in CA.

The second place only said that they needed to be done after we told him that Pep Boys recommended it. And after the story I gave with the brakes, I can't say I trust him at all. The quote for the mounts came to around $500-600 incl. labor. That's not cheap with my student status.

Doesn't the fact that you haven't done many on Altimas make you wonder why these need replacement. And it's not like we've detected anything as far as vibration.

If they need to be done, we'd obviously do it but I'm just very leary now after the shaft we almost got with the brakes and because of my bro-in-law.

DEI37 · 06-16-2003, 05:58 PM

OK...well that changes things a little. Yeah, that's what I'm figuring...we don't seem to have a problem with it, so it is somewhat questionable that yours would need it. But, not every car is the same, as you know, so who knows. If you're not having funny vibrations, and stuff like that, let that ease your mind.
Tell you what...have your brother in law check 'em out. Sounds like he knows at least as much as the other guys do...probably more. Just because it's only 5 years old with 65k miles doesn't mean that they are guaranteed good. I've got a '92 Grand Prix with only 93,000 miles on it, and the front upper mount rubber is in pieces. My '97 Olds with 117,000 miles has it's motor mounts good as new, and they are original. Maybe get a 3rd opinion, and tell them NOTHING about the previous diagnosis. Good luck on it.

popo · 06-16-2003, 07:50 PM

Thanks for the help.

stingc · 06-17-2003, 04:23 AM

When my motor mounts broke, it was very easy to diagnose it. Turn on the car with the hood up so you can see the engine. Put the transmission in neutral (or park) and give it a lot of gas over and over. If you see the engine tilt excessively when you do that, you need new mounts. If not, that doesn't necessarily mean that you're ok, but be suspicious.

zfleebin · 06-18-2003, 01:10 PM

I have trouble believing a 99 altima would have problems with the mounts. Go to somebody you trust

06-16-2003, 09:08 AM	#1 (permalink)
popo Psycho	Engine Mounts & weird overall experience I had a full inspection of my car a couple months ago at a Pep Boys. They came back and said that the only problems were the struts and the engine mounts. We replaced the struts because we did notice that the car was feeling "low". Unsure about the mounts, when I went to get a smog check at an independant mechanic, I asked him to take a look and see what he thinks of them. He said he'd definitely replace them and recommended not waiting even a couple weeks to do it. We made an appointment for it this weekend (about 2 months after the initial visit). After we left the car there on Sat, he called me and said that the wrong parts had come and that it really needed 4 mounts instead of the 3 he initially told me. Because of the wrong parts, he couldn't do the job that day. When we dropped off the car, my wife had asked him to take a look at the brakes because of a loud noise the car made a few days back. Well, he now came back and said all 4 brakes are down to metal on metal and that the rotors also need replacement. Now I got suspicious. I decided to head down to the station where the owner showed me the front right brake to point out the problem. Obviously I didn't know what I was looking at. I told him I was going back to Pep Boys to complain to them about the obviously poor inspectio I received from them just 2 months ago. I took the car back to Pep Boys and ask why their inspection from just 2 months ago said that there's no brake problem but yet we're now being told that all 4 need replacement. After taking a look, they said that the front LEFT was in bad shape but the back brakes AND the right front brake (which the independant guy showed to me as proof) were fine and that the rotors could be machined. The other guy said the rotors were too gone to be machined. So, Pep Boys recommended replacing the front brakes (they said that you generally want to replace both sides at the same time). I'm ok with this and will get this done. I was also talking about it with my brother-in-law who is an engineer working for GM and he says that he cannot believe that the engine mounts need replacing. He says that he would not do it. Any thoughts?

06-16-2003, 11:37 AM	#2 (permalink)
reconmike Thank You Jesus Location: Twilight Zone	Find a AAA approved repair center, they are tightly inspected and verified by AAA, even if you are not a member. They must have a certified tech for each aspect of repair they do. Plus to get approved by AAA, you have to have a 97% customer approval rating. __________________ Where is Darwin when ya need him?

06-16-2003, 03:28 PM	#5 (permalink)
merkerguitars Buffering......... Location: Wisconsin...	It all depends I know when my friend owned an old chevy pickup we broke both motor mount after he was driving down the road at 50mph after the throttle got stuck....and that broke them....but a fwd car doesn't suffer from that as bad I would think... __________________ Donate now! Ask me How! Please use the search function it is your friend. Look at my mustang please feel free to comment! http://www.tfproject.org/tfp/showthread.php?t=26985

06-16-2003, 04:14 PM	#7 (permalink)
DEI37 Go faster! Location: Wisconsin	It's possible for engine mounts then...what part of the country do you live in? Is it an automatic or manual? The more likely scenario would be that the mounts are in satisfactory condition. But, think about this...two different places recommended it. That's got to tell you something. Mounts aren't crazy expensive...I don't think. I work at a Nissan dealer, and we haven't done many on Altima's in general. __________________ Generally speaking, if you were to get what you really deserve, you might be unpleasantly surprised.

06-16-2003, 05:58 PM	#9 (permalink)
DEI37 Go faster! Location: Wisconsin	OK...well that changes things a little. Yeah, that's what I'm figuring...we don't seem to have a problem with it, so it is somewhat questionable that yours would need it. But, not every car is the same, as you know, so who knows. If you're not having funny vibrations, and stuff like that, let that ease your mind. Tell you what...have your brother in law check 'em out. Sounds like he knows at least as much as the other guys do...probably more. Just because it's only 5 years old with 65k miles doesn't mean that they are guaranteed good. I've got a '92 Grand Prix with only 93,000 miles on it, and the front upper mount rubber is in pieces. My '97 Olds with 117,000 miles has it's motor mounts good as new, and they are original. Maybe get a 3rd opinion, and tell them NOTHING about the previous diagnosis. Good luck on it. __________________ Generally speaking, if you were to get what you really deserve, you might be unpleasantly surprised.

06-16-2003, 01:35 PM	#3 (permalink)
shakran Tone.	It's hard to give thoughts on the likelihood of the engine mounts being bad without knowing what kind of car and how old it is. I mean, yeah, if it's a 84 cavalier with 300,000 miles on it (stop laughing everyone! It could happen. . . Maybe) then the mounts probably need replacing. If it's a 2000 NSX that's garaged all but one month out of the year, then they probably don't. So. . .whatcha got?

06-16-2003, 02:09 PM	#4 (permalink)
popo Psycho	Yeah, I guess I shoulda mentioned that its a 1999 Nissan Altima with 65k miles. Thanks for the replies.

06-16-2003, 03:49 PM	#6 (permalink)
Kruz Upright Location: Marietta GA	the mounts on 4 cylinder Altimas are prone to rubber seperation where they are bonded to the brackets. sometimes it "looks" like the motor is sagging, or not evenly sitting in the cradle...

06-16-2003, 07:50 PM	#10 (permalink)
popo Psycho	Thanks for the help.

06-17-2003, 04:23 AM	#11 (permalink)
stingc Psycho Location: PA	When my motor mounts broke, it was very easy to diagnose it. Turn on the car with the hood up so you can see the engine. Put the transmission in neutral (or park) and give it a lot of gas over and over. If you see the engine tilt excessively when you do that, you need new mounts. If not, that doesn't necessarily mean that you're ok, but be suspicious.

06-18-2003, 01:10 PM	#12 (permalink)
zfleebin Addict	I have trouble believing a 99 altima would have problems with the mounts. Go to somebody you trust