Edward

Got a pair of engine mounts and was going to pop em in today as the right side totally gave way last Friday ...as in I found the engine sagging down 4" on the right after I had pulled into the garage!!

So I unbolt the engine mount to do the deed and what do I get? ...crack!!! Looks like the engine tin part snapped right off ...yeah, right where the mount bolts into the engine plate underneath! Criminy ...I am hosed, right? Tow to a shop, engine coming out? What am I looking at now? Advice please ...very bummed out that a routine job went south in a bad way...

Edward

John D.

Hi Edward!

Do mean the engine mount carrier broke on the right side? I'm not sure it's an engine out repair - as I would think you might be able to lower the rear of the engine a bit by removing the left mount bolt too, then remove the bumper cover, bumper cross beam, aluminum cooling shroud for the cat, the cat, rear engine tin - and then get to the mount carrier to change it out?

In any event - I'd be as bummed as you are.....

John D.

AOW162435

The engine tin cracked? Or the engine carrier cracked at the outer end?

If the engine carrier failed, you’ll need to have the car on stands, with an additional pair of stands to support the engine. Then the catalytic converter, crossover pipe, and rear tin needs to come out. Then the engine carrier can be removed to either repair, or replace.

I’ve done all of this work at least six times in order to access the timing chain cover seals on my 993, as well as other Rennlisters’ cars. No need to even consider removing the engine or bumper for this.




Andreas

Edward

Well whatever the engine mount is bolted to (I assumed that was the tin, but absolutely could be wrong) is what cracked off. In other words, when I loosened the 18mm nut for the engine mount, it turned maybe 1/8 turn then snapped. I peeked up from the bottom and sure nuff, it is cracked at the engine bracket (the rear part which I assumed was the engine tin), and that piece of the bracket is still connected to the mount's stud and nut. Does that help clarify my malady?

Edward

John D.

Hey Edward,

Yep... It's the carrier... If it were me (and that's just "me"), I'd replace it rather than try to have the broken carrier repaired. Just my opinion...

As well, Andreas believes you can exchange it without removing the bumper cover as I suggested. That could well be the case, for sure - as he's done more than I have for sure... Just watch the cross-members and oil lines dropping it that far would be my only thought..?

Best to you!

John D.

Edward

Well thanks guys. I guess I just gotta suck up the bad news, but that's life with a nearly 25yo car so I can't really complain too loudly. I've been putting off a timing-chain-cover leak for easily 5+ years now so maybe this is the time to do that as well. So much for my tax return going to pay down my HELOC

Edward

Top-Gun

Rennline has a tubular engine carrier that is a complete replacement for the stock stamped one. Likely more cost effective given the time and cost to repair and reinforce your broken carrier.

JasonAndreas

When you loosened the nut, was the hydraulic jack under the engine almost lifting the rear end off the ground or just enough to support the engine or ???

GwynnieMae

I highly second this advice. I was thinking of this too before it was mentioned.

Also, like you mentioned earlier, take care of those timing chain covers with this project. I just did those and a reinforced engine carrier. This project is way easier with the rear bumper off. I removed the catalytic converter too.

911F1

Wheres the weak point on the stock carrier? If one wants to do a visual inspection

Edward

Hey guys,

So as for info and clarity:

1. I had the car on jackstands (rear) and the engine supported with a jack. It is worth noting that the mount had already failed/collapsed completely (more than just the tell-tale seep of oily goop on the floor) since the engine was sagging on the right a good 3-4 inches!! So yes, I had a jack under the engine to take weight off the mount when I tried to undo the pass-side engine mount's 18mm nut.

2. I had a bit of time and better light to look in, and the break occurred at the end of the rear-most bracket that spans the width of the engine: it's the black steel bracket in which the engine mount's long stud drops through and is bolted to. The break looks like at the end of the bracket where the "eye" of the bracket welds onto the bracket itself. That "eye" portion is what snapped clean off of the bracket when I went to loosen the nut, and given its location you'd not be able to do much of a visual inspection. The guess of my wrench (whom I visited today) is that the driver's side mount failed first and put stress on the pass-side one that rattled it, creating a stress-weakened point. This makes perfect sense to me since my pass side was, in fact, the one that leaked first which prompted me to buy the mounts in the first place.

3. Good news is that my wrench (whom I saw today) said he can access the bracket (and the seeping timing chain covers) with the engine still in the car (just as Andreas had said ), so that reduces cost substantially since R&R of the engine tips another domino that I can thankfully avoid at this juncture. Yay!

4. I'll be doing other "while you were in there" maintenance items (most notably the distributor belt since I know that's been yeeeears since that was done), so that car's goin in next week. I'm just glad it's less costly than I had initially anticipated.

Funny ...not too long ago I'd have tackled all ofthis myself! Maybe it's my advancing age, or that I'm prioritizing my time more, but I now welcome the fact I don't have to take on this more sizeable job! It's small setbacks like this that remind me how truly fortunate I am to be able to even enjoy such a wonderful car as this!

Edward

Holger3.2

In case you get harder rubber or stiff mounts, i recommend to give the blade more stability. You can buy the improvement piece from Rennline.
You just need somebody who can handle the welding properly!