Your engine is in constant motion to get you from A to B. It’s full of parts that turn, twist, rotate, and pump to produce massive power on demand. It, in turn, is surrounded by mechanisms to keep it in place.
Intense vibrations from your engine can damage these surrounding parts. That’s why its manufacturer installs mounts between the engine and the car body to absorb vibrations and give you a smoother drive.
Most people replace motor mounts to stop intense vibrations. But what if that doesn’t work?
Can New Engine Mounts Cause Vibration?
Yes, new engine mounts can cause vibrations. This doesn’t necessarily mean they aren’t working properly and the problem can go away after some time.
If you experience persistent engine vibrations, you should hire a certified mechanic to try and identify the problem.
Why Does My Car Vibrate After Changing Motor Mounts?
There are a few reasons why changing your engine’s motor mounts could cause it to vibrate:
1. Wrong Mount Size
Motor mounts that are either bigger or smaller than the stock mounts can cause engine vibration as they shift the engine from its position. A shift as small as an eighth inch can cause significant engine vibration. You need a mechanic to get the exact size that fits your engine model.
2. Using Aftermarket Parts
Aftermarket parts tend to offer a more affordable option than original product manufacturer parts. You might choose this more affordable option but find they perform sub-standardly.
Original product manufacturer parts always work best as they are made to fit the vehicle perfectly. Aftermarket parts tend not to fit perfectly into every car brand even though specified for them. They might also come with faults rarely found in original product manufacture parts.
3. Wrong Mount Type
Different vehicles have different motor mount types based on the manufacturer’s specifications, vehicle type, and usage. Installing a different mount type can cause engine vibrations because they aren’t equipped to deal with the degree of engine movement.
There are five main types of engine mounts available in the market:
- Solid rubber motor mounts.
- Hydraulic motor mounts.
- Metal motor mounts.
- Polyurethane motor mounts.
- Electronic motor mounts.
Solid Rubber Motor Mounts
Solid rubber mounts connect the engine to the chassis using rubber cushions sandwiched between steel plates, ensuring a firm yet flexible connection. They offer the most affordable way of absorbing shock and vibration to give the vehicle’s occupants a comfortable and relatively noise-free drive.
Hydraulic Motor Mounts
These engine mounts utilize a gel that absorbs vibrations before they reach the chassis, reducing the noise to the barest levels. Manufacturers spend much more manufacturing these mounts, making them expensive alternatives. They are used in industries requiring the cancellation of engine vibration to the bare minimum.
Metal Motor Mounts
These mounts connect the engine to the chassis using metal mounts. These mounts provide a firmer connection, enabling these engines to pump more power to the drivetrain. But these mounts also have the downside of transmitting the most vibration to the chassis.
Polyurethane Motor Mounts
Polyurethane mounts offer greater endurance than rubber mounts, ensuring they last longer. Their only downside is that they are less heat resistant and can struggle to bond to the metal chassis.
Electronic Motor Mounts
Also called active motor mounts, electronic mounts use sensors to sense the vehicle’s load and throughput and counter them with the correct tension and damping. These vibrations are absorbed using a counter-shake system.
4. Not Replacing The Transmission Mount
The motor mounts work hand in hand with the transmission mount. If you replace the used engine mounts with new engine mounts that alter the engine position, then they will not match the previous position of the transmission mount. This mismatch creates vibration and noise in the car.
You can effectively alleviate this problem by replacing the transmission mount with the engine mount, so they all have the same stiffness and size.
5. Fixing The Mounts Wrong
You ought to fix the engine mounts at the correct position and rigidity to offer optimum vibration absorption. Tightening the mounts too hard will cause them to lose their vibration-absorption properties, allowing certain frequencies to get to the chassis.
Fixing the mounts more loosely than required also gets them to send sounds to the chassis. Your mechanic needs to know the sweet spot that gives the engine mounts the proper tension to absorb vibrations.
Which Engine Mount Causes Vibration?
Any engine mount can cause engine vibration. What matters is whether you are using the correct mounts for your engine and how worn out those mounts are.
A worn-out engine mount can cause engine vibration in most standard-mount scenarios, while a hydraulic mount with leaking fluid can cause vibration.
Your mounts can also cause vibration if not correctly installed. Metal engine mounts do, however, transmit the most vibration to the chassis than any other mounts because of the metal-to-metal action.
Are Aftermarket Engine Mounts Worth It?
Aftermarket engine mounts have a bad reputation for having poor quality. Many car users who have replaced their original equipment manufacturer mounts with aftermarket mounts find they make vibration worse.
Some users even end up replacing their aftermarket mounts with original motor mounts.
Some car owners speak of having aftermarket mounts that still give them half-decent service but still prefer original manufacturer parts, especially if you can find them at a discounted price.
Why Do People Go For Aftermarket Engine Mounts?
Aftermarket engine mounts are more affordable than original equipment manufacturer mounts, making them the go-to option for most car owners.
This is understandable and may be the right choice for some vehicles and owners. But many owners never buy aftermarket again after having to revert to original model motors soon after buying them.
How to Choose New Motor Mounts
Motor mounts come in three different variations based on your driving needs. Rubber engine mounts offer excellent comfort as they absorb a decent amount of vibration and shock before it gets to the chassis. The challenge with these mounts is that the rubber gets rigid and stops functioning as a shock absorber as they age.
Rubber engine mounts are the most widely used mounts as they offer comfort for a daily drive.
Polyurethane engine mounts offer a more rigid performance as they are less absorbent than rubber mounts. You can get these mounts if you want to upgrade your car’s performance through faster engine response.
You have to accept the downside to these mount types as their rigidity sends more vibration and shocks to the chassis. This upgrade, however, allows your engine a faster response, not losing any power from the drive train. It allows you a more incredible engine feel, especially if you want that race-performance feel from your car.
Solid metal mounts have the most rigidity as they connect the engine to the chassis without shock-absorption material. Race cars use these mounts for the least power loss from the engine to the drive train. They, however, offer the least comfort to the car occupants.
Final Thoughts
Installing new motor mounts can offer your car greater performance and comfort. This depends, however, on picking the right mounts for your vehicle and your budget.
Low-quality, ill-fitting, or poorly-installed engine mounts can cause more problems than they solve and leave your engine vibrating disconcertingly.
Have you upgraded your motor mounts recently? How was your experience? Kindly comment on the mounts you chose and how they served you.