FAQ: Engine/Transmission Motor Mounts

I figured we might as well copy the information over to this forum incase the thread at regalgs gets deleted.

Quote :

If you've had one of your front or rear transmission mounts go bad you already know they cost too much (like over $250 each at the dealer) Not ready to drop another 200+ on an engine mount (just replaced the rear)...I pulled my front mount and went to Auto Value to look thru their catalog. Bought part #2447 (front mount for 82 Lebaron with 2.2 engine) it is an exact fit in the buick housing, and its only 11.99 plus tax! As the pics at this link show http://www.flickr.com/photos/2088/ (click on 97 Riviera Folder) it only takes a few seconds with a cut-off wheel to get this to work. The first pic is the mounts side by side, as you can see the replacement is plenty "beefy" and the same size as the Riv's. The second shows the tabs that need to come off, the third shows the tabs removed. Forth pic shows the diffence in width, fifth pic shows mount installed in housing with the needed spacers (I cut 5/8" off each side of the old mount to create spacers, as the Riv mount should be 4" wide). Fifth pic is the mount installed (works great, BTW). The last picture is the same $11.99 mount next to my old rear transmission mount, looks like a little work to the top right corner and it would fit right in there. Wish I had thought of this before I replaced that rear mount. Hope this helps you out...looks like its possible to replace both mounts for less then $25, instead of $500...my car is a 97...
D

thanks

Albertj

Albert,
Take a look at this site, they will do one or a million of them.
http://www.goturethane.com/RunScript.asp?page=1&Article_type=Company%20News&p=ASP\Pg1.asp
If you should contact them and find out how much it would cost to do, would you please post that info. Or maybe do a small group thing?
Thanks,
Rick

I need new motor mounts for my Riviera but found out today that they are VERY expensive from the Buick Dealer. Where can I go to find them at a affordable price?

You can get a whacked-out set from Ed Morad cheap and fill them with stock-durometer urethane - if you search you will find instructions on this Editboard for doing that.

There is a certain urethane commercial window caulk from 3M that works perfect, I forget what it is called but a search using Google is how I found it last time, on some Honda board. They listed the different types to use for different stiffness in the mounts. I may have posted a link, but right this second don't recall.

Albertj

I use www.gmpartsdirect.com

I heard that our rivieras have a hydraulic motor mount. I was told that is the one thats going out on mine and thats the cause for the rough idle. I checked and the price for a new one is from 250 to 375 bucks. Can you get them cheaper then that? and if not can you rebuild the old one?

What year is your car?
Please put it in your sig.
There are different P/N's depending on year.
95-96 = 22174975 (left)
97-98 = 22178776 (left)
99 = 25695084 (left)
I think this is the one they refer to as hydraulic although I've never seen one leak.
Go to www.monsterpartsonline.com and see what they want for one.

Hey Rick, can the hydraulic mount be used in place of the earlier ones (or at least in place of the 97-8 mount)?

I've gotten conflicting information regarding the mounts installed in a Riviera.
I've been told by a GM tech that our cars don't have hydraulic mounts. So I don't know the answer to the question. In the exploded view of all the mounts I assumed the larger of them, the one mounted on the drivers side rear was the hydraulic one (Trans Mount Drivers Side). But I'm not sure. If someone can clarify all this it would be appreciated.
If you look at the exploded view on monsterparts I believe it is # 10.
And if you look at the applicability (years that P/N was used on) it's confusing to me.

I think the '86 had a hydraulic mount. All the mounts in the '98 are rubber.

Tranny mount drivers' side on my '98 has a rubber chub in it that looks kind of like a four-pointed star.

It would not be tough to fit a hydraulic Volvo or Audi (they are similar, look like fat hockeypuck in metal jacket) mount in place of the lower *front* mount, if you were patient enough to weld up your own mount brackets.

Albertj

Our 1995 Riviera has a "clunk" when shifted from forward to reverse. My auto Tech says the rear trans mount is bad. I picked one up from a salvage yard but it is worse than the original. Is there an update for this, as a new one was quoted to me at $400.00. Thanks

Try www.monsterpartsonline.com for discounted GM parts.
They sell for about 40% off retail.
I know on my 98 there were no aftermarket ones available and I paid full price for two of them before I knew about monster parts. Mine were $300.00 each from the local dealer. $600.00 total ...Ouch.
I don't know if there are any aftermarket ones available for the 95 but I don't think so. You can try calling local auto parts store first, then if no go, you can bite the bullet and buy new.
Or if you look on here and search for mounts you'll come across a write up about replacing the rubber in your existing mount with urethane. And now that you have a bad one from the junkyard you can try and do the urethane replacement on that one and then just swap them out with very little downtime.
Let us know how it goes if you do the urethane thing. Most of us are interested in doing it yet only a few have tried.
"ewolfe0050" did his with great success, it is actually his write up that you'll be looking for.

If it is indeed the rear trans mount you need then the retail price is around $350.00
And the discount price is $200.00 from monsterpartsonline.com
You will need to look it up to confirm which one it is that your needing to replace.
Good Luck

Thanks for the info!

i have a SC 95 riviera and i need motor mounts bad my car wont go past 40 mph w/o shaking violently and its getting worse

Does it still shake when you let off the gas (at 40 mph)?

No it doesn't so when I'm late for work I kinda have
to pump it

RivieraRyan wrote:

No it doesn't so when I'm late for work I kinda have
to pump it

Huh.??? What.???
Don't understand what you just said, I think........

check your coils

RivieraRyan wrote:

i have a SC 95 riviera and i need motor mounts bad my car wont go past 40 mph w/o shaking violently and its getting worse

So go get mounts at a dealer (they are still available) or a recycler (maybe Ed Morad). I appreciate that you care enough to tell us - but think fast... telling us is not going to fix the problem. You will either have to hire it done or replace the mounts yourself.

That said, I remember reading somewhere that the rubber from one or another Chrysler mount could be put in one of our mounts to save about $150 or so on the replacement. Don't know how true that is. another fix is to fill the mount with urethane window caulk of proper durometer, but I don't have details.

Finally - I bet it's your transmission mount that's actually whacked.

Albertj

robotennis61 wrote:

check your coils

Good point.
After re-reading his post's many times, i would have to agree that a good place to start would be with diagnosing the complete ignition system.
As you mentioned coils and I'd add wires and plugs, not necessarily blindly replacing parts but at least inspecting and testing everything.
This can and will cause bucking and speed limitations that will send the engine bouncing around under the hood even with good engine mounts.
Would be nice to know how many miles and some basic maintenance history on the vehicle also.
With a little better explanation of the problem, it may even be a transmission issue.
I've experienced a severe shudder or almost a wheel hop on acceleration due to a leaky high pressure solenoid in the trans. This caused the engine/trans to jump and buck enough to break the mounts.
Maybe take the car to a mechanic for an evaluation and report back as to what they have to say the problem is.
If you want to just replace mounts be prepared to spend $600.00 for the two trans mount (front and rear) Front is visible from under the hood down low closer to drivers side. Rear can't be seen from under the hood. Then there are two more mounts, one on passenger side and another on drivers side, can't remember how much they are.
So, considering how much the mounts cost, it would be worth taking it to a mechanic and get someone else's opinion on what's really wrong with the car.
And, Albert is absolutely correct. All you've said is you need mounts.Period.
Are you trying to ask a question or just making a statement.?

I have a street mechanic who said I need the motor mounts. When I shift from p to r my car jump and when idle shakes slightly plus the check engine light is on I don't want to go the dealer route way too expensive for me. I was hoping someone on here might have some

my tranny mount is badly cracked and it doesnt shake as you describe. the 3800 motors are pretty smooth running and dont move all that much even from P to R . what method did your mechanic use to check the coils,if he did?

RivieraRyan wrote:

I have a street mechanic who said I need the motor mounts. When I shift from p to r my car jump and when idle shakes slightly plus the check engine light is on I don't want to go the dealer route way too expensive for me. I was hoping someone on here might have some

Bad engine and tranny mounts won't cause a check engine light, as you probably know.
So, the first thing you need to do is get it scanned and find out what is wrong with it, what is causing the check engine light and making it run rough.