Engine Vibration at Idle Motor Mounts
11-14-11, 12:28 PM
#1
Lead Lap
Thread Starter
Engine Vibration at Idle Motor Mounts
I wanted to start a thread so hopefully it will help other people with the problem I was having.
Earlier this year I was having severe idling issues with my car, after tons of research and troubleshooting I replaced my VVTi solenoid, then I had to fix the AIES valve which broke and a small piece went into 2 cylinders, luckily without damage. I replaced the spark plugs, wires, and fuel injector O-rings.
After those repairs, the car ran a lot better, but at idle the car would vibrate pretty bad. Then I heard a very loud bang one day in August and after that the car really vibrated badly at idle and while in drive. The vibration would go away while driving and if I rev'd the engine past 1200 RPM.
It was bad enough that I considered just junking the car. Since there were no CEL lights or codes, and I knew most everything was good, I was about to throw in the towel.
I searched and searched and searched the Lexus threads for a cause. It wasnt spark plugs, wires, fuel, etc...so last week I made a connection: The car would not vibrate when I would shift into reverse...and thats when a little light went on in my head.
At the end of the day, Both my front R & L motor mounts were completely broken and separated. Junked...and after 252K miles I guess Im not surprised. Im just surprised that I didnt come across a thread addressing the symptoms of broken front motor mounts. My transmission mount was new as of 1-1/2 yrs ago.
The car idle perfectly now, I can hardly tell its running, so nice! Wow, looks like I get to keep it for a while longer.
Below are some pictures of the mounts.
Earlier this year I was having severe idling issues with my car, after tons of research and troubleshooting I replaced my VVTi solenoid, then I had to fix the AIES valve which broke and a small piece went into 2 cylinders, luckily without damage. I replaced the spark plugs, wires, and fuel injector O-rings.
After those repairs, the car ran a lot better, but at idle the car would vibrate pretty bad. Then I heard a very loud bang one day in August and after that the car really vibrated badly at idle and while in drive. The vibration would go away while driving and if I rev'd the engine past 1200 RPM.
It was bad enough that I considered just junking the car. Since there were no CEL lights or codes, and I knew most everything was good, I was about to throw in the towel.
I searched and searched and searched the Lexus threads for a cause. It wasnt spark plugs, wires, fuel, etc...so last week I made a connection: The car would not vibrate when I would shift into reverse...and thats when a little light went on in my head.
At the end of the day, Both my front R & L motor mounts were completely broken and separated. Junked...and after 252K miles I guess Im not surprised. Im just surprised that I didnt come across a thread addressing the symptoms of broken front motor mounts. My transmission mount was new as of 1-1/2 yrs ago.
The car idle perfectly now, I can hardly tell its running, so nice! Wow, looks like I get to keep it for a while longer.
Below are some pictures of the mounts.
11-14-11, 12:41 PM
#2
Lead Lap
Thread Starter
A Tad more info on the actual repair specifics:
The Mounts have 2 threaded studs on the bottom, and one on the top. The top of the mount also has a round tab that locates the 2 other parts that go between the top of the mount and the Aluminum engine bracket.
The Nuts holding the mounts on are not very tight, but the bolts holding the motor mount aluminum bracket the the engine are super tight..and DO NOT need to be removed in order to replace the actual motor mounts.
In order to jack the engine up high enough, there is a metal hook at the back of the engine next to the intake valve cover which needs to be bent, other wise it binds against the fire wall and wont let it go higher. I also had to unhook the PVC valve and evap vacuum lines, as they were binding.
In order to access the drivers side top nut you have to remove the oil filter. I did this the night before and plugged with paper towels and put a pan under, so I wasnt dealing with oil...this made things very nice.
All 3 nuts on both mounts need to be completely removed to jack the engine up, 6 nuts in total. Very easy.
The intake tube from the air filter must be removed from the throttle body.
No other hoses, tubes, wires need to be loosened or removed. That is awesome!
Use a 1-foot long 2x6 between the jack and the oil pan, and all is good to jack the motor up from below.
In order to replace the drivers side mount you have to use a pry-bar and move the engine towards the passenger side and you can just get the new mount's top bolt to slide into the Aluminum motor bracket, and then work the 2 lower bolts thru the frame. Its tight.
You have to make sure you have the mount oriented correctly, not off 180-degrees as there is the round tab that aligns the motor mount top pieces (that was a pain on the drivers side but very easy on the passenger side.
It took me just over 2-1/2 hours to do. And I was in no rush.
Its amazing how quiet and smooth the car is again..I would never be able to say it has over 250K miles on it!
The Mounts have 2 threaded studs on the bottom, and one on the top. The top of the mount also has a round tab that locates the 2 other parts that go between the top of the mount and the Aluminum engine bracket.
The Nuts holding the mounts on are not very tight, but the bolts holding the motor mount aluminum bracket the the engine are super tight..and DO NOT need to be removed in order to replace the actual motor mounts.
In order to jack the engine up high enough, there is a metal hook at the back of the engine next to the intake valve cover which needs to be bent, other wise it binds against the fire wall and wont let it go higher. I also had to unhook the PVC valve and evap vacuum lines, as they were binding.
In order to access the drivers side top nut you have to remove the oil filter. I did this the night before and plugged with paper towels and put a pan under, so I wasnt dealing with oil...this made things very nice.
All 3 nuts on both mounts need to be completely removed to jack the engine up, 6 nuts in total. Very easy.
The intake tube from the air filter must be removed from the throttle body.
No other hoses, tubes, wires need to be loosened or removed. That is awesome!
Use a 1-foot long 2x6 between the jack and the oil pan, and all is good to jack the motor up from below.
In order to replace the drivers side mount you have to use a pry-bar and move the engine towards the passenger side and you can just get the new mount's top bolt to slide into the Aluminum motor bracket, and then work the 2 lower bolts thru the frame. Its tight.
You have to make sure you have the mount oriented correctly, not off 180-degrees as there is the round tab that aligns the motor mount top pieces (that was a pain on the drivers side but very easy on the passenger side.
It took me just over 2-1/2 hours to do. And I was in no rush.
Its amazing how quiet and smooth the car is again..I would never be able to say it has over 250K miles on it!
11-15-11, 07:41 AM
#4
Lead Lap
Thread Starter
One of them even had rusty water inside. The only reason the engine didnt torque off is because there is a metal bracket that reaches down and around the bottom part of the mount, it bolts to the top, but doesnt touch the underside, sits about 1/2" away, where that metal lip is, and in the event that the upper and lower portions separate it catches. But it allows the engine to vibrate like mad. Evidently that safety bracket works! HAHA
I friggin searched every Lexus Forum, did every google and Yahoo search I could, and absolutely nothing about engine vibrating at idle and while stopped in drive had anything to do with motor mounts. Everything had to do with VVti or spark plugs, or vacuum leak or throttle body, which I already knew were good. It was when I realized in reverse there was no vibration that it had something to do with the engine mounts.
It started off as an annoying minor vibration, but after that bang is when it got really bad.
Just hope anyone else with the problem can search and hopefully stumble across this thread.
Thanks for the comps!
I friggin searched every Lexus Forum, did every google and Yahoo search I could, and absolutely nothing about engine vibrating at idle and while stopped in drive had anything to do with motor mounts. Everything had to do with VVti or spark plugs, or vacuum leak or throttle body, which I already knew were good. It was when I realized in reverse there was no vibration that it had something to do with the engine mounts.
It started off as an annoying minor vibration, but after that bang is when it got really bad.
Just hope anyone else with the problem can search and hopefully stumble across this thread.
Thanks for the comps!
11-15-11, 03:25 PM
#6
Lead Lap
Thread Starter
If funny, I can usually find anything on the web...I searched for an answer daily for weeks, nothing at all. But I was using GS300 as one of my parameters. But I even tried excluding GS300 and just searching for "Engine Vibration at Idle"...not a single forum popped up for Lexus or non-Lexus topics.
Anyway, Im just happy the problem is fixed and hopefully will prevent someone from junking perfectly good GS's. I refuse to go to the dealers after my last 3 experiences, but Im betting had I done so on this, they would have gladly suggested Motor Mounts...and $700 :-)
I bought mine for $65 each on-line, dealer wants $158 each plus tax. And I dont care if they last 250K miles...I wont put more than 50-60K more on this car. Its my second back up car now.
Anyway, Im just happy the problem is fixed and hopefully will prevent someone from junking perfectly good GS's. I refuse to go to the dealers after my last 3 experiences, but Im betting had I done so on this, they would have gladly suggested Motor Mounts...and $700 :-)
I bought mine for $65 each on-line, dealer wants $158 each plus tax. And I dont care if they last 250K miles...I wont put more than 50-60K more on this car. Its my second back up car now.
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11-29-11, 07:28 AM
#9
Lead Lap
Thread Starter
Sak is correct! :-)
Tranny mount is pretty easy to replace. And if you have over 150K, its probably in need of replacement.
There are also two rubber connection plates, one on each end of the drive shaft between the tranny and rear-end diff (toyota calls drive shaft propeller shaft).
They go bad, and if they rip entirely, you wont be moving...the front one at the tranny is a pain in the rear to change.
Tranny mount is pretty easy to replace. And if you have over 150K, its probably in need of replacement.
There are also two rubber connection plates, one on each end of the drive shaft between the tranny and rear-end diff (toyota calls drive shaft propeller shaft).
They go bad, and if they rip entirely, you wont be moving...the front one at the tranny is a pain in the rear to change.
11-29-11, 01:32 PM
#10
and this is what the V-8 tranny mount looks like all broken after ONLY 110,000k miles
12-08-11, 11:33 AM
#14
Lead Lap
Thread Starter
Its pretty easy to get under and visually look at the Tranny mount. Only way to really tell is to try moving the back end of the tranny side to side, or try to lift up and see how much play there is.
Anything more than 1/4" play means bad mount.
But to try to move the tranny side to side or up and down, youll already be under the car and able to inspect it visually.
Anything more than 1/4" play means bad mount.
But to try to move the tranny side to side or up and down, youll already be under the car and able to inspect it visually.
12-09-11, 12:38 PM
#15
Can you feel jerky shifts if they are bad?
Its pretty easy to get under and visually look at the Tranny mount. Only way to really tell is to try moving the back end of the tranny side to side, or try to lift up and see how much play there is.
Anything more than 1/4" play means bad mount.
But to try to move the tranny side to side or up and down, youll already be under the car and able to inspect it visually.
Anything more than 1/4" play means bad mount.
But to try to move the tranny side to side or up and down, youll already be under the car and able to inspect it visually.