Engine mounts... are mine sagging.. what type to get?

[TVR Beaver]

I’m in the middle of doing up the wishbones and fitting Powerflex etc and was thinking how you could make a heat shield to cover the top rear bearing on the fronts… We are looking to mould some GRP ones using special heat resistant resin.. either chassis mounted or arm mounted if that would work?... anyway, I then started to look at the clearances to see how we could design these things… and noticed that my exhaust manifoulds were only about 5 to 6mm away from the top tubes on the chassis?...

Is this correct…. I don’t remember them being this close last year??

So, may be my mounts are sagging a tad… I must say they do look a bit cracked on top but they passed the MOT like that?

But if I do need some (and it looks like a doddle of a job whilst the arms are off as it’s all just in front of you) what’s the best to use?

I have seen posts in the past on these things lasting 12 months and then coming un-attached etc….

Are there any recommendations out there on the ones to use?...

Cheers

[TVR Beaver]

Yes.. may be that sort of thing.. and I agree on the mounting.. it's the only reasonable place to come from without causing dirt traps etc (i assume it's packed out with washers or a spacer?)... will make a brackett from steel as yours but may be a GRP top / shield... was not going to bother with the shock's but will think again on that one also...
I see your 2 pack paint is holding out well against the high temps... much better than powder that tends to crack and peal off on the rear top mount.
Can't see what size of gap you have... but sure mine has shrunk since last year... unless its this cold weather!.. makes everything shrink!!

[dumbfunk]

I changed mine for the uprated SC Power versions (with the steel restraint brackets) and they've been fine ever since - no longer a bloody service item!

http://www.sc-power.co.uk/pages/SC-Power-engine-mo...

df

[TVR Beaver]

So you used the Polyurethane ones... which ones.. the red ones.. and also the support brackett with them?... Its going to be £100 with vat and delivery etc.....
or am i not understanding?

[dumbfunk]

TVR Beaver said:

So you used the Polyurethane ones... which ones.. the red ones.. and also the support brackett with them?... Its going to be £100 with vat and delivery etc.....
or am i not understanding?

I can't exactly recall but think I selected the black road/track mountings plus the restraint brackets. Total was £145 according. You can fit the restraints to the standard cheaper mountings also if I remember correctly.

[Johno]

Standard items here, been good for last 4yrs and 30k+ miles, not sure why you'd want poly ones with restraints etc . . . My engine is a 300 lump that get's plenty of use and never been an issue. First one failed after 50k, 35k later and STD ones holding up fine.....

There were dodge ones floating about a while ago and also given how easily my top wishbone bush (poly) seems to melt the last thing I'd let be poly wrapped in more metal would be the engine mounts . ..

Although I know Del will swear by the SC Power ones I'm sure as he used to eat them in his car... Each to their own.

[spend]

Johno said:

...I'm sure as he used to eat them in his car...

You must be thinking of Tubbs surely?

[TVR Beaver]

Johno.. try make some heat shields like above... I'm sure they will work well if your on Poly bush units.. what type you got?


Anyway, cheers guy's.. so its standard ones with a bit of foil arond them to keep the heat off! that sounds a bit more like it (have also realised that the £35 for these things is each!! Bugger.. that's my little lads Christmas prezie gone )... Clever Trevor ones should be good then?? will have a propper look tomoro

Just out of interest... whay gap has the rest of you got between the manifold and top tube?

Edited by TVR Beaver on Sunday 12th December 21:56

[Johno]

Mine are wrapped with heat shield, currently they last about 2yrs/16k miles on average, considering going back to rubber for these ones. After 70k+ miles and 8yrs you end trying most things . . .

Only thing that will really stop them melting is having the manifolds coated (or doing less miles , yeah right ), but as I'm still on the originals after 85k I'm waiting until they give up before upgrading to ACT sports one coated internally and externally - a different debate

[TVR Beaver]

You probably spend your time polishing that chassis of yours... I've never seen one as clean!!

[TVR Beaver]

Johno said:

Mine are wrapped with heat shield, currently they last about 2yrs/16k miles on average, considering going back to rubber for these ones. After 70k+ miles and 8yrs you end trying most things . . .

Only thing that will really stop them melting is having the manifolds coated (or doing less miles , yeah right ), but as I'm still on the originals after 85k I'm waiting until they give up before upgrading to ACT sports one coated internally and externally - a different debate

So have you tried the shields (as above)... and didn't they work?... If this is a problem area.. .may be worth fitting a rubber one in this position?

[Johno]

Quinny said:

Mine seem to be ok after a positively stratospheric, 1800 miles or so this year

But then again I've got coated manifolds and heat shields, so I'm not expecting any trouble, anytime soon.....

Who knows I might even break the 2k barrier soon

Hard to believe, that in my first couple of years ownership, I did almost 30k and in the last 8 years I've only done 8k

Garage queen ... . averaging 1k a yr for 8yrs !

[Johno]

TVR Beaver said:

Johno said:

Mine are wrapped with heat shield, currently they last about 2yrs/16k miles on average, considering going back to rubber for these ones. After 70k+ miles and 8yrs you end trying most things . . .

Only thing that will really stop them melting is having the manifolds coated (or doing less miles , yeah right ), but as I'm still on the originals after 85k I'm waiting until they give up before upgrading to ACT sports one coated internally and externally - a different debate

So have you tried the shields (as above)... and didn't they work?... If this is a problem area.. .may be worth fitting a rubber one in this position?

In case you missed it

I don't have the folded metal heat shields Q has, just heat reflective material wrapped around them, but they still get beaten up and I've little confidence of them lasting anywhere near as long as the rubber ones used too, hence my comment above.

Edited by Johno on Monday 13th December 11:19

[TVR Beaver]

Johno said:

TVR Beaver said:

Johno said:

Mine are wrapped with heat shield, currently they last about 2yrs/16k miles on average, considering going back to rubber for these ones. After 70k+ miles and 8yrs you end trying most things . . .

Only thing that will really stop them melting is having the manifolds coated (or doing less miles , yeah right ), but as I'm still on the originals after 85k I'm waiting until they give up before upgrading to ACT sports one coated internally and externally - a different debate

So have you tried the shields (as above)... and didn't they work?... If this is a problem area.. .may be worth fitting a rubber one in this position?

In case you missed it

I don't have the folded metal hest shields Q has, just heat reflective material wraped around them, but them sounds gets beaten up and I've little confidence of them lasting anywhere near as long as the rubber ones used too, hence my comment above.

Yes.. sorry... are we talking Poly bush units on the arme or engine mounts here?....
I did see you had yours covered in the wrap stuff... but did wonder if you'd tried anything like the shields?
I'll give em a try on mine see how it does... don't want to be resolving the engine mount issue and introducing the arm bush as a service item!...

[Johno]

For clarity . ..

I have poly bushed suspension and rubber engine mounts.

No issue with the engine mounts, one broke at 50k, current pair have 36k on them.

Poly wishbone bush, top rear, melts, regardless of what you wrap it in . . .

[Del 203]

Johno said:

Although I know Del will swear by the SC Power ones I'm sure as he used to eat them in his car... Each to their own.

Mine was eating rubber mounts


I have restraints/Rubber mounts been fine for several yrs now

[dumbfunk]

Del 203 said:

Mine was eating rubber mounts


I have restraints/Rubber mounts been fine for several yrs now

+1

[Johno]

Del

I completely appreciate that these cars vary greatly, so unless you had a run of the st mounts that were around for a while, then I wonder whats the difference.

If we assume driving styles are largely similar, we know your and my car last time on a RR together were within 3hp of each others, you 299, me 296 at the growl (torque prob largely similar), then it begs the question of what it is that is making them fail that much quicker.

I know you use yours for some 'speed' events and I use mine for climbing mountains quickly every year, but in essence what's causing the failures.

Torque will be the more considerable damager of mounts, but is just manufacture of mounts, installation or something else?

[TVR Beaver]

Well talking to people about the rubber ones... It appers they all come from the same supplier (now the c**p ones are out the system)... Met Elastic where the best but no longer available..
I was also told by one guy that the spacer fitted to the passenger side plays a big part in mount life.. and if not fitted, they can go in no time (although I can't see how that works myself... arn't you just lifting one side a tad to account for twist under load)...
One thing that will come into play is the amount of engine braking used by individuals....
I use my brakes more that the engine as I was always told they are cheaper to replace

[Del 203]

Johno said:

I know you use yours for some 'speed' events and I use mine for climbing mountains quickly every year, but in essence what's causing the failures.

Proabably chasing that fking that Orange Lambo

Johno said:

Torque will be the more considerable damager of mounts

Might have been a bad batch or two but from a few different suppliers