[ant9000turbo]

Hi All

I need to change my top engine monnts as there are vibrating and have too much play in according to the garage!.. Looking on Elkparts I can get Poly mount kits, for the front and rear..

My question is, are the simple enough to change and will I need any specific tools (I have all normal mechanic tools, torque rench etc), and will I need to support the engine whilst doing it??

THanks for the help

Anthony

 

[djtaylor]

My advice would be to either get the split ones or be prepared for some fun. Removal is not too bad, can be done by sawing out the centre rubber bit and then saw a slot in the outer casing. It can then be pretty easily driven out.

The problem you'll then face is fitting the one piece poly bush. I gave up and cut mine in half but have since then fitted a couple of poly suspension bushes so have a bit more of a clue as to what's involved. You'll need to arrange to pull it through with a long threaded bar and some suitable sized tubing.

You can buy a tool for about £30 to fit standard bushes but I don't think it'll help with fitting the poly ones because they don't have a metal tube housing.

This is my jig for fitting suspension bushes which might give you an idea of what's involved:-

David.

 

[AlanG]

Having fitted poly the the dogbone, I would warn that there is quite an increase in NVH (although the gearchange improved considerably). A suggestion has been to use one standard and one poly which may be worth trying. The rear one is in the removeable dog bone so a standard unit could be bench pressed in and the more difficult front one on the engine could be a split poly for ease and to avoid removing the bracket which also holds the alternator IIRC.

 

[ant9000turbo]

Originally posted by AlanG:
[qb]Having fitted poly the the dogbone, I would warn that there is quite an increase in NVH. [/qb][/b]

OK Stupid question, but what is NVH?? Sorry...

 

[philcrombie]

Noise Vibration Harshness

 

[djtaylor]

I have a poly front and standard rear and there's only a slight increase in harshness. I can imagine that both would be quite rough.

David.

 

[johncc]

I've got vice versa (in other words, I did the easy one) and I couldn't say I've noticed a difference in NVH, except that I think when pulling away, the NVH is reduced - at least the "V" part is

Gearchange is much improved, although I did poly the transmission mount at the same time.

 

[philcrombie]

I'm interested in the gear change improvements - can you tell me what was bad before and what it's like now?
I've got a notchy 5th and am currently in denial that the gearbox itself is needing some tlc. (106k miles)

 

[djtaylor]

The reason I did the front was because that's the one that was totally broken. I had a go with the poly one and got pee'd off trying to fit it at the time and hence cut it in half to fit. I had a couple of Saab ones so stuck a standard in the rear because I wasn't going to get even more frustrated trying to fit that one too.

David.

 

[AlanG]

faero
My dogbone bushes were looking cracked and soft and allowing a lot of engine movement with power on/off (torque reaction). This translated to gear lever movement as the throttle was lifted and pressed in gear changing. Since replacing the bushes the lever has very little extraneous movement during gearchanges as the top of the engine is restrained.

 

[ant9000turbo]

Originally posted by AlanG:
[qb]faero
My dogbone bushes were looking cracked and soft and allowing a lot of engine movement with power on/off (torque reaction).   This translated to gear lever movement as the throttle was lifted and pressed in gear changing.   Since replacing the bushes the lever has very little extraneous movement during gearchanges as the top of the engine is restrained. [/qb][/b]

Thats exactly what is happening with mine. Rubbers look cracked and excessive engine movement under load etc...

I think I may get the local saab specialist to fit though, looks like it may be a pain to do myself..

 

[ant9000turbo]

Another quick question on this.... Just spoke to my local saab specialist and he will charge an hours labour (£40) to change both top mounts so I think I will do that..

He did say that the red ones (which seem to be the ones from elkparts) do seem very harsh when both are put in as you guys have said. But he said Abbott do a set which are not as harsh from what he has seen...

Any of you guys heard this, or have the abbott set fitted??

 

[johncc]

Elkparts supply the Superflex ones. It may be worth calling Powerflex who do a top mount kit and checking if they supply a split type bush (I think they do more often than Superflex).

I know there are lots of different grades of polyurethane, so it is possible that the Abbott ones use a softer compound.

 

[djtaylor]

AFAIK the powerflex ones are split (and yellow instead of red)

 

[mikeloadsasaabs]

Originally posted by Ant9000turbo:
[qb] I think I may get the local saab specialist to fit though, looks like it may be a pain to do myself.. [/qb][/b]

Too right - my local specialist snapped a stud on the block while doing it, cost them (but obviously not me) £50 to get a specialist in to sort it out.

 

[AlanG]

I fitted the yellow Powerflex ones as they were split. (Had enough of solid ones after pressing in the butterfly bushes).
I drilled out the existing bush on the engine in situ (cover the alternator first to stop debris) and the dogbone on the bench. Apart from that it was not too difficult.
When I bought the butterfly bushes Julian at Elk said that their Suprflex bushes were harder than Abbott, but Abbott were very expensive in comparison (and my time is cheap!). That was another reason for trying powerflex, but there was still quite an increase in NVH and the engine felt less forgiving at low revs in high gears as more vibe was transmitted. Got used to it now though.

 

[mark e]

Apart from the hardness of them, I think there is also a difference in the endurance of the two different colour bushes.

I have the red ones fitted to mine at the top (about 3 years ago) and the yellow one fitted to the gearbox (about 2 years ago). I've just had to replace the gearbox one as it had worn and gone sloppy, whereas the red ones are still fine. I've heard other folk say say the yellow ones wear too.

 

[ylee coyote]

I have found the same with the yellow one
It was needed to be changed when the engine was out last time as it had gone sloppy...
red one was ok...

 

[ant9000turbo]

having spoken to ElkParts, both Front and Rear ordered....

thanks for all the help and advice as always..

Anthony

 

[philcrombie]

Ok - I checked my engine mounts and the front top mount is looking pretty tired (cracked etc). If I get someone to put the car in gear and add a bit of torque with the handbrake on, I can see it vibrating and moving - and thats's with about 50ftlbs so god knows what its doing at 300.

Anyway - from reading the thread above, I want minimal increase in NVH but an easy job so:

1) Top mount front bush (the one sitting close to the engine) - I think I need to get a poly item and cut it in half, or buy a split one. This way it will be an far easier job as I read the above that this is the most difficult one to do with a standard bush?

2) Top mount rear bush: Stick with a replacement standard part as I can take the mount off easily and attack it accordingly.

Have I got this round the right way before I go off and order the bits?

Cheers, Phil