Motor mounts - do your 996 a favor.

So my car just turned 12 years old. I've only owned it five months, but from day one I knew that the original motor mounts were still in the car. I first dealt with more important issues of deferred maintanence but today, while having the oil pressure senser replaced, I also had the motor mounts replaced. The old mounts were dead yet but they were definitely long of tooth. A couple of hours later I was back on the road and I immediately could feel and hear the impact of the new mounts on the quietness of the ride and the overall sense of tightness to the engine/transmission feel...this on Los Angeles' notorious lumpy bumpy crappy streets. The milage on the car is only 43000...up four since I bought it. But time is also an enemy. Motor mounts may not sound as sexy as aero kits and 19" wheels and spacers and taco tails...but if your 996 is still on its original mounts, move them up to the head of the list of must dos. I now have a much better sense of what the ride of my car sounded and felt like when it left the factory.

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John, Thanks for the input. I keep hearing this and have to follow this advice on my 02. Did you go for OEM or go with one of the other brands available?

I updated my motor mounts on my tt but didn't notice much of an improvement. My next update is the transmission mount as these are known to fail.

This is one of the easier DIY's you can do - about as easy as an oil change or new brake pads. While new mounts (even the WEVO semi-solid mounts I installed) won't completely cure wheel-hop, they definitely help with the slop you feel with old, saggy mounts.

Agreed. I changed the motor mounts in my 996 and could immediately tell a big difference in ride quality, plus the shifting was smoother, my passenger seat stopped shaking and the car was incredibly smooth at idle. I considered it the biggest bang for the buck other than the Fister D.

Was in the air between a few different style aftermarket engine mounts. Ended up purchasing function first yesterday, can't wait to get these things in.

Better late than never. It's funny when people rejoice and preach something like it's something new when there's been endless testimonials and exact same observations in the past. Just sayin...

I agree, made a world of difference in my car.. No more seat vibration, so more sloppy shifts, or rocking while rolling..

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Seems to be human nature - probably what drives EVERY person who acquires a 996 to post an IMS thread, even though it's no different than any IMS thread posted by anyone else. Ever.

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I went with OEM. I have no desire to reinvent the car. I'm happy with the 996 just the way Porsche built it.

I'm getting ready to mine...I'll be sure to post ehen I do...for Alpine's sake

I put off changing the mounts until last summer, to be brutally honest, I did not sense any difference even though I really wanted to! FWIW my car has about 70K miles. The reason I finally changed the mounts is I thought it might rectify a strange problem I have had from time to time since first getting the car in Aug 2011, which is I've somehow gotten the car in reverse gear when I intend to select first gear, this has happened a handful of times each summer even though I did not remember intentionally press hard to the left to overcome the spring lock. So far it hasn't resulted in me shooting backwards when the stop light turns green. And the new mounts hadn't cured this odd behavior that I cannot intentionally repeat......

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Unless your mounts are very worn, some people might not notice a whole lot which was also my case when I bought new OEM turbo mounts. I ended up swapping them for FF poly mounts and noticed a lot more dramatic difference. FWIW, I drove another car with Wevo mounts before I got the FF but I personally prefer the FF. I'm going to be doing back to back testing on the same car this summer between FF and Torque Solutions just to confirm my assumptions.

'Changed mine out last year and it made a significant difference. 56K miles on my '01 C4. So, what is it with Porsche and short-lived motor mounts? I've never changed motor mounts in any other vehicle I've owned. In addition to the 996, I've had two 944s with worn out mounts. One at about 75K, and one at only 31K miles. You really know when your 944 mounts are bad. The whole car shakes at idle.

I changed mine last year after reading all of the testimonials on here. I didn't notice much difference either. Definitely didn't feel the added 50 hp at the rear wheels that I thought for sure I'd be getting. I didn't lose 3 inches off my waistband. Nor do I feel one bit sexier and my stamina is still **** poor. Bottom line - YMMV.

I went with rein mounts ( a continental division) from Fcp euro - I beleive they are oe supplier . Anyway - stopped passenger seat vibration at idle and made things a lot "tighter" . Was easy 45 min swap out. Yes - recommended ('02 69k miles)

I changed mine a while back, 92k on the car and one of them was completely shot.

It is not that strange that they wear out compared to "normal" cars. Our engines are hanging in the rubber mounts instead of resting on them as in other applications I guess

It's not just Porsche. I saw the same failure in other makes such as Audi, BMW, Mercedes, Acura, etc. The rubber does have service life and our cars are approaching 11-16 yrs old now so even the lower mileage ones start to fail.

Viper is notorious for failed engine and trans mounts.

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Mine had only 43000 miles but it is also the number of years. 13 years in your case, twelve in mine. These are not solid mounts but have fluid in them. Mine were not dead but they were tired and sagging. And it now feels much tighter and smoother and quieter.

I did an experiment and tried option similar to this, and "rebuilt" the engine mounts with softest available polyurethane in the end result - not satisfied, either too hard or something, but vibration is basically the same as with dead stock mounts, so will have to buy new stock ones. that is my personal experience.

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What durometer Poly did you use for your DIY? In my experience, I found all the off the shelf poly you buy from hardware stores to be too stiff. I have no issues with the FF mounts but once again, this is a "performance" mod and nothing is free. You will get some level of NVH in exchange for better shifting/braking/cornering/weight transfer/etc. For peeps wanting a Cadillac or Lexus ride qualities, this isn't for you and you are better off with stock.

ive changed the motor mounts in my Acura MDX as well. really helped keep the suv tracking stright over rough roads.

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if I am not mistaken then 50~55sh. they do the job good, but since the car is more of a daily driver I guess ,I don't want that vibration, and also since they are so easy to swap I can always swap them for a track event one more thing, do the 997 mounts fit? It seems that they are locally availalble and at a really neat price. I could order the 996 but only place I can get them is from USA, and that includes loooooooooooong waiting, + shipping and import charges. 996 mounts are nowhere to be found in europe - dunno why but they aren't. when i look at rss mounts many state that they fit on both - 996 and 997 any opinions?

I'm pretty sure you can use 997 mk1 mounts on your 996 based on aftermarket interchange and also physical dimensions. Would they be ideal? I'm not sure as they do have different part numbers so it could be different dampening characteristics between the different models. However FWIW, there are several 996 stamped part numbers on 997 models, just like there are several 993 stamped items found on 996 cars, including the stock 996 engine mounts that have a "993" part designation.

The 996 and 997 engine mounts are interchangeable. The early 997s used 996 mounts, but Porsche changed the casting for later models. All the external dimensions are the same. Performance from both mount styles is the same, as nothing drastically changed internally. (I can verify this, as I've cut into both of them.) And as Alpine stated, OEM vs semi-solid is a matter of preference. If you're interested in performance, upgraded mounts are one of the most effective and best bang-for-buck mods. The increased NVH is correlated more to the condition of your interior, so the impact will vary from car to car, and driver to driver perception. In my case, the added NVH was negligible. On the other hand, if your priorities are more aligned with comfortable daily driving and weekend cruising, then go with OEM or an OEM supplier. Either way, mounts are a wear item and should be replaced before they fail. If you're feeling excessive drivetrain vibration and your exhaust tips are sagging well below the bumper, chances are your engine mounts need replacing!

So, is there a good u tube for diy and pelican best place for parts? thanks guys

Pelican Parts has a good Tech Article on swapping 996/997 engine mounts: http://www.pelicanparts.com/techarti...eplacement.htm

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Johnny has the keen ability to start threads that have been heathen to death already.

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Thanks. This is good to know from someone with first hand experience. Now if you really wanna get nerdy and have your cake too, one could possibly fabricate active mounts using raspberry pi controller or Arduino board and some magnetic fluid. I'd imagine you'd have to mold a relatively thick poly shell that won't collapse and fill the inside with magnetic fluid. You'll need to run wire to this center and figure out the optimum voltages to apply at various states and program this into the controller. You could have it switchable and have a "sports" button or for more active monitoring, integrate an accelerometer into the equation and map certain values to the various voltage outputs. Ok, enough nerd talk, lol...

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I already did that and the wire to the mount shorted out causing the mounts to react and then the car ROLLED! The stock mounts work better.

Just ordered a set from pelican. 12 yr old car. Bangs and barks over small bumps. Hope this will help fix it. Will report back next week if the snow here ever melts...

And I would guess that if one modifies their suspension to a harder setting, that this will generate more stress on the older motor mounts. So unless the mounts are new, I would think that changing them when the suspension is changed makes good sense.

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I have a feeling this thread is the reason why I went to Pelican this morning to buy a pair of mounts and found they were out of stock, at least on the Corteco's.

So I mentioned motor mounts to my mechanic when we were discussing work that we might as well take care of while my engine swap is going on. He was very dismissive that the mounts would need replacing or that I'd feel any difference. He's been working on these cars for more than 40 years, so I was reticent to push him on it, but I can't imagine what you're feeling is COMPLETELY placebo. Mine have 67k miles on them. If I can get my hands on some in time, I might go ahead and get it done.

I can only say that motor mounts wear out and your mechanic should know that after 40 years. And I can only add that every time I drive my car since the new mounts were installed I smile at the improved ride quality.

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Every once in a while, your mechanic (or doctor, or gardener) will say something that makes you suspect it's time for a new mechanic/doctor/gardener...

Ya that just baffles the mind. Why would you ever reuse decade plus old mounts when the motor is out and it's free and easy to replace them. Duh. These are wear items after all.

Some don't subscribe to the wear mentality and only broken mentality. These are the same guys that wear faded jeans from the 80's because they still "function" and do not have holes or rips in them .

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At the same time, sometimes it's better to stick with a known quantity. A thorough and experienced mechanic who is very fair and transparent on pricing is a nice thing to have. Jumping to a different shop is a bit of a gamble, especially when you're jumping blind.

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I'm that way with socks. Drives my wife crazy. But with just about any other area of life, especially my car, I prefer to be a bit more proactive. New mounts it is!

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Or maybe your mechanic saw that your motor mounts aren't worn out and don't need to be replaced. As mentioned elsewhere in this thread, motor mount swappin' has been going on for years and your car's mounts may have been changed out already. And, unlike an AOS or clutch, changing motor mounts is not a WYAIT type repair. It is no more difficult to do it later. It is a DIY job that will take you under an hour even if you are a novice. Why spend the money on new motor mounts if the old ones aren't bad? It's almost like changing the tires just because the engine is out. Swapping worn out tires for new ones will make a tremendous difference in how your car rides and handles and vibrates also. You'd probably even notice a difference going from tires with half tread left to new tires. But, if you've still got half the life left in the tires, you probably aren't going to change your tires. Cheap motor mounts are $200 for the pair, and OEM ones are double that. Why spend that money if it is not necessary. Although many people do notice what they perceive to be a major difference in changing them (and I have no doubt that swapping new mounts in for bad ones does make a difference), you'll note many people who have commented here feel like the money was wasted. Ask me how I know. I really wanted to feel the difference when I swapped mine last year and tried to make myself believe I felt a difference, but in the end I think the $200 would've been spent just as well had I bought a quart of Slick 50 engine treatment and had a psychic palm reading.

I interpreted from Andrew's post that the Indy made his declaration prior to checking the mounts. Now, if the dude examined the car and said, "those are fine" - super. If the guy said, "Motor mounts? At 67K miles? Inconceivable!" - less super... As far as people "feeling" the difference - I guess I'm just not very well calibrated, and even I was able to detect the changes from the new mounts. Some of the folks here say that their car feels more powerful after an oil change, and my "butt dyno" clearly is not sensitive enough to detect the massive HP gain from new oil... My biggest complaint with the stock mounts was the powertrain hop during burnouts - I wouldn't imagine those of you who act older than 17 would have this issue anyway. It's definitely something that plagues the least mature among us...

I think you guys may notice a bigger difference in changing out the transmission mount. I changed out my motor mounts and although the old ones were elongated, I did not really feel a change. I will be swapping out the transmission mount soon and am hoping that reduces the vibration in the car as my passenger seat vibrates at idle.

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KC I went down the same path and didn't notice it when I swapped to new OEM mounts but did notice it when I went to FF mounts. I know you just got new mounts but maybe you can offload these and get some poly mounts like FF or any of the other variety? I'm pretty sure it will be worth it based on my own observations.

ordered today a pair for the red beast. but yeah I have to wait for a month howev rthe price was sweet for me - 196$ for pair, shipped. transmission mount already swapped and that did make a big difference but I know she can do even better.

Got mine changed today. Smooth engine now. I noticed the original mounts had the rubber part extended about 1/2 inch or so longer than the new ones. Both. Stretched. Happy camper.

Swapped my OEM for RSS semi-solid. I can assure you guys the difference is real not a placebo effect.

Boom.

using ramps instead of using jack stands. Any reason this would not work? Have been reading the write up over on PP and wondered if the ramps could work instead of the jack stands.

Um, not sure why you even need to jack up the car. All you need to do is put the jack under the strong point of the engine and then pump the jack to raise the engine for 1/2" or so to take off the engine weight on the lower mount bolt on each mount. Then remove the 3 bolts of each mount and swap in a new one. Using the ramps should be fine too.

Ramps fine. Plenty of room. Needed to exaggerate the engine jacking. Rh mount kept lowering with engine weight. Just jacked up some more until the nut was not in contact with the frame part. Came right off. Loctite on new one and torqued to spec. No problem. Lh side came right off.

Installed. Really not a bad job at all. I highly recommend going with function-first. Very easy to work with, good prices and someone who actually cares about the customer. ***I need to clean my car badly***

I don't have the function first but very similar setup the m96 somehow is not daily usable, very noticeable vibration, but I will assume there might be a flaw in the design of my current mounts.

I finally got my car back from the shop and one of the work items was replacing the transmission mount and it made a huge difference. The motor felt like it was moving back and forth upon throttling up and now is tight. The shifts are also crisper and there is less play in the shifter. I also have newly installed motor mounts so my power train is suspended by all new mounts. I will say I wish I had gone with stiffer mounts, maybe not torque solutions stiff but the function first products. As an fyi my transmission mount was torn through on both sides but still intact.

received them finally, in two days will get to install them, no more vibration (hopefully) interestingly the Febi packaging had a Corteco units inside

Was in the air between a few different style aftermarket engine mounts. Ended up purchasing function first yesterday, can't wait to get these things in.

I never noticed these earth shattering improvements in the feel, shifting, or less vibrations when i swapped mine with the same OEM ones. Shifting was still notchy when cold, passenger seat still vibrated. Chances are my existing ones were probably fine. The change was noticeable ones i went to RSS mounts. Those i would recommend. Although still no difference in shifting.

I felt a marked improvement in shifting feel and precision with the transmission mount inserts from function-first, much more so than with the addition of the semi-solid engine mounts. With the stiffer engine mounts, the main benefactors are immediate turn-in responsiveness (there's no delay due to drivetrain weight shifting), along with less wheel hop on aggressive takeoffs.

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Did you get the black version like White Out? Those add the most hp.