!!Cracked Engine Mount!!

General E30 related discussions -
Please put technical questions in E30 Tech Help forum below

Moderator: martauto

Post Reply
ivesy
E30 Zone Old Newbie
Posts: 136
Joined: Mon Aug 14, 2006 11:00 pm
Location: Kingston

Mon Aug 02, 2010 5:39 pm

Somehow I have managed to crack one of my engine mounts! Luckily I noticed because there haven't been any symptoms. I was checking my fluid levels when I noticed a crack about three quatrters of the way through the neerside alloy mount. Has anyone ever seen this before?
And does anyone know a good place to get replacement rubbers from?
Ivesy
Simon13
The longest resto in the world !
Posts: 22697
Joined: Mon Jan 10, 2005 11:00 pm
Location: Camberley, Surrey don't u know

Mon Aug 02, 2010 5:43 pm

my guess would be your engine mounts and gearbox mounts are very worn and the engine is moving around alot. Never seen or heard of it before.
E30BeemerLad
Married to the E30 Zone
Married to the E30 Zone
Posts: 16806
Joined: Mon Mar 28, 2005 11:00 pm
Location: Norfolk

Mon Aug 02, 2010 5:43 pm

Just put up a wanted ad for another alloy mount.


The rubbers are available about £5 a piece from GSF etc.

If it is an M20 mount, I for some reason have a brand new unused rubber mount in the garage you can have for £5 posted.
ivesy
E30 Zone Old Newbie
Posts: 136
Joined: Mon Aug 14, 2006 11:00 pm
Location: Kingston

Mon Aug 02, 2010 5:49 pm

Oh that sounds good, I have bought the alloy pieces off ebay for £15, but I cant find the rubbers. Do u think I should replace both at once, only the drivers side one looks damaged...
Ivesy
User avatar
mattrs
E30 Zone Squatter
E30 Zone Squatter
Posts: 1810
Joined: Fri Apr 18, 2008 11:00 pm

Mon Aug 02, 2010 6:00 pm

It may have had a crash prior to you buying it!


Possibly Eurp car parts.
ivesy
E30 Zone Old Newbie
Posts: 136
Joined: Mon Aug 14, 2006 11:00 pm
Location: Kingston

Mon Aug 02, 2010 6:09 pm

Yeah, I've had it 7 years and I would think I would have noticed it before now, but maybe!
Euro doesnt have em!
Ivesy
e30topless
E30 Zone Team Member
E30 Zone Team Member
Posts: 13598
Joined: Wed Aug 23, 2006 11:00 pm
Location: surrounded by scrap

Mon Aug 02, 2010 6:31 pm

Euro and GSF don't do M20 mounts anymore,

dealers was only place I could get them from last time, they are £70 for a pair
charlE30
E30 Zone Addict
E30 Zone Addict
Posts: 3818
Joined: Mon Jan 10, 2005 11:00 pm
Location: Warwick
Contact:

Mon Aug 02, 2010 6:36 pm

e30topless wrote:Euro and GSF don't do M20 mounts anymore,

dealers was only place I could get them from last time, they are £70 for a pair
GSF do still do them, I ordered a pair today... GSF part No 101BM0020 ENGINE MOUNTING E30 6 Cyl £6.75
BMW E30 344i track car :banana:
BMW F31 335d xdrive
town325i
E30 Zone Team Member
E30 Zone Team Member
Posts: 7050
Joined: Thu Jun 26, 2008 11:00 pm
Location: cannock staffordshire

Mon Aug 02, 2010 6:40 pm

Ive seen this before they do have a habbit of snapping when loaded on worn rubbers as there is more engine movment with worn rubber. Your lucky you noticed it as if you hadnt you would be needing new rad dizzy car and sorts of parts
Image
Simon13
The longest resto in the world !
Posts: 22697
Joined: Mon Jan 10, 2005 11:00 pm
Location: Camberley, Surrey don't u know

Mon Aug 02, 2010 6:46 pm

A friend came round to me once with his 325i auto touring. it was overheating and he drove it like he stole it.

Well the whole engine has jumped forward about 2 inches and the fan was jammed into the rad. knackered engine/gearbox mounts. A right pain to sort even with an engine crane
User avatar
mattrs
E30 Zone Squatter
E30 Zone Squatter
Posts: 1810
Joined: Fri Apr 18, 2008 11:00 pm

Mon Aug 02, 2010 6:52 pm

£14 or £70, now let me think! :mad:
Simon13
The longest resto in the world !
Posts: 22697
Joined: Mon Jan 10, 2005 11:00 pm
Location: Camberley, Surrey don't u know

Mon Aug 02, 2010 6:53 pm

genuine mounts last, cheap ones don't.
town325i
E30 Zone Team Member
E30 Zone Team Member
Posts: 7050
Joined: Thu Jun 26, 2008 11:00 pm
Location: cannock staffordshire

Mon Aug 02, 2010 6:53 pm

9 times out of 10 the drivers side engine mount rubber separated first due to heat and takes the passenger side one and if you brake heavy that what takes the gearbox mounts out. I was lucky once my rubber engine mounts separated but never touched the gearbox mounts.
Image
ivesy
E30 Zone Old Newbie
Posts: 136
Joined: Mon Aug 14, 2006 11:00 pm
Location: Kingston

Mon Aug 02, 2010 7:44 pm

Yeah, my drivers side rubber looks like the bolt is slipping through the rubber to towards the centre of the engine, this may have forced the passenger side alloy mount to begin to crack.
Yeah GSF, £6.75, thanks guys.
Ivesy
User avatar
mattrs
E30 Zone Squatter
E30 Zone Squatter
Posts: 1810
Joined: Fri Apr 18, 2008 11:00 pm

Mon Aug 02, 2010 7:49 pm

Simon; Oh ok, so worth paying the extra then? How long would the cheap ones last do you think?

OP; If the car gets driven hard you could consider poly ones.
ivesy
E30 Zone Old Newbie
Posts: 136
Joined: Mon Aug 14, 2006 11:00 pm
Location: Kingston

Mon Aug 02, 2010 7:55 pm

These are apparently a bit better, but whether its worth paying £20 more is questionable...
http://store.bimmerworld.com/heavy-duty ... -p523.aspx
Ivesy
e30topless
E30 Zone Team Member
E30 Zone Team Member
Posts: 13598
Joined: Wed Aug 23, 2006 11:00 pm
Location: surrounded by scrap

Mon Aug 02, 2010 8:07 pm

as Si says Genuine are the way to go, :D

it's suprising how many M20's I see without the 'steel cradle' fitted with the mounts, :roll:

this help the strength quite a lot by reducing flex
charlE30
E30 Zone Addict
E30 Zone Addict
Posts: 3818
Joined: Mon Jan 10, 2005 11:00 pm
Location: Warwick
Contact:

Mon Aug 02, 2010 8:11 pm

My M20 GSF ones have lasted the past 4 years with an M30 sat on top, still no sign of perishing, splitting etc

Normally I'd agree with don't buy rubber from GSF but these are still going strong.
BMW E30 344i track car :banana:
BMW F31 335d xdrive
ivesy
E30 Zone Old Newbie
Posts: 136
Joined: Mon Aug 14, 2006 11:00 pm
Location: Kingston

Mon Aug 02, 2010 8:13 pm

thats that then!
Ivesy
town325i
E30 Zone Team Member
E30 Zone Team Member
Posts: 7050
Joined: Thu Jun 26, 2008 11:00 pm
Location: cannock staffordshire

Mon Aug 02, 2010 8:49 pm

mattrs wrote:Simon; Oh ok, so worth paying the extra then? How long would the cheap ones last do you think?

OP; If the car gets driven hard you could consider poly ones.
TBH yes they are worth the extra i bought a set of genuine ones 4 years ago used them on many different engines in my car and still they are as good as new cheap would not take that much punishment and can break up under heat from the exhaust.
Image
Post Reply