Bad Motor/Trans Mounts?

[floatinghead]

While trying to hunt down some clunks and sounds after installing my new starter, I think I narrowed it down to the engine/trans mounts, but looking for opinions here.  They are old (10 + years) and oily ( saving that for another time) and while they look ok, there is a noticeable big engine movement on first start up and the trans and exhaust are rattling pretty good when I get underneath it.  

1.  When digging around I also noticed a hairline crack on the drivers side engine mount. ( see photo#1)  Bummer. That got me thinking it was the mounts. My thought was the new, torquier starter caused a failure in the mounts that were on the edge of failure anyway.    Not totally sure yet though.   Is this crack alone enough to cause movement and thus hitting of parts? I suppose I will be getting this fixed soon, but is it ok for a short drive or is it not road worthy?  Don’t want to make things worse.  I’ve been looking at used welders so this could be the ticket that makes that happen as well!

 

2. When looking for anything loose around the driveline/trans area, I noticed a hole on the shifter platform with what looked like a bolt missing.  ( See pic #2).  Is there something missing here?   The guibo is on the lower part of the pic.   I looked on Realoem but couldn’t figure out if there was something there or not. 

 

Do the motor mounts seem like the probelm?  Am I missing anything?  

Thanks,  Baron

 

 

And if you have too much time on your hands and want to read too much on my clunking issue:   

https://www.bmw2002faq.com/forums/topic/241732-driveline-clunk-and-clicking-after-new-starter-install/?tab=comments#comment-1338586

[TobyB]

1- Your starter had nothing to do with that.  If you need to drive it to a shop, you can-

just be gentle in 1st and second gears.  I wouldn't drive it much further.  It is a real

pain to weld with the engine in place- but it can be done, if you have a way to lift the engine.

DO fillet it significantly, and figure out some way to reinforce it while you're in there.

Some time back, someone was offering a plate that closed the c- channel...

 

The engine mounts DO seem to get softer with age- and oddly, some versions seem to

do it more than others.  Make sure you do NOT have the round driver's side mount-

that one stinks, and fails regularly.  I'd replace them when you weld the subframe.

 

2, That's where the neutral switch went.  It was an emissions part, I thought, which is

why it's very unusual to see one actually on the shifter.

 

hth

 

t

 

[floatinghead]

Thanks Toby.  Yeah, I do have the round drivers side mount and will replace with the upgraded mount. Is there an upgrade to the passenger side?    

 

I know Ireland has a reinforcement plate to weld in, though I like the one someone here on the FAQ fabbed up themselves. 

[TobyB]

Far as I know, there was only one lower mount.

 

Yeah, you want the rectangular block style-

you'll see when you get it, it has a limiting stop

built into it.

 

Oh, the 320 trans mount, if you don't already have one,

is an easy way to keep the trans a bit more stable

 

t

Edited April 28, 2019 by TobyB