sancho

A few months back, my dad and I were rebuilding the front end on my '88 Camaro SC (2.8L V6). We figured that, since we already had the A-frames out, it'd be easy to just go ahead and replace the motor mounts (didn't set out to do that because they didn't really seem like they were a problem, but they were cheap enough to replace...). Actually, after we took the old ones out and compared them to the new ones, you could tell that the old ones were worn (cracked and and had mabye ~.5" less lift than the new ones). Shortly after we finished that whole project, I started noticing that the engine was increasingly loud inside the car. Up around 2,000 -- 2,750 RPM, it starts to drown out the radio, and at idle, everything from the horn on the steering wheel to the plastic on the doors rattles. Figured that since we'd already changed the motor mounts, mabye it was a transmission mount, so we changed that (the old one was also worn and had considerably less lift than the new one). That actually made it worse, so we've put the old one back. We've since inspected the motor mounts, and the oil pan is essentially sitting directly on the front crossmember. (This is probably not even 6 months after we replaced the mounts) Even the old motor mounts didn't let that happen.

So, anyways, now I've recently got an '89 IROC, and we're in the process of rebuilding the engine, and we're going to rebuild the front end while the engine is out. It would seem smart to go ahead and replace the motor mounts while we're at it, like last time, but I'm afraid we'll be in the same situation again. (BTW -- before we took the engine out on the IROC, there was probably about an inch between the oil pan and the crossmemer, compared to nothing on my '88 car. Hard to believe that my IROC with a 350 V8 is actually many times quieter than my 2.8L V6 inside!)

Thinking that we had got cheap motor mounts the first time, my dad went out to check for other brands. Checked AutoZone, O'Reilly, PepBoys, and the machine shop that we got our engine machined at, and all of them carried the one, same brand, all at the same price: "Anchor" mounts for $10.00 each. So we checked GM: their's are $117.00 each.

So I'm not sure what to do. The "price is right" on the Anchor mounts, but my experience with those has not been good. Mabye we just goofed when we installed them last (although I'm not sure if it's even possible to install a motor mount incorrectly). If there's anything that I should check on my '88 Camaro, please let me know! But my main concern right now is that I do it right on the IROC--I don't want go through all of the trouble (and $$$) of getting the engine/frontend all cleaned up and rebuilt and then having the car sound like an earthquake is comming on the inside.

Thanks for any advice!

JAY87GTA

I put the energy suspension mounts in mine. Much better, headers no longer hit.

Hellraiser

It sounds to me like you got the wrong mounts... they really shouldnt be that much shorter than the old ones. Just remember when you replace the ones on the IROC that v8 and v6 mounts are different.

Hellraiser

Vader

Moog, TRW, or Borg Warner - in that order of preference.

sancho

Vader -- Where/how can I order these brands? How much (roughly) will they cost? I've already checked AutoZone, O'Reilly's, and PepBoys, and Anchor is all they each carry.

Hellraiser -- Actually, the new ones were taller than the old ones when I put the new and old side by side. The metal casings were the same, but the "rubber" on the old ones was cracked and smashed down so that the main bolt would have been about a half-inch lower on the old ones than on the new ones. Guess we should have checked how high the engine was immediately after we put the new ones on, but we really didn't have anything to compare it to until I got the IROC.

Thanks for the replies.

Slow89Iroc-Z

I work at AutoZone and we now carry Energy Suspension motor mounts, trans mounts, and end-links. Just ask a guy putting up stock he will know more than the manager

monte-ss

LOL not always true but close, I say this cause I used to be a parts store manager and can tell stories of unintentionally embarrasing employees cause what the customer wanted was right in front of the employees, but from my experience the anchor mounts work fine for just your basic work, not going to hammer on the car or anything, but we know this isnt goingto be the case in our cars, step up to the good Energy suspension mounts, I should have when I rebuilt my motor, but I did get a tranny mount, and there is no comparrison between a stock mount and one of the ES mounts.

Ward

iTrader: (1)

Aww crap I have a brand new set of Anchor brand motor mounts ready to go into my car this week. Are they really that crappy? The mounts that are in my car now are so bad that when I would get on the gas hard ,the engine would actually lift itself off the frame, then slam back down onto it. I dont want to have to replace these again, so what should I use? Does autozone or o-reilly's sell polyurethane motor mounts?

monte-ss

the parts stores can get them, but most wont stock anything and from experience you can usually get it cheaper from summit or jegs

Zepher

iTrader: (1)

I am putting Energy Suspension Poly ones in my car, are they no good since they aren't in your list?