Pretty sure I have a motor mount issue on my camry, but am trying to make sure I pinpoint which one needs to be replaced. Money is a bit tight and prob won't be replacing them all.

Does not shake when in park. Pretty much only when car is idling in DRIVE. Once I gas it the shaking completely goes away, so does this suggest the front mount? when engine torques up it's no longer on the front mount??? anyway to trouble shoot individual mounts?

I visually inspected the front mount and it looks pretty intact honestly. no tears or anything super noticeable. When squeezing the rubber it gives way very easily. Is there damping fluid that may have drained out from inside the brushing? The rubber also does not extend 100% of the way up the connecting pole(?) there is about a quarter inch or so, could this be the issue? any insight would be very much appreciated. year is a 95 if that matters any.

5/25/2012 5:02:43 PM

Sounds exactly like my issue a few months back, engine was rebuilt on the bottom end and never felt the same afterwards but just racked it up to the shady mechanic that did it causing a vacuum leak. It always vibrated and rattled everything in the cabin but as soon as you start cruising or giving it gas it smooths out until you stop again. Just ended up replacing all 4 mounts in my 97 corolla (190k) and my god it finally quit sounding and feeling like a cesna prepping to take off a cobblestone runway and is much quieter at all speeds now.

It took around 2-3 hours with basic handtools and jacks to fix the side, front, and trans mount and around 4 hours alone on the rear mount (dropped the front subframe). Don't let the looks alone fool you, I was thinking it was something with the air/fuel or vacuum since I ruled out the mounts early on since every one of mine looked perfect with no tearing in comparison to past cars I've worked on.

I agree with your theory on the torquing during acceleration, I'd go with the mount(s) closest to the front first. I'd recommend rockauto.com as well, though, I think all 4 of mine were around $85 total shipped. Btw the mount holding the transmission is, surprise, under the transmission mount and not in the engine motor mount drill down.

[Edited on May 25, 2012 at 6:52 PM. Reason : .]

5/25/2012 6:46:31 PM

so your mounts looked totally fine, but were bad? were the new mounts firmer upon squeezing than the busted one. just feel like there should be some way of telling the mount is bad besides the shaking at drive idle. im not super mechanic savvy yet so that is why im only gonna replace the front one and hope that does the trick. id pretty much have to take it to a shop for the rear one i think. i have heard changing only one mount is not ideal bc it will sit higher and ware on other mounts, but im not totally convinced. anyone else have insight into this?

5/25/2012 11:50:40 PM

The front mount under the oil filter is usually the one that goes bad and it happens to all of them.

5/27/2012 8:52:48 AM

yea, set to change it tomorrow. you think a brand new one in front might overstress the older ones or good to go just replacing the one? i'd hate to replace it only to be doing more harm than good to the overall support system.

5/27/2012 9:41:37 PM

have you checked your transmission fluid?

5/27/2012 10:11:15 PM

yea, fluids are good as far as i can tell. tranny shifts real smooth once im driving. y do you ask?

5/27/2012 10:20:26 PM

^because torque converter shutter is common with low fluid levels in a transmission. shutter can show up even though the transmission feels like it's shifting fine.

check the fluid with the engine idling and transmission in park.

5/27/2012 11:09:41 PM

ok, thx

5/27/2012 11:20:44 PM

what's the latest?

5/30/2012 9:57:31 PM

and......fuck.

6/27/2012 8:43:24 PM