Why You May Need to Keep a Close Eye on the Engine Mountings in Your Older German Vehicle
Posted on: 22 April 2020
While car manufacturers put a lot of effort into making their vehicles as reliable as possible, some cars have nevertheless built a reputation for being problematic. Mechanical issues can affect even the more "high-end" German automobiles as well, and certain models have issues with their engine mounting capability. If you have one of these European cars and it has quite a number of kilometres under its belt, why do you need to keep a close eye on the engine mountings in particular?
Supporting the Engine and Transmission
The more powerful the car, the heavier the engine and transmission assembly tends to be. This is particularly the case when it comes to a V6 configuration, and some of these motors will need to be mounted in four or five different places. While these mounts are supposed to last for a long time and put up with the pressure, they may suffer more than other parts, and this may be down to poor engineering in the first place.
Bigger Issues
Nevertheless, it is very important for you to keep a close eye on the integrity of these engine mountings if you want to avoid larger and much more expensive problems. After all, the mountings will have to absorb a tremendous amount of vibration and be able to put up with an engine that is spinning at high revolutions when under full load. In this situation, it is important to "float" the engine in a relatively static position so that the internal components are able to do their job without issue. If the mountings begin to collapse and the engine becomes off-balance, the crankshaft may shift on its bearings, and this would represent a very expensive fix.
Mounting Location
Each engine mounting is made from toughened rubber that sits inside a metal container. It is bolted on one end to the subframe or chassis and on the other end to the engine block or gearbox casing. To work effectively, all of the mountings need to be in good condition as this will provide the ideal balance, but if one or more begins to fail, action needs to be taken as soon as possible.
Urgent Action
If you notice a sudden vibration or can hear a strange banging sound when you bring the vehicle to a halt, this may be a sign that the engine mountings are about to fail. In this case, you will need to take the vehicle into a mechanic as soon as possible so that they can carry out the repairs. This is quite an involved job as the engine will need to be lifted up using special equipment before the mountings can be accessed.
If you have an older German car that needs to be repaired, such as Mercedes car repairs, visit an auto shop near you.
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