Engine mounts replaced - still bouncy

[mjhmjh2]

well I just replaced both the engine mounts on the W124 250 TD. One of the old ones rattled (after I took it off), so I took that as a good sign. First one took about an hour to figure out how to do, second, with hindsight took 10 minutes!

The engine still moves quite a deal from side to side on the engine mounts - I also got an assistant to move the engine whilst I watched the gearbox mount - that hardly moves at all.

Anyway a test drive shows up it's still quite bouncy.. I wonder if it's just meant to be like that. RWD diesel with big fat sprung seats and a clutch, bit of a bounce forward gets amplified in the chair, and hence drivers throttle foot moves which makes it worse. IF you floor it and slip the clutch it's fine.

Any other old manual merc drivers out there confirm what theirs is like to drive?

Matthew

 

[jibcl500]

did you buy the mounts from MB or somewhere else.

jib

 

[mjhmjh2]

GSF, it was the "Vibring original" engine mount. Appears to be GSF own brand looking at the box.

Matthew

 

[jibcl500]

nuff sed.

jib

 

[mjhmjh2]

you have experience of these mounts?

Matthew

 

[sid2k7]

Hi, had same problem with 190e 5sp man.

I owned the car for years and never did find out what was the cause.

Replaced engine and gearbox mounts with genuine MB parts, it made no difference.
Also replaced rear subframe bushes, clutch and clutch slave cylinder (again with genuine MB parts) no difference.

Problem got worse when stuck in traffic after a long run.
When I replaced the clutch there was no oil leaking on to it.

I have heard other owners have similar problems, but never with autos.
BMW had similar problems in the mid 90's and had a recall.

 

[mjhmjh2]

Hi, had same problem with 190e 5sp man.

I owned the car for years and never did find out what was the cause.

Replaced engine and gearbox mounts with genuine MB parts, it made no difference.
Also replaced rear subframe bushes, clutch and clutch slave cylinder (again with genuine MB parts) no difference.

Problem got worse when stuck in traffic after a long run.
When I replaced the clutch there was no oil leaking on to it.

I have heard other owners have similar problems, but never with autos.
BMW had similar problems in the mid 90's and had a recall.

Thanks for your post

I get the feeling it's a bit of a combination of the softness of everythng (like sprung seats) combined with the harshness of a manual clutch. FWD cars generally have less drive takeup IMHO so I'll just put it down to that and forget about it until something makes a clonk or similar!



Matthew

 

[Bolide]

My order of work for getting rid of drivetrain clunks is this. Check and replace:

1 - propshaft doughnuts
2 - engine mounts
3 - gearbox mount
4 - rear suspension link bushes
5 - diff bushes (particularly the top ones)
6 - rear subframe leading mounts

If the car is an estate with an aftermarket towbar (Witter, etc) then the rear silencer box will clonk on the bar. Try rehanging the box or throwing the bar away

Nick Froome
www.w124.co.uk

 

[mjhmjh2]

thanks for the list of things, I've just checked everything front to rear best I could, both donuts I could see looked fine... but I did notice a very obvious lack of rubber around two bushes that hold the diff to the cross member behind it.

I got a neighbour to watch as I put some load on it and the diff moved quite a long way.

Now looking at the haines book it's a 4 spanner job to remove the diff, and then it doesn't mention anything about those two bushes (not sure where the other ones are as you mentioned top and bottom mounts). So I think this is gonna be a garage job.

Can anyone recommend a good (cheap?) independant around Basingstoke, Reading or Bracknell please? Or in fact if anyone knows its an easy job and wants to lend a hand then beer/cider curry money as required.

Thanks

 

[Bolide]

I'm told the diff bushes are a swine and you have to drop the rear subframe to get then out. They are likely to be your problem, though

You'll find that the input bearing seal of the diff may have gone oval and be leaking as a result of the diff moving about

Nick Froome
www.w124.co.uk

 

[Myros]

I have also heard that

GSF can get their engine mounts all mixed up,as they are different for petrol and diesel. A diesel has a lot more torques and would want a stiffer bush really