Rep Power: 0

While driving home today shortly after leaving the job I noticed I had a new pretty intense vibration while at the light getting on the freeway, I thought it's probably time to check the rest of the motor mounts. I replaced the one in front already but not the sides. Almost home while exiting the freeway there was a very loud banging sound emanating from the drivers front when hitting bumps and I could feel a banging also. Managed to get it home and found the 2 studs for the drivers side mount had pulled the threads out of the aluminum bracket that mounts to the engine, the one the cam belt cover goes around and the alternator mounts to. One of the studs was still hanging by the nut in the steel bracket part but the other must be on the freeway somewhere. I have already ordered a new bracket and stud, is this a freak thing or something that happens with some regularity?

 
Rep Power: 512

Happened to me, but I stripped it out myself while doing work. I bought a spare one, but in the meantime, I tapped the holes out larger and installed some studs that, while larger, still fit in the bracket. That fix has held up so long that I have a spare OEM bracket laying around. lol

Only downside is my fix doesn't have tapered studs like OEM, but that's not a huge issue.

 
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Lol, yeah I ordered the bracket and then started looking at the old one. Should have looked first because that is exactly what I am going to do. I guess I will have a spare one now also..

 
Rep Power: 512

I had both of the vertical bolts strip out at the same time. Nothing like a hellacious vibration and metal-on-metal sound to get your heart racing. I was 15 miles from home and just so happened to have my tap set in my car. Limped it to Pep Boys and thankfully they had studs in stock.

 
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That's what mine did, lost both on the freeway. Didn't notice until I hit the bombed out exit bumps then all hell broke loose. Sounded like the front end was coming right off. The drivers side of the engine was about an inch and a half lower then it's supposed to be..

 
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All fixed. Discovered the hogged out holes were almost the exact size that a 7/16 Helicoil needed to be. So I cleaned the holes up, inserted a Helicoil and got some hardened studs from Ace Hardware with flextop locking nuts. Some red locktight for good measure and its good as new. Upon starting the engine it was immediately MUCH smoother then anytime since I've had the car leading me to believe along with the witness marks on the mount that the front stud hole had been stripped for awhile and the rear one finally let loose.

 
Rep Power: 512

Lol, nice fix. My studs were threaded throughout the length of the stud and are a slightly larger diameter than OEM. I don't even think I used any loctite and it's held nicely.

Good job

 
Rep Power: 0

Thanks. The funny thing is I had the Helicoils in my toolbox for years. I bought them awhile ago and never ended up using them. Had forgotten about them until I was rummaging around in there seeing what size taps I might have.