Motor mounts - current wisdom?

[Rittmeister]

I've been chasing an oil leak for a couple months. Without going into details I got stumped and turned the problem over to my mechanic. He tells me that my left side motor mount is actively leaking fluid, and the right side looks like it's either a) seeming very dry and potentially could crack soon or b) already leaked out dry.

 

I'm pretty sure I can swap the mounts myself (I've done it on other cars) but I'm hoping for some recommendations on what mounts to get. Budget isn't the biggest consideration but OEM mounts are listed at $170 each right now which seems ridiculous to me, that's just too much ($340 for both?!??!) in my opinion.

 

Aftermarket options include:

 

-Autozone has Duralast at about $75 each

-Advance has Anchor and DEA from $70 up to $120 each, never heard of these

-RockAuto also has Anchor and DEA but for far lower prices.

 

There are others too from some other vendors and I haven't looked at Amazon yet. Interestingly a number of brands (Anchor and Power Torque) have the same p/n as the Duralast part so I assume they're actually the same thing.

 

Anyway - I'm curious what folks have gone with lately and if you're happy with the result. I though of using the Group N mounts as it looks like they're only $120 for the pair, but I'm not interested in the increased NVH in my boring 2.5 non-turbo automatic daily driver.

 

Any info appreciated!

[awfulwaffle]

There's no fluid in our mounts.

 

I like my Group N motor mounts over stock.

 

If you want to replace yours on a budget, I have a pair of mounts with 60k on them off of a JDM EJ20X that you could have for real cheap.

[Rittmeister]

My car is an '09. Could the later cars have had hydraulic mounts? I've found references here in this forum to fluid-filled mounts...

[Pleides]

My 05 had a fluid-filled diff mount, but I don't believe the motor mounts had fluid in them. One of mine failed in a fashion similar to an orange peel being removed. Very odd.

 

I highly, highly recommend Group N motor mounts over stock. Zero NVH increase over worn-out stock ones with 200K on them and way better feel and throttle response.

 

Edit: Ah, you have an NA. I'm not sure you use the same mounts my car does. They might be fluid-filled. Have you checked the mounts yourself? If they've never been changed then yes, they probably should go. I'd recommend OEM if you want to keep the car quiet and plan to keep it awhile. Aftermarket mounts usually will transmit more NVH and not last as long from my limited experience with them.

Edited December 21, 2020 by Pleides

[Enlight]

I can't speak for Group N engine mounts but the Group N tranny mounts definitely increase NVH. Our engine mounts are solid, not fluid filled. He may have spotted power steering fluid.

[apexi]

In another post you said your car only has 94k, I really don't think the mounts are bad. My mounts are wet with oil too, from my rear main seal which I'm 90% positive is leaking, and/or my head gasket(s).

 

The mounts are right next to the head gaskets. I know you said yours were done already in the other thread, but maybe they f'ed up.. Could pull your starter to see if your rear main seal is potentially leaking like I think mine is. Mine was covered with a film of oil, like it had been sprayed with a oil spray bottle. I also can see wetness where the bell housing mates up with the engine, above the front right motor mount. Just little clues because I know how hard it can be to track down oil leaks on our cars, been there, done that..

Edited December 22, 2020 by apexi

[Rittmeister]

In another post you said your car only has 94k, I really don't think the mounts are bad. My mounts are wet with oil too, from my rear main seal which I'm 90% positive is leaking, and/or my head gasket(s).

 

The mounts are right next to the head gaskets. I know you said yours were done already in the other thread, but maybe they f'ed up.. Could pull your starter to see if your rear main seal is potentially leaking like I think mine is. Mine was covered with a film of oil, like it had been sprayed with a oil spray bottle. I also can see wetness where the bell housing mates up with the engine, above the front right motor mount. Just little clues because I know how hard it can be to track down oil leaks on our cars, been there, done that..

 

Good eye/memory. Car just rolled over 95k.

 

-I don't think it's the headgaskets. 90% sure.

-I don't think it's the rear main (same reasoning as the mounts, I don't think it would've failed at only 95k miles) but it's possible.

-If the mounts are solid, that doesn't leave much.

 

I didn't know you can see the rear main through the starter hole, I'll see about that (pun intended). I am starting to think it might be power steering based on where I'm seeing the most mess and where it's dripping off from - which is mainly the subframe. It looks brownish like motor oil but it could easily be ATF/ps fluid mixed with grime.

 

More research needed, clearly. My mechanic and I have a long relationship - 15+ years - and he's always been honest and competent, but he's not a Subaru specialist so it's possible he's misdiagnosing.

 

Thanks for all input so far. Can anyone point me towards common failure points/leak locations on the steering rack or lines underneath?

[apexi]

Oh just to be clear, you can't see the rear main seal from the starter hole. But when I pulled my starter and I could wipe oil off it, there's really only one place that could come from in my eyes, unlikely it came from the access plate to the right of the seal. (in addition to other symptoms, like my clutch slipping with 15-20k on it, and an engine oil leak that goes straight back and hits my transmission drain plug)

 

The only other possibility I see, ruling out head gaskets, might be the oil pan like you asked about in the past. I went under my car often when I was trying to diagnose my leaks, and I can't really remember how close/far the mounts are to the oil pan. Even if they are a little bit above the pan, I wonder if airflow could push oil up as you're driving.

 

At around 200k, maybe a little over 200k, my oem power steering rack started leaking from the area with the blue box around it. Picture stolen from underdog's thread below

https://legacygt.com/forums/showthread.php/underdog-motorsports-2015-sti-steering-rack-swap-234351.html

[Rittmeister]

Oh just to be clear, you can't see the rear main seal from the starter hole. But when I pulled my starter and I could wipe oil off it, there's really only one place that could come from in my eyes, unlikely it came from the access plate to the right of the seal. (in addition to other symptoms, like my clutch slipping with 15-20k on it, and an engine oil leak that goes straight back and hits my transmission drain plug)

 

The only other possibility I see, ruling out head gaskets, might be the oil pan like you asked about in the past. I went under my car often when I was trying to diagnose my leaks, and I can't really remember how close/far the mounts are to the oil pan. Even if they are a little bit above the pan, I wonder if airflow could push oil up as you're driving.

 

At around 200k, maybe a little over 200k, my oem power steering rack started leaking from the area with the blue box around it. Picture stolen from underdog's thread below

https://legacygt.com/forums/showthread.php/underdog-motorsports-2015-sti-steering-rack-swap-234351.html

 

 

Thanks for the tips. I'll pull the starter sometime soon - though there is NO oil or fluid/leakage that I can see anywhere on the front diff casing or transmission, and I would think a leaking rear main would cause some to wind up there.

 

As for the rack, it actually wouldn't surprise me too much. I had to replace the rack on my old 2000 Outback at 85k miles. I still have the records of having done it but that was 7 years and several cars ago, and I didn't take pics of the leak, so the exact location isn't in the ol' memory banks.

 

I'll be talking to my guy in the morning, to see if he can look the steering system over more closely before I pick the car up.

[Pleides]

In another post you said your car only has 94k, I really don't think the mounts are bad. My mounts are wet with oil too, from my rear main seal which I'm 90% positive is leaking, and/or my head gasket(s).

 

The mounts are right next to the head gaskets. I know you said yours were done already in the other thread, but maybe they f'ed up.. Could pull your starter to see if your rear main seal is potentially leaking like I think mine is. Mine was covered with a film of oil, like it had been sprayed with a oil spray bottle. I also can see wetness where the bell housing mates up with the engine, above the front right motor mount. Just little clues because I know how hard it can be to track down oil leaks on our cars, been there, done that..

 

Rubber wears out with age. I'd believe that 10+ year-old motor mounts are shot just from age alone like the rest of his suspension bushings are by now.