Bad motor mount or bad transmission mount? W201 190E
 

'91 190E 2.6

I know one of them is bad. At idle the car is relatively smooth, close to what I would expect but as soon as a gear is engaged you can tell something is rattling.

I visually inspected the motor mounts, they look OK, I can see the right front well, no obvious sign of failure in fact it looks pretty good, can't see left side as well but again, no obvious signs.

I am guessing that a transmission mount is possibly the culprit, one because previous motor mount probs, the engine shook even when it wasn't in gear and b, while the transmission shifts smoothly, I occasionally here a clunk when shifting INTO gear. Doesn't happen all the time so makes me think the trans is moving around on a faulty mount.

Thanks for the sounding board, if anyone can concur that would be great.

Doug

When the car is in drive, it compresses the passenger-side mount. If it is shot, that will usually create noise/vibration. If in reverse it is quieter, I would suspect the pass-side (car's right) mount.

"Rattling" isn't something mounts get blamed for. Unless it's bad enough that heat shields rattle or the exhaust mount cracks. Usually it's just a vibration feel thorough the chassis. You should have 10mm between the bottom "cup" of the mount and the crossmember that it mounts to. The trans mount you try moving the tailhousing up and down, I've never seen a spec for it. I would suspect the front driveshaft coupler based on what I'm hearing.
Gilly

Thanks guys, yeah rattling is not the right description, it is a heavy vibration. I will have a look at the driveline.

Potentially flex disks, - have them checked out asap. You don't want one breaking while driving.

Changing motor mounts in a 190e 2.6 is an easy job if you know what you are doing. My mechanic changed both mine (190e 2.6) in twenty minutes.

Changing motor mounts in a 190e 2.6 is an easy job if you know what you are doing. My mechanic changed both mine (190e 2.6) in twenty minutes.


Is it access the bolt from the bottom?

OK mechanic said the engine mounts were cooked. No fluid loss but says they are pancaked. Will report back after they are replaced and see if the driveline continues to clunk at random.

I have been driving a with little more spirit and the car loves it, shifting more consistently and smoother. :)

Well, my experience has been that when one of those mounts is bad, they're all bad or close to it.

What I would do is this:

Get a friend to sit in the driver's seat.

With the hood open, and you standing to the SIDE, observe the engine as your friend shifts from park to drive. If the motor jumps around much, your motor mounts are shot. If the motor really jumps around as your friend holds down the brakes and gives a little gas, then they are really shot.

If your motor mounts are done, then the trans mount isn't far behind. Do all three mounts at once.

Good luck!

Thanks TP, I will inspect the T mount. He showed me how to inspect the mount. He says if the motor will not move back and forth by grabbing the motor and rocking it back and forth by hand then they are probably bad. He also showed me that there should be about 10mm between the bottom "bell" of the mount and the cross member. mine was pancaked. He could also tell by starting the car and feeling the vibration.