Watch Out for These Signs of Engine Mount Failure in Your Mini
by europewpadmin January 10, 2021Just imagine: You’re driving your Mini down the Pacific Coast Highway with the beautiful view of the Pacific Ocean beside you and the wind in your hair as you speed down the highway. Suddenly, the unthinkable happens. Your Mini begins to rumble, vibrating uncontrollably as you hear a disastrous knocking sound coming from your engine. It is the tell-tale signs of engine mount failure, but how do you fix it?
What is an engine mount?
Engine mounts are an essential part of any car. They are responsible for securing the engine to the chassis. The chassis is the vehicle’s frame, which is the primary supportive structure of a car. All other components, like the engine mount, attach to the chassis. Motor mounts come in many different sizes and shapes depending on the needs of the vehicle.
Regardless of their size or shape, every mount serves the same purpose: affixing the engine to the chassis and reducing engine vibration. These mounts are also typically made from metal and rubber. The metal helps the mount withstand the torque (or twisting force) and force produced by the engine. The rubber helps reduce vibrations from the engine.
Causes of Engine Mount Failure
While the failure of the mount is disheartening, it can decline much like any other mechanism in a vehicle. Engines produce a large amount of vibration every time you drive your car, causing the metal and rubber of the engine mount to possibly fail. These mounts can go bad for a few reasons.
Age and stress are the most common causes as the metal and rubber used to dampen engine vibration begin to give out and cause mechanical fatigue. Every time the vehicle vibrates or the driver hits the gas, it affects the mount’s metal and rubber. The rubber deteriorates and loses its elasticity as the car ages leading to the development of small cracks.
The environment impacts the life of an engine mount, as well. Motor mounts are located within the engine bay and are exposed to very high temperatures. They can also be exposed to leaking fluid from the engine. Higher-than-normal levels of ozone from the engine impact the integrity of the rubber.
Signs of Engine Mount Failure
There are many different signs of engine mount failure, and almost all the signs of failure are quite obvious. Your Mini might begin to vibrate excessively. This occurs because the rubber has started to degrade, preventing it from reducing the engine’s vibration. This means that the mount cannot absorb the vibrations properly.
Impact noises are another indication of mount failure. When a mount is broken, damaged, or worn by age, it can cause many sounds like banging or clunking. This results from the engine shifting its weight against the chassis or another part of the engine bay.
Engine movement is another sign of engine mount failure. This happens because the mounts have become work or broken and cannot properly secure the engine. As a result, the mount cannot prevent the engine from moving around within the engine bay. The movement could become worse when accelerating your Mini, and you may hear an impact noise.
When the mount of your engine is broken or damaged it can cause the fan belts or radiator hoses to break. Fan belts are a component that transfers power from one place to another in your Mini. By decreasing the friction in the engine, a fan belt improves the performance of your car. A radiator hose carries coolant from the engine to the radiator and is important for preventing your engine from overheating.
What to Do If You Notice the Signs of Failure
The everyday strain of vibration and torque on the engine mount of your Mini can cause it to fail with potentially disastrous results. If you suspect that your Mini may have a damaged or failing engine mount, you should have your car inspected by a professional automotive technician at an auto repair and body shop that specializes in foreign cars like European Auto Tech.
European Auto Tech is the leading luxury auto service center serving Plano, TX and area cities like: Allen, Dallas, Flower Mound, Frisco, Highland Park, McKinney, Park Cities, Richardson, Southlake, and University Park. Contact us today to get set up with an appointment to fix your Mini today!