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Thread: Sun's out, Mounts out. (Modified engine+transmission mounts)

  1. #1
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    Sun's out, Mounts out. (Modified engine+transmission mounts)

    The sun actually came out today... and it was only zero degrees. Off work early, so I finally had a chance to tackle something that has been irritating me since day one with this car:

    The amount of "slop" in the mounts is unacceptable. I could actually move the engine a disgusting amount just by pulling on the back of the intake manifold. I wanted to add some rigidity to the engine and gain some throttle response, reduce slack in the clutch, and firm up the shift linkage (the shifter dance in third gear). This may also be accomplished by installing the NISMO upgraded mounts that are available (obviously they saw a problem as well) however, I have no interest in paying that much for something I can solve with a caulking gun.
    I removed all three mounts in order to add polyurethane. Here is my method:

    2018.5 K13 5spd SV

    Required tools:
    Ratchet set and wrenches
    Needle nose pliers
    Two jacks (hydraulic or scissor)
    Polyurethane windshield sealant
    http://www.dominionsureseal.com/prod...urethane-cusf/
    Ziploc bag
    Petroleum jelly
    GLOVES! Black polyurethane will ruin whatever it touches.

    Support the engine with one jack, and the transmission with the other (use rubber blocks or wood so you dont damage anything). Lift them just enough to take the weight off the mounts.

    Remove intake piping from the front of the air box, to the fender.

    Disconnect and remove battery:

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    Remove the battery tray, exposing the transmission mount:

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    Remove the four blue chassis bolts (two underneath) and the center nut. At this point you can lower the transmission slightly and tap the center stud loose from the upper portion of the mount and remove the upper portion, or just remove the entire assembly. Then remove the three transmission bolts, and remove the lower portion:

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    Removing the passenger side is tight if you have A/C. Very little clearance between the engine cover and A/C lines:

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    The transmission mount is merely suspended from the upper rubber bushing by the center stud. The inner core of the mount post is a void, and doesn't actually support anything, and allows for a considerable amount of engine movement. This will be filled with polyurethane:

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    The passenger side mount speaks for itself:

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    Next up, preparing for polyurethane.



  2. The Following 5 Users Say Thank You to NotASportsCar For This Useful Post:

    4Aaron GE (03-13-2019),Azmodon (03-11-2019),MetroMPG (03-08-2019),MrMicra2015 (03-11-2019),Vaszya (04-14-2021)

  3. #2
    Administrator MetroMPG's Avatar
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    Nice DIY.

    Subscribed.

        __________________________________________

        click to view fuel log View my fuel log 2015 Micra S manual: 5.0 L/100 km ... 56.5 mpg (Imp) ... 20.0 km/L ... 47.0 mpg (US) ...


  4. #3
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    I covered the lower transmission mount post with a ziploc bag, and smeared petroleum jelly all over the plastic in order to help it release from the polyurethane:

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    I applied the polyurethane in a sort of spiral inside the bushing, it doesn't need to be filled. Just enough to take up the space between the mount post and rubber. Then I inserted the mount post into the rubber bushing. Ensure the post protrudes far enough to engage the serrations of the stud into the serrations of the rubber mount grommet. A few dead blows may be required, or just reinstall the stud nut and washer, then tighten it down flush:

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    After a few minutes of curing, you can separate the two:

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    For the passenger side mount, I only filled the upper area of the mount. This should eliminate any twisting from all that HR16DE torque. You could alternatively drain the oil out of the lower rubber pillar mount. Then clean it out and fill it with polyurethane also:

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    Allow to cure for a few minutes, then remove the masking tape. Tool the polyurethane as required.

    The lower transmission mount (locating the transmission bell housing to the chassis underneath the car) is an easy one. I have previously done this, sorry no pictures. It is not recommended to do all three mounts at once for obvious reasons.
    The lower mount comes out with the removal of three bolts. The voids within the factory rubber mount is apparent right away. Fill these voids with polyurethane and tool as necessary.

    Allow the polyurethane to cure for at least 24hrs, then reinstall.
    Last edited by NotASportsCar; 03-09-2019 at 01:13 PM.

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    With the polyurethane cured, not as particularly aesthetic as the factory rubber, but significantly more rigid. It was time to trim away any excess:

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    Reinstall the mounts, with the bolts only hand tight. There will be some realignment required and this is much easier with both mounts installed loosely. Maneuver the jacks accordingly to assist with the alignment. Once aligned, torque all the bolts. Reinstall the battery tray and battery. Then enjoy some extra rigidity!

    Observations:
    -Upon engagement of the starter, the engine does not shift and clunk back and forth anymore.
    -Noticeable engine vibration at idle, nothing close to solid/billet mounts. Just enough to notice the engine is actually running.
    -Throttle response is greatly improved.
    -Shift linkage is significantly more stable. Shifter locates in gear much smoother, and no more 3rd gear shifter dance.
    -If you are looking for more serious rigidity, fill the entire passenger side mount with polyurethane.
    -This DIY definitely makes for a much more "connected" driving experience in this little car.

    Thanks for reading, and thanks to Darin and Tim for establishing this great forum.

    Cheers,
    Drew
    Last edited by NotASportsCar; 03-10-2019 at 12:09 AM.

  7. The Following 3 Users Say Thank You to NotASportsCar For This Useful Post:

    4Aaron GE (03-13-2019),MetroMPG (03-12-2019),Vaszya (05-02-2021)

  8. #5
    Senior Member Azmodon's Avatar
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    I've wanted do to this forever... so thanks for the inspiration lol

    For the nerds reading this that are wondering :P I got a hold of Dominion's senior chemist. Their CUS / CUSF products have a Shore hardness of 55A (halfway between pink pencil eraser bike tires), and lap shear is >500 psi. With that in mind, if anyone wanted to go softer / harder, now you've got the number you're looking for to base it on. As a side note, do not confuse the "A" rating with "D" rating, they do have another adhesive (XSM6002) that by the way it's worded would do the trick, but is an 85D... which is harder than the protective shell of a hardhat - stick to the "A".

    Given the weakness of the rubber mounts 55A is a fairly large improvement, "racing" style poly mounts usually don't exceed 90A, with most aftermarket ones sold at 70-80.

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        click to view fuel log View my fuel log 2015 Micra SV automatic: 7.1 L/100 km ... 39.9 mpg (Imp) ... 14.1 km/L ... 33.3 mpg (US) ...


  9. #6
    Senior Member MrMicra2015's Avatar
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    i noticed the engine mounts seem SUPER soft right away ie day 1, i zap strapped THICK (puncture resistant) bicycle inner tube to the passenger upper mount......its not worse..lol....in the 2000 civic i put the polyurethane inserts into the mounts. SUPER vibration, like solid mounts, couldnt have taken much more...EXCELLENT write up NOTASPORTSCAR!! MAYBE you will inspire me!!!!!!..

    PS..i put silicone in the civic mounts first...shredded in a week...a BUGGER to clean out...live and learn...cheap *******!!

    soo if you were lazy and just had the energy to do ONE of the 3...which one would be the most bang for the buck in your opinion?
    Last edited by MrMicra2015; 03-11-2019 at 10:30 PM.
    2015 Micra S (manual)
    no A/C /no power options/ block heater/4x 2 Ohm speakers...all factory stock in 2015
    Feb 2015 build
    9,999 purchase price + tax..no additional 1600$ because it was a 2015 purchased in 2016
    so receipt says $8,399....+1600 .... so they look good i guess...for a brand new car!

  10. #7
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    I had originally only done the lower mount, underneath the car. This wasn't enough for what i was looking for. However, this one is very easy to remove, and only one wrench required.

  11. #8
    Administrator MetroMPG's Avatar
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    Drew - nice work.

    Thanks for the detailed info & pics!


        __________________________________________

        click to view fuel log View my fuel log 2015 Micra S manual: 5.0 L/100 km ... 56.5 mpg (Imp) ... 20.0 km/L ... 47.0 mpg (US) ...


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