engine torque strut/brace for 89+ mounts...

flubyux2

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Apr 2, 2005
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so i want to make one.

you know how the pre89 cars have the shock absorber mounted between the driver side engine mount and the subframe?

well i kind of decided (after having chronic starting issues w/ my car) that these liquid mounts need extra stabilization. they are just FAR too compliant to the point where they are just big marshmallows. i thought of how i could make a torque strut to mount in the same location as the pre89 strut but be more solid. i had an idea of getting a stock pre89 set w/ the bracket, then drilling holes in the strut body and filling the cavity with silicone RTV or something semi-solid. it was either that or retrofit an Energy suspension brand sway bar end link kit for a G-body or F-body and reusing the pre89 strut brackets and modifying them to accept the sway bar end link and poly bushings.

the reason why i came to this conclusion is because my engine floods every time i let it sit long enough for the engine to cool off to ambient temp. the colder it is, the worse it is. i know its flooding with raw fuel because i have side pipes and i can SMELL it in the exhaust as i kill my optima trying to unflood it and start up. i pulled my iridiums before starting the next day, they were wet with fuel. i burned it off with a lighter and scuffed the electrodes with 400grit paper to rub off the soot. it started up on a few cylinders. i have to feather the throttle between 1000-1500 to keep it from dying and to stop the misfire. the cold start misfire is how i discovered that the liquid mounts are too soft.

my intake manifold has hit the underhood brace to the point where its got a slight clearance when sitting still. however, after cold start with a misfire (running on anywhere from 1 to 4 cylinders) the engine shakes quite violently and hits the hood. even under loading, just the engine torquing in the mounts, i can watch the hood rise and fall. also, dropping throttle will sometimes be somewhat harsh and i can feel the engine shudder on its mounts... im tired of all this movement.

anyone got ideas or input for an engine torque brace? IMO, the stock mounting points are the BEST option. there is no other alternative in my eyes... so some iteration of the stock toyota torque strut would be perfect.

regards
chris
 

flubyux2

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Apr 2, 2005
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idk... more 'spensive and my mounts are, ironically, unbroken.

also, going to the head is bad. its popular in hondas and ive heard too many horror stories of a chunk of the head being ripped out. if cast aluminum was an acceptable mounting point to eliminate torquing via one 10mm x 1.25 bolt, everyone would have done it by now. toyota didnt think the aluminum engine mount pads were sufficient so they bolted stamped steel parts to it in several places.
 

flubyux2

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Apr 2, 2005
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i wonder how much your engine rotates in its mounts compared to mine. do you happen to have any short vids of your car running on a dyno or revving, blipping the throttle or any of that business? i dont know if mine is excessive or its normal for these mounts... i wish i hadnt thrown away the damper i removed from my 87 parts car. i looked at it and thought "who in the hell is ever gonna need this"...

i should hit up Tubbie or marcos myrie...
 

flubyux2

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Apr 2, 2005
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NOoooo... Really?

i figured it was just a basic shock with oil inside. it sounds like yours has the same goo inside as a V-LSD... crap, maybe i should just go get a factory setup...
 

IJ.

Grumpy Old Man
Mar 30, 2005
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Nah it's just SSV Chris no goo ;)

Bunch of different thickness shim washers on the piston so the faster you move it the harder they pack down.

Move it slow and it does 9 parts of FA move it fast and it's very stiff.
 

becauseican

Supramania Contributor
Mar 31, 2005
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Most of the stock struts that i have seen are toast(even when moving them quickly), so before i made poly pre 89 mounts on my 1jz car I made a custom strut with poly ends, similar to what flub is talking about, it worked great!!! It minimized engine movment alot, but without any exess vibration. We/ BIC have just recently made the first prototype bolt on poly damper kit for 86-89 cars, it should be available in the next few weeks. It is a little more tricky for 89+ cars that didnt originally come with the strut or brackets as custom mounts/ brackets will need to be fabricated, which is also in the works. Keep an eye on the BIC section for the release of this and a few other brand new mk3 products that we have been working on.

Randy
 

IJ.

Grumpy Old Man
Mar 30, 2005
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Chris: ^ There ya go too easy ;)

I'm a bit surprised my original 86.5 one still works fine only thing I had to do to it was to grind some of the NVH bobweight off for the Ear on the Group A Pan to clear.
 

Datsrboi

Loud pipes Save Lives
Jul 31, 2007
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Sorry if I am slow... But are you guys talking about putting one of these in?

http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/95-9...ryZ33619QQssPageNameZWDVWQQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem

8c8b_1.JPG
 

selfinfliction

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Dec 11, 2007
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Datsrboi;884350 said:
Sorry if I am slow... But are you guys talking about putting one of these in?

http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/95-9...ryZ33619QQssPageNameZWDVWQQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem

8c8b_1.JPG



yeah that's a torque brace, i have an ingalls etb on my cobalt, but that's only cause it stops wheelhop, without adding vibrations like poly mounts. the ingalls on my car comes with a mounting bracket, so if you twist the engine too far, it will bend the mount and not do any damage to the engine.
 

Datsrboi

Loud pipes Save Lives
Jul 31, 2007
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That would be nice if they had a kit with some R&D for a supra. I see allot of people (in other cars like 240s or front facing inline motors) bolting theirs right to the head. It looks really weak and its bolted onto a little stud that comes off the head which is aluminum.
 

flubyux2

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Apr 2, 2005
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yes, randy and IJ are talking about exactly what im referring to because it mounts to the single, strongest points available; the Frame and the engine pedestal.

the cylinder head casting and a strut top stud is far from ideal... especially with the force an engine can create when abruptly getting on and off the throttle and hard shifts... there are occasions of head castings failing, at least to my recollection. im not well traveled in other circles so i dont know of many urban legends pertaining to this.

randy, wanna hook me up w/ a prototype?

i was planning on getting a used setup from a parts whore around the forums and reusing the factory mounts... depends on what my options are i guess.
 

Poodles

I play with fire
Jul 22, 2006
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The two shocks I have both worked fine, I just put the cleaner one on my car...

The old style mounts have a cup around them to stop excess movement as well (seem to be the same mounts as my old '82 truck), and even when the fail, they aren't going anywhere as I went through 2 sets in the truck and the only way to notice was the shifter lever was offset (but it was a good 2 feet long).

Honestly, though your mounts aren't broken, they might still be shot from age and any fluid leaks. If you have the money, I'd try some new fluid filled mounts, and the MKIV mounts and see which one you liked better...
 

flubyux2

Madd Tyte JDM yo ®
Apr 2, 2005
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yeah, thats true too... last time i tried to find 97-98 motor mounts, it was a needle-in-a-haystack at best and unsuccesful at worst... as far as getting them second-hand.

id still like to try this first as itd be easier since it shouldnt involve lifting the engine... right Randy [in regards to your item]?
 

becauseican

Supramania Contributor
Mar 31, 2005
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flubyux2;886439 said:
yes, randy and IJ are talking about exactly what im referring to because it mounts to the single, strongest points available; the Frame and the engine pedestal.

the cylinder head casting and a strut top stud is far from ideal... especially with the force an engine can create when abruptly getting on and off the throttle and hard shifts... there are occasions of head castings failing, at least to my recollection. im not well traveled in other circles so i dont know of many urban legends pertaining to this.

randy, wanna hook me up w/ a prototype?

i was planning on getting a used setup from a parts whore around the forums and reusing the factory mounts... depends on what my options are i guess.


I will be releasing these with in the next week, i just need to figure final pricing and get the pics in order. Keep an eye on the BIC section !!!