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Clunk after installing AWR PMM and RMM

4K views 8 replies 5 participants last post by  jakecturner 
#1 ·
I just installed the AWR passenger motor mount and rear motor mount on my hatchback last weekend and I am now getting a clunk in the following way:

After parking to the right I turn left to straighten out the wheels. While turning left I get a single clunk that I can just slightly feel. I get the impression it's source is somewhere on the drivers side but it's difficult to tell. The only other time I received a slight clunk was when I got on the gas a little hard after installing the rear motor mount (PMM was stock at the time). It did that just once and I cannot replicate it, and felt closer to the middle of the car, I assume the mount was seating itself the rest of the way. The clunk (or pop) from parking remains and is completely repeatable, but only when parking to the right.

I have verified both mounts are torqued correctly and can't see anything interfering with them, they're pretty straightforward. Everything else up front is original, though struts were replaced around 15k miles ago by the dealer.

Could stiffening up the engine cause previously unknown problems to become more of an issue? Could the TMM be moving now? Is there something else I'm missing? If I have time tonight I plan on getting under the front end to check all bushings just to be sure, but I'd love some input from the pros.
 
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#2 ·
Yep, by the end you might have guessed it; depending on the age of the trans mount, it could be it that's now feeling the pain.
In simple the rule goes, all energy takes the least path of resistance, so I'm not saying the TMM is taking a massive beating, but is experiencing quite a bit more jiggling around than before with the newer stiffer mounts.

I'd at least take a look at it, see if you can spot any cracks or anything. They're a bit hard to see if they are damaged (more-so than the others), as sometimes they just fall into two pieces (very common depending on mileage).

When you say you replaced them last weekend do you mean... last weekend? Or this past weekend?
It will take a good month or so for them to fully break in, so you may notice much more noises during this break in period than you'll experience from here on, but clunking... isn't normal.
 
#3 ·
Thanks for the comments, I'll be sure to take a look at the transmission mount sometime this week. In fact, I'll probably just buy a new one and plan on replacing it. I'd hate to get in there, see a problem, and not be able to fix it for a few days.

I thought long and hard about replacing it at the same time as the others but I couldn't find anything but an OEM replacement for an MZ3. I don't suppose the aftermarket MS3 mounts would fit on an N/A with a 5 speed?

I just replaced the mounts on Saturday (4 days ago) so I've got all of 150 miles on them so far. I had some serious second thoughts the first time I turned it over after installing the RMM! It's settled down quite a bit already though and I'm learning how to avoid the really bad shudders by keeping the revs up a little higher than I usually would on a slow start. From what I had read I knew I hear new noises so I was somewhat prepared. Like you said though, a clunk probably shouldn't be one of those.

I really look forward to seeing (or hearing...and feeling) how much it settles down in a thousand miles or so. Shifting does feel nicer and the front right wheel seems to hold traction better. I'm sure I'll get a better feeling for it once I get a little more aggressive in a few hundred miles.
 
#4 ·
nope, speed3s have a different style carriage for the trans (it's also about 3x more heavy too).

There are a few aftermarket ones, but most of them might be overkill for what you're looking for. Most common "mod" to kind of up the strength, is just wrap the mount with duct tape, and fill all crevices with silicon, give it at least 24 hours to cure, and should end up with a stiffer, stronger mount but still similar to OEM.

Look for the hardrace version, should be blue. That may be a good upgrade over stock without going to extreme.
Shifting will feel a lot better too with a new mount.

Most of the stuff you're hearing and feeling though like I said, it will start to disappear by the end of the month as everything goes into a deeper break in cycle.
 
#5 ·
Im running the hardrace trans mount along with AWR Pass and rear mounts. Mine was black, not sure whether the old ones were blue or not. Ive had my mounts on for about a month and now hardly notice any difference. Still a little vibes but nothing like when they 1st got installed.

Clunk isnt normal. Just keep in mind that you may be just now hearing it since noise is amplified through the mounts vs oem. Couldve been there a while and you didnt know it .
 
#6 · (Edited)
Thanks again for the input guys, I'll look into the Hardrace one.

slow3 said:
Just keep in mind that you may be just now hearing it since noise is amplified through the mounts vs oem. Couldve been there a while and you didnt know it.
A fair point. I couldn't do much yesterday since it was so windy; I'll reaffirm the need to check all the bushings since they've all got around 100k miles on them.

Further experimentation suggests the noise 'may' be more centered than I previously thought. Impossible to tell for sure when driving of course. I guess I'll crawl under her tonight to verify the RMM is torqued down again - it's supposed to be ~60 ft-lbs, right? I'll also double check the aluminum mount to the motor itself isn't bound up somehow.

Guess the 'ol lady will have some dirty laundry tonight...
 
#7 ·
I just did struts, PMM, TMM, and now I have a clunk on the front passenger side. I can't remember if it started after the PMM mount or not. I did that part about 2 days after the struts. It seems so simple, I dont know how i could have messed up that install. But the noise does sound big and heavy. I hope its not that new mount. I did keep the old one though.
 
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