Replacing All Engine Mounts What Order Would You Do?

[Sveedy]

When I did mine, I raised the engine just enough to make me have to use some muscle to wiggle that mount in. I felt that was a safe approach. I believe I had the one closest to the radiator installed first, but left it loose so the engine could pivot a little to do that back one. Then did the one by the crank pulley. Wasn't a hard job.

[ericmci]

Nice 850
I know it's definitely doable.
I think there some space differences between the 850 and S70 at least as far it i can tell by looking at the FCP tutorial which is on an 850 Turbo.
I think being that I am doing this job in my apt parking space and I don't have any leakage I might let the hyrdaulic mounts stay
for now until I have reason to be in those spaces or there is a clear sign that they are failing.
I think by replacing All the other mounts which take the majority of the flex beating I can keep them healthy even longer.
We'll see - I say that and my next post might be that I did them all.
But for now I think I will take the time I might have spent on the hydraulics and throw it at the sub-frame bushings.
Wish me luck!

[manovlov]

Tired engines mounts will degrade the driving pleasure,engine will shake and transmit vibrations...

My 850 has 95 000 miles and the E.M looked as OEM. So, after 23 years... it was a good option. And not expensive tasks you may do is to replace also all fluids. It's a good start point to me.

[Eddystone]

ericmci, don't skip the engine pad thingie...

The engine front/side (timing belt side) mount is very easy to do. When it goes bad, it will separate completely. You won't die, but you'll think you need a new exhaust system, and that shock might do you in. I have the two hydraulic beach balls to do on my 98 V70 and am always interested to read these threads. Watch out for those FCP videos. It's never as easy as they make it look. Robert DIY must have a video on this.

[ericmci]

Normally I would agree with you on Robert DIY but the videos I saw he had up on this topic were just for the front pad and transmission torque mount. Not for the hydraulics. And yeah- FCP cars must all be California based cars bc they use breaker bars on bolts that never have any rust. One of my 14mm top bolts going into the block on the side pad mount was so rusted that I twisted the head off and I am in the process of using an Easy Out/ Bolt extractor. I was able to remove the other 14mm bolt and the the two 17mm that into the subframe but man... it wasn't easy.

[abscate]

Scott has promised me the next FCP on strut change will feature Grunhilde..

Ok, I made that up…..

[Eddystone]

One of my 14mm top bolts going into the block on the side pad mount was so rusted that I twisted the head off and I am in the process of using an Easy Out/ Bolt extractor. I was able to remove the other 14mm bolt and the the two 17mm that into the subframe but man... it wasn't easy.

I just moved from the Cleveland area from Philadelphia after about 30 years there. ALL of the cars in Ohio are rusted, and I fear for my poor Volvos. Cars that NEVER had rust in eastern PA are horrible out here. Cars that are relatively low mileage, in great mechanical shape and with nice interior have horrible rusted bodies. I know the winters are hard in Maine. Do they also salt indiscriminately up there? The only bolt I have ever broken on a Volvo was one of the two radiator mounting bolts, and those are not hard to replace.

[ericmci]

Man - I hear you.
I replaced the entire front and rear suspension- and I mean everything last summer.
My struts looked very much like yours although to their credit were still functioning decently and being the originals.
It was the housing rust that prompted the change.
Maine is terrible with salt- it varies by the town but overall it's an issue.
That being said these 'cars that don't rust'- Really don't. It's always the replaceable parts- bolts.
The body is in fantastic shape.
Have you ever replaced the hydraulic mounts on the S70?

[Elpigo]

Hi y'all. My turn to talk about my experience with the suspension of the car and of the engine. I have changed all there is that might suspend something in my '97 850. All 4 sub-frame bushings, all the engine mounts (front, rear, top, bottom, pad) and the struts. Conclusion: not much better than before. Changing sub-frame bushings and engine mounts brought no major improvement in the comfort. I can still feel the engine shake on street lights. Neither did the struts. The only time I can feel improvement in the ride, believe it or not, is when it's raining! Then the car runs much smoother. Can't say why. But one question remains that I'd like to ask you is this one: would there a better spring seat with a better (or bigger) sleeve/rubber insert. This is the part that makes all the difference riding on city streets with small cracks and imperfections absorbing them before transmitting them to the body of the car. It could have been much bigger and more supple. Seems to me Volvo could do better in this aspect.

Thanks

[scot850]

What brand of parts did you use for on the mounts? Some are poor reproductions and may be no better than the originals when they were 20 years old. Again if you use poly-bushes over rubber mounts then you get more vibrations. There are many who also believe modern rubber parts are not as good as originals as the compounds are different.

In the spring seat area the best are the OE mounts. They are modeled from the XC90 version which was stronger than the original part. The only other thing I have seen was someone who used a coil over suspension with a solid top mount that was adjustable. However that was a solid mount which would transmit more of the engine vibrations.

A slight misfire or air/vacuum leak may also cause more vibrations than the suspension can smooth out.

Neil.