Upper engine mount bushing : stock vs. Poly Urethane

msm15 · Post by **msm15** » 31 Dec 2008, 10:43

I need a new bushing which one should I go for the stock rubber or the Poly one ?

Its a difference of $20 from FCP Groton, but I am going to have to make a tool to force the original one in so I wouldnt be saving that much + it would be a much bigger hassle to deal with the OEM.

Which one serves its purpose better ?

Post by **JRL** » 31 Dec 2008, 10:52

Depends on which model you have and if you have a manual or an automatic.
ALL poly bushings will cause some vibrations at idle, some cars vibrate more than others, some (owners) can deal with it and some cannot, (I cannot).

If you have a manual transmission it's really not an issue, but it can be a big issue in an automatic when that steering wheel is massaging (vibrating) in your hands and your butt!

It also depends on who's bushing it is, manufacturers use different polymers, so some are stiffer than others.

If you like your car the way it is now, stick with OEM as it is a noticable difference!

Post by **Volvo_240_Atari_2600** » 31 Dec 2008, 10:53

I think in an earlier thread... MIJ may have said he has the poly bushing and did mention the slight vibration as opposed to the OEM rubber.

I saw the price of $8.00 something at FCP, but I weighed the hassle of making a pressing tool to get the OEM in place. I also read that the poly will last for the life of the car, where the rubber would not.

I ordered a poly bushing from FCP on Monday along with the lower torque thing that looks like a belt buckle as well as the lower front right mount (the one that is installed by the crank pulley) and I will be installing them this weekend if I get it by Friday. I did pay for priority... I will post back the vibrating I feel after the installation. FCP supposedly has redisigned it to reduce the vibration.

I'll let you know.

msm15 · Post by **msm15** » 31 Dec 2008, 10:53

sorry forgot to mention that parts - its a 98 s70 t5 automatic

msm15 · Post by **msm15** » 31 Dec 2008, 11:04

I ordered the Poly one will see how it plays out, my current bushing is completely shot so it can only make things better, I guess.

NCBill · Post by **NCBill** » 01 Jan 2009, 11:49

msm15 wrote:I need a new bushing which one should I go for the stock rubber or the Poly one ?

SNIP
Which one serves its purpose better ?

Someone noted the poly one will last the life of the car. Maybe not the life of the car, but mine evidently failed only recently and I have 170,000 miles on my 1997 850. Maybe someone who reads this can answer my question which I posted January 1.

Post by **MadeInJapan** » 01 Jan 2009, 12:15

Just curious how it failed? I know that the poly bushings have gotten better and better with newer polymers being used. I have only heard of one previous failure of the poly bushing sold by IPD (their first runs, evidently) and IPD replaced it with a newer rendition of the bushing for free.

NCBill · Post by **NCBill** » 01 Jan 2009, 17:02

MadeInJapan wrote:Just curious how it failed? I know that the poly bushings have gotten better and better with newer polymers being used. I have only heard of one previous failure of the poly bushing sold by IPD (their first runs, evidently) and IPD replaced it with a newer rendition of the bushing for free.

The rubber completely disintegrated - all that was left was the poly shell and the metal sleeve with bits of rubber attached to each one. I wasn't disappointed - having a rubber part on top of the engine last 11 years seemed OK to me.

Post by **MadeInJapan** » 01 Jan 2009, 17:07

Okay...guess I misunderstood you....thought you said that your poly mount had failed. Actually, I'm surprised that your rubber one lasted as long as it did. Mine on my S70 was gone when I bought it at 90K miles. My wife's V70 was a goner at 40K miles (we bought her car new). My S70 has a purple poly bushing (and my lower engine to tranny mount is also poly)- I get some vibrations at idle (in park) sitting at a red light. My wife's V70 has a square rubber mount- a new design for P2 cars, but the way it's designed, you have to essentially take it out to see what its condition is (a way for Volvo to cover up recurring torque mount failures?)...we'll see how long that one lasts.

NCBill · Post by **NCBill** » 01 Jan 2009, 17:18

MadeInJapan wrote:Okay...guess I misunderstood you....thought you said that your poly mount had failed. Actually, I'm surprised that your rubber one lasted as long as it did. Mine on my S70 was gone when I bought it at 90K miles. My wife's V70 was a goner at 40K miles (we bought her car new). My S70 has a purple poly bushing (and my lower engine to tranny mount is also poly)- I get some vibrations at idle (in park) sitting at a red light. My wife's V70 has a square rubber mount- a new design for P2 cars, but the way it's designed, you have to essentially take it out to see what its condition is (a way for Volvo to cover up recurring torque mount failures?)...we'll see how long that one lasts.

OH, I guess I was mistaken when I said mine was poly. There is a hard sleeve, which I assumed was poly, rubber in the annulus, and a metal sleeve. Evidently, the poly bushings are something completely different from what I have (all poly?). I just took what the dealer offered.