Powerflex bushes & engine mounts

[antnee]

@Yiannis197 From what I've read on here, adding the upper torque arm and the lower engine mount insert adds very little vibration. The majority of extra vibration comes from the upper mount insert. I haven't done the lower mount myself, although I have done the upper insert + torque arm. There's a lot of extra vibration from this, although it's also bedded in a lot too.

I'd like to change it one day and take the upper insert out, and put the lower one in. I can't imagine the car would feel any less tight to drive, since it's the torque arm that stops engine movement, but the most of the vibration would be gone.

+1. I find you only really get vibration when you put the engine under load at really low revs, like when you coast to a junction in 2nd gear then pull off without changing down to 1st

 

[FISHBOY]

Doing a bit of work on the Clio in the forthcoming months - not sure I need the engine mounts, but was interested in the anti roll bar kit while the car is in bits.

Looks like its makes an to improvement to handling on its own?

I missed the link so could someone advise the group buy cost please

 

[Yiannis197]

Thanks a lot [MENTION=52455]CallorFold[/MENTION] I'll have the lower one fitted then since I got the part anyway, worse case scenario would be to take it off again

 

[nicknameless]

@Yiannis197 From what I've read on here, adding the upper torque arm and the lower engine mount insert adds very little vibration. The majority of extra vibration comes from the upper mount insert. I haven't done the lower mount myself, although I have done the upper insert + torque arm. There's a lot of extra vibration from this, although it's also bedded in a lot too.

I'd like to change it one day and take the upper insert out, and put the lower one in. I can't imagine the car would feel any less tight to drive, since it's the torque arm that stops engine movement, but the most of the vibration would be gone.

@CallorFold @Yiannis197 - no downsides to just fitting the torque arm and lower engine mount inserts then and leaving the upper mount standard? Have had these for ages and they are going on next week. If I can get most of the benefits with the torque arm and lower engine inserts whilst avoiding most of the vibrations and without a downside (e.g. extra strain on the upper mount) then I may leave the upper insert alone.

 

[CallorFold]

@CallorFold @Yiannis197 - no downsides to just fitting the torque arm and lower engine mount inserts then and leaving the upper mount standard? Have had these for ages and they are going on next week. If I can get most of the benefits with the torque arm and lower engine inserts whilst avoiding most of the vibrations and without a downside (e.g. extra strain on the upper mount) then I may leave the upper insert alone.

Not sure if there's any downsides to not fitting the upper insert, but I'd certainly recommend doing torque arm and lower first, then see how it feels. I don't regret doing mine (arm and top insert), but I do wish I had tried arm and lower first because the vibration can be a pain. Car drives so much better though as the engine is solid with little-no movement at all. It was horrible before, the car would literally jolt forwards and backwards at low rev's/low speed, the mounts really sharpened everything up.

When you've got the torque arm done, I cant really see how much benefit the top insert actually has (maybe someone with a little more mechanical knowledge will know?). The torque arm stops the engine moving back and fourth, so all the upper insert does is add a tighter clamp to the chassis? This is what passes the vibration through the car.

 

[Yiannis197]

Just to add this on here for reference, I've fitted the gearbox insert and it didn't give any vibrations at all. On the contrary it made a nice improvement when selecting gears. I'll report back when I fit the lower insert.

 

[litchy]

Just done the top arm and engine mount insert. The extra torques mullered the existing ones. I must say the benefits are superb in the cars balance is soooo much better and handling is now crazy. Downside, the vibration. It's eased a little but still very much there. It's these mods that just tip the balance away from being a reg road car to something more focused but equally more uncomfortable. That said, for the cost, I'm gonna do the dog bone and gearbox mounts but I know these just move it more towards not being a daily. Think I'll go with the black series for the dog bone as not want movement in that mount.

 

[FISHBOY]

Sorry if this has been done to death but on a 2008 197 cup I take it I need the 20mm ARB?

http://www.engine-dynamics.com/Products/Product.asp?departmentid=116&id=105503

Anything else worth considering from the list while the steering arm ball joints, and lower swivel joints are being done?

http://www.engine-dynamics.com/SuspensionBushes/cid116/SuspensionBushes.asp

Just want to tighten her up...

 

[CallorFold]

Just done the top arm and engine mount insert. The extra torques mullered the existing ones. I must say the benefits are superb in the cars balance is soooo much better and handling is now crazy. Downside, the vibration. It's eased a little but still very much there. It's these mods that just tip the balance away from being a reg road car to something more focused but equally more uncomfortable. That said, for the cost, I'm gonna do the dog bone and gearbox mounts but I know these just move it more towards not being a daily. Think I'll go with the black series for the dog bone as not want movement in that mount.

How many miles in since fitting are you now @litchy?

Had mine in for probably 2.5k miles+ now and the vibration at idle is pretty much gone (either that or I really just don't notice it anymore), only really get the extra vibration/noise at 3-3.5K rpm+ which can be a pain on the motorway, but I rarely use it since my commute to work only involves 30-40 limit A-Roads. Then when out for a hoon, the vibration just doesn't matter because the car just feels so much better.

Let me know how you get on with adding the dog bone and gearbox mounts, I might consider these myself.

 

[Liam2708]

Fitted the upper arm mount on Friday evening following the guide on here, as my standard one was quite worn.

There is quite an increase in vibration, which makes the car feel much 'racier'. The vibration got worse yesterday morning, after looking closer at the issue the top bolt had loosened off slightly. I have temporarily tightened this back up with a ring spanner, but will remove the scuttle and torque it up correctly at the weekend.

I think the positive effects are worth the extra vibration.

 

[litchy]

How many miles in since fitting are you now @litchy?

Had mine in for probably 2.5k miles+ now and the vibration at idle is pretty much gone (either that or I really just don't notice it anymore), only really get the extra vibration/noise at 3-3.5K rpm+ which can be a pain on the motorway, but I rarely use it since my commute to work only involves 30-40 limit A-Roads. Then when out for a hoon, the vibration just doesn't matter because the car just feels so much better.

Let me know how you get on with adding the dog bone and gearbox mounts, I might consider these myself.

gearbox already done too. I've done only 200 miles mate....

 

[jakeypoo]

I fitted the lower one to my clio the other week, easy enough to do! Took it for a spin, definetly notice less engine movement and more positive throttle response!

however I knew there would be more vibrations, but it is starting to get too much, it's also the vibration noise, like when you have a window down at speed, and you get that Low, what I would call 'helicopter noise'. This is only at idle, and not on the move, I can imagine it driving me crazy in traffic, I even switched the engine off at the lights the other day!

im tempted to take it off this weekend and go back to standard, I'm not sure if the positives outweigh the negatives.

 

[CallorFold]

I fitted the lower one to my clio the other week, easy enough to do! Took it for a spin, definetly notice less engine movement and more positive throttle response!

however I knew there would be more vibrations, but it is starting to get too much, it's also the vibration noise, like when you have a window down at speed, and you get that Low, what I would call 'helicopter noise'. This is only at idle, and not on the move, I can imagine it driving me crazy in traffic, I even switched the engine off at the lights the other day!

im tempted to take it off this weekend and go back to standard, I'm not sure if the positives outweigh the negatives.

I'd recommend sticking with it for a bit, give it 1000 miles or so and let it get bedded in properly then decide. Give yourself time to get used to it - at least then if you do decide to change back you'll have a good idea of how much better/worse the drive is on stock vs powerflex mounts.

 

[jakeypoo]

I'd recommend sticking with it for a bit, give it 1000 miles or so and let it get bedded in properly then decide. Give yourself time to get used to it - at least then if you do decide to change back you'll have a good idea of how much better/worse the drive is on stock vs powerflex mounts.

No doubt the drive is better, I don't even mind vibrations, it's the noise the vibrations make in the cabin! Almost make your ears pop!

 

[Beany]

Yeah I put my upper and lower mounts in on Sunday and the noise in the cabin from the vibration at
idle is quite bad !! When I'm driving it's not too bad I do hope it settles down and I'm not the only one suffering lol

 

[CallorFold]

Yeah I put my upper and lower mounts in on Sunday and the noise in the cabin from the vibration at
idle is quite bad !! When I'm driving it's not too bad I do hope it settles down and I'm not the only one suffering lol

Trust me, it settles down a lot, just stick with it for a thousand miles or so.

A small tip I've just found (I'm sure someone else on here has done it as well) - I noticed a lot of the cabin noise was coming from the seat belt height adjust knob thing that pulls out so you can move the seat belt higher/lower. This plastic was vibrating/buzzing. I grabbed some of those rubber/felt pads that you stick on the bottom of chairs to stop them scraping across the floor, the little circular ones. Cut it in half with some scissors, then stuck half either side of the plastic pull-out bit. Works BRILLIANTLY! I used black ones, and you can't even see they're there unless you're looking for them.

Don't have a pic to hand, but I'll try and grab one later after work

 

[Beany]

I'll have a look at the seat belt adjuster and see if it makes a difference.. Thanks for the tip!
A pic would be helpful

 

[Chris]

Trust me, it settles down a lot, just stick with it for a thousand miles or so.

A small tip I've just found (I'm sure someone else on here has done it as well) - I noticed a lot of the cabin noise was coming from the seat belt height adjust knob thing that pulls out so you can move the seat belt higher/lower. This plastic was vibrating/buzzing. I grabbed some of those rubber/felt pads that you stick on the bottom of chairs to stop them scraping across the floor, the little circular ones. Cut it in half with some scissors, then stuck half either side of the plastic pull-out bit. Works BRILLIANTLY! I used black ones, and you can't even see they're there unless you're looking for them.

Don't have a pic to hand, but I'll try and grab one later after work

[MENTION=52455]CallorFold[/MENTION] don't be afraid to do a how to.

 

[CallorFold]

ETA: How To Guide here -
http://www.clio197.net/forum/showth...ight-Adjuster-rattle-buzz&p=558014#post558014

 

[Chris]

I meant in the how to forum

Sure there will be someone else with said annoying buzz who'd like to know how people have fixed it.