installed tonight...but coming back out tomorrow night, mostly.

These inserts do tighten things up a bit, but the vibration at just above idle is horrid So every shift allows a harmonic that has no harmony as the throttle is opened on the way up the power band and on the way down as the throttle is closed. A highly recommended piece for a track car, however! I am not knocking this product, it does what it says it will do I needed ear plugs when driving my last car...not again!

In reality, I will remove one of the larger inserts and take a ride. Then perhaps the second larger insert and take another ride. The small bushing is in to stay since the stock one was cut out.

I'll be trying the inserts in the mount under the airbox this weekend.

Perhaps all I needed to do was replace all the stock engine mounts... Perhaps I'm getting too old...

 

Hmmm. Interesting. I have the MM lower mount and the Powerflex Tanny mount, lower control bushings and steering rack bushing installed. In addition I have the TSW damper on the OEM hydraulic mount (which is finally leaking on my 05)I do have more vibration at idle but not like it sounds you have. I also did one of the dog bone inserts from ECS tuning on my GTI and it did the same minimal increase in idle vibration.

On the throttle it is smooth and actually at speed I have significantly less steering wheel vibration than prior to the install...

Did you end up pulling it out meb?

 

I had the ECS dogbone bushes on my 8L A3 Quattro and the Powerflex Lower engine mount inserts transmit more vibration into the MINI I've heard that just the tranny mount insert reduces engine movement but doesn't add as much vibration.

 

Maybe having the tranny mount and the insert are settling things a bit more and it is transmitting less??

 

We have powerflex bushings on the upper and lower egine mounts as well as the tranny mount and the TSW damper set on it's stiffest setting. The car is my wifes daily driver and she loves how it purrs

 

...wow...maybe the mount under the airbox is broken. I broke the hydraulic mount twice I drive a wee bit hard. But I'll check this all out. I seem to be the only one complaining...but I do like the feel running thru the gears. I did not remove it yet.

 

You're not the only one complaining... it's just that the worst vibration for me happens right at idle so I do my best not to stay there very long

 

Dude, I think yours is so smooth because you've got it stiffened (No jokes now ) from 4 sides So you've pretty much got that joker locked down

 

Fireball Brian told me awhile back that he had a decrease in vibration after adding the powerflex tranny mount in conjunction with his TSW dampner and lower poly mounts, so you may be right about that.

 

To clarify, when you write tranny mount you mean the one under the air box?

 

I would say so, yes. The 3 engine mounts are the upper (Passenger side, no poly insert for 05-06) lower (under engine, behind the oil pan) and gearbox mount (under airbox). And of course, the TSW damper attaches next to the upper mount
I'd look for pics but... I'm too lazy

That help any?

 

Meb-
You might try the Powerflex steering rack mount. You have to drop the subframe to put it in, but it would probably take some of that steering wheel vibration out.

 

Meb, that is what my billet mount is like (my mom went for a ride today for the first time since i put it in a week or so ago, and we wernt 20 feet out of the driveway before saying, and i quote "whats that noise? what did you do? Why did you do it?" All in one sentance before i could open my mouth. At idle the purr is great, so is the bit of vibration, but on accel, its shakes violently, and buzzes until you get into second gear, then just a bit of buzz. I guess its the mustang we she comes with me from now on. The interesting thing is, while cruzing, its about as loud as teh exhaust on the mustang, but its higher pitch, i always have the sunroof open in the summer anyway, and i dont mind the noise. I wouldnt take it out too soon. I bet the tranny mount will help smooth it out, since it is still vibrating there, but not at the mount. Im going to order an ireland tranny mount this week, hopefully it will work, but i want to hear your opinion now. Also, try variing your driving, i have actually found that it makes less to no noise when your really driving hard. I am probably going to mill the one end down abit and put some poly in it (i put some poly around the braket that the mount actually bolts onto the pan with, you may want to try that, some between the brkt and the pan, and between the bolts and the brkt, you will need longer bolts tho to do this, a becarefull the bolt doesnt thread the poly or rubber, then cross thread the hole in the pan, i found out it would do that the hard way, i just havnt fixed it yet). When i did that, the vibration dropped right off. I see what you would want earplugs for the ride before i did that tho, it was pretty intense, but not outragous right now. Hope this gives you an idea, and keep us updated, thanks!

Beecher

 

 

Okay

Beecher,

All good, but I'm also wondering what happens to things that are not supposed to buzz all day long...Stiff engine mounts may work great for a Mini drag car, but for one driven 3,000 - 4,000 miles a month with many track days thrown in...I'm just not sure how the other stuff in the car or engine will like this long term...just a thought. I am removing the two larger pieces soon - 3" of rain tomorrow so this will have to wait.

It's so easy to screw up NVH