protejay

so allz good...maybe someone else will chime in as well

and Elchulo, '.... aren't all that'....what??? hahaha...

MikeD

The mounts are dealer only items. I know that mazda motorsports does have some mounts available that are 40% stiffer....but you will need to be sure that the mounts they offer are for the auto. I know the manuals and auto's have some mounts that are different, but I cannot speak on whether they are all different. I know for sure the auto tranny mount is different from the manual tranny mount.

As for the mounts durability, I know that Car and Driver noted that the mounts in the 1G proteges were rather weak. They complained that the mounts were the reason the car was "jerky" when full throttle was applied during a low gear rolling start. Cradle rock is I believe how they described it.

I recommend also that if you do the mounts, do them all if money allows. Changing just 1 or 2 is not really worth it in my opinion because if the other 2 mounts are going bad, you'll just accelerate wear on the new mounts. Do it right the first time.

PlutoPeopz

oh absolutely...I plan on doing them all at the same time. I will investigate the stiffer mounts. what benefit will being stiffer provide?

Elchulo

I don't know what I even meant!! I was typing a paper and I tried waking up by going on the forum in. I don't even remember posting but oh well

MikeD

I think I might point out to you that stiffer mounts will transmit a bit more engine vibration. Perhaps not as bad as broken mounts. So be sure you understand that adding stiffer mounts won't necessarily stop the vibration. The vibration will just be for another cause. It's one of those performance side-effects. You gain something (durability, less cradle rock) and usually make a compromise elsewhere (vibration).

Aside from perhaps a bit more durable, the only other benefit is that the "jerky" feeling the car exhibits when cruising in low gear and applying full throttle should disappear. Stiffer mounts in FWD cars help eliminate wheel hop (especially during high RPM launching like that experienced while drag racing). For our auto DX's this isn't obviously a problem since our hamster motors aren't capable of any dramatic wheel spin.

PlutoPeopz

Well put, thanks for all your help Mike and everyone else! I'm gonna go with the OEM-style replacements. I stopped by AutoZone today to price them out....I am going to replace the three motor mounts, no transmission mounts (cuz they were just replaced) They are made by Anchor, and they are $48.99 a peice for all three different motor mounts. If there are better prices elsewhere, let me know. My friend's dad is gonna install all three of them for only $50 and I'm gonna watch and do a lil so I can do it myself next time.

Darkcide

You're going to have to tell us how it all works out, I really want to know how much of a difference it'll make in your case.

protejay

IF you want OEM parts.... try www.mazdadiscountparts.com
They seem to have some of the best prices AND good/quick service.

PlutoPeopz

I just noticed that earlier, Mike D had said that the motor mounts were dealer-only parts...but as I said in my last post, they had some at AutoZone (yea, they were made by Anchor...but, they're still motor mounts). Is there going any advantage/disadvantage to using the Anchor mounts? Or should I get the OEM ones? (I know one factor will be the cost difference...I am about to call one of the local Mazda dealers to check on their prices, as well as that website from protejay) I know there is always the argument that OEM is better, but will I really notice a difference?

BTW, just to clear this up before I get a response, I do not plan on getting the stiffer mounts, just the regular ones.

PlutoPeopz

I just called Mazda, and they charge $61.01 for each of the three mounts...once again, all the same price. I also submitted a quote request at the Mazda Discount Parts website...I'm assuming it will be at least a good amount lower than Mazda charges direct. I hope this is valuable information for whoever answers my question about OEM/Aftermarket mounts.

PlutoPeopz

Although a couple of you have told me replacing your mounts fixed the problem, my friend told me something that I have definitely been thinking about: (I could be totally wrong, I have no idea really) If it is the motor mounts causing the vibration, why does most of the vibration go away when I put it in neutral? Putting it in neutral doesn't disconnect the motor from the chassis, so it seems that vibration would still be able to be felt throughout the chassis regardless of the transmission's situation. (come to think of it, there is still a little bit of vibration in neutral/park) It just doesn't make sense to me that the engine/tranny situation would make any differencesince the trasmission is up right up there with the engine, and doesn't come back toward the cabin.

Can someone clear things up for me?

Darkcide

<physics teacher mode>

As far as I know when you put the car in neutral the engine is effectively isolated from transfering power to the transaxle, while in any drive gear there is a fair amount of power being transmitted to the transmission and its clutches. That being said the pro's engine is a fairly small rotational mass and as the power is transmitted the impulse of that power being transfered causes sympathetic vibrations especially at low/poor idle and when the motor and transmission mounts are worn. This causes the vibration while in drive gears. As the theory goes the motor mounts reduce the impulse by having the engine more solidly connected to the car therefore making the power transfer less elastic and more like the car was all one piece. That being said and as Mike meantioned the stiffer racing mounts make for harser engagement which does have some good aspects for racing. So for normal driving good condition OEM or equivalent mounts would be the best.

</physics teacher mode>

PlutoPeopz

Well that clears that up, thx!

But, Aftermarket or OEM?!

Darkcide

If the aftermarket are the same which is very possible since how many companies would go to the trouble to make the same mounts? So if they are the same go ahead and buy aftermarket and if not go OEM. If you don't know just phone up a few reputable mechanics and ask them.

mannydingo

I have owned two 94's and BOTH shake exactly the same. On the first Protege, Mazda had to install a brand new engine and it did the same darned thing. It is NOT an engine problem. I then bought a second Protege because they crashed the first one that had the newer engine because other than that problem, the car is great. This THIRD engine on the next car ALSO had the same vibe. That's three engines, count them , and the problem did not go away. Mazda could do nothing with shake on first car, before engine broke. They could not correct the problem after installing the new engine and it's the same with the second Protege I bought. Three Mazda dealers have told me nothing can be done about that problem and that it's not an engine problem. Changing the mounts does NOT solve the problem. What it does is help hide and reduce the problem while mounts are new. As soon as the fresh new mount material starts giving way but are still good, the problem will be back. I know, I tried it. To make the mounts last, you'd better drive like grandma. I never had to do that with any smaller car, even in my 89 Plymouth Horizon which I still drive. I have read other's post about this problem on other places on the net. It must be an electrical flaw on one of the engines accesories or components, who knows exactly what. I hope I have shed some light on this subject even though it's sad news. The earthquake makes me sick. I have to put car in neutral at every stop light and turning on the A/C makes it worse. For some reason, some of these cars never have this and never will.