I just installed my Powell Stage 1 mount on my LNF and I followed the directions on Powell's web site, but I have vibration at idle. I don't know if its normal with this mount or if I did something wrong. I did it on a 2 post lift, so I don't think the engine moved when the mounts were loosened. I even loosened the 4 bolts for the driver side mount, which I noticed the sticky here doesn't mention. I didn't find the sticky here until just now when I was searching around about the vibration. There is no wheel hop at all, so at least that part is right. However, if this vibration is normal I don't know if it's worth the tradeoff because the wheel hop really was minimal before. The vibration shakes the steering wheel at idle and it can be felt when taking off from a stop when slipping the clutch. Otherwise it's smooth. If it makes any difference, my mount is the black steel looking one, not the aluminum one pictured in the how-to. I put the one spacer it came with on the driver side since the mount was flush against the passenger side of the bracket.

 

normal, should even vibrate more with a/c on

 

You gotta support the engine when you change the mounts. Did you do that or just r&r? It's probably off balance. WAit for Powell to reply he'll tell you how to recenter everything.

 

The A/C was on, I always have it on.

I put a jack under the engine oil pan to support the engine. Which, now, I don't know if was right. On Powell's web site (which is what I was following during the install), it says to support the engine "under the pan" which I assumed was the engine oil pan since the manual transmission doesn't have a pan. But in the sticky here it shows supporting it under the transmission side.

 

Some vibes are expected, you trade off in terms of performance and comfert. Look at the mount design you took out compared to what you installed. Having the ac makes the vibes worse, if its shaking your steering wheel def go back over the instal, did powell not email you directions?

 

I dont have powel mounts but after i installed poly inserts the vibration were bad took. I thought something was wrong also but its normal you get use to it lol

 

my car vibrates just a little bit nothing crazy. ac does make it worse. in tine the mounts soften up just a cxnthair, and its smooths out

 

email me OP and I will send you the instructions by email. thanks . I have no idea if you have installed them correctly, balancing the mounts is important. Vibes there will be some NOTHING like poly and better than a stock SAAB (LOL) But thats the tradeoff for more support and no hop.

 

transmission diff for the rear, then move to the engine bellhousing for the front. Must loosen the top mounts before you do it. Must loosen the cross bolt at the rear to allow the rear mount to rotate to accept the spacer and not be in torsion. Must torque to spec.

etc.

ps news to me that there are instructions on our pathetic web site.

 

^lol

Yes it will vibe a little, it will also break in and not be so bad, as rice burner said

 

lol funny you mention the stock saab. i used to detail part time for a saab dealership and i remember driving one and being like "wow, this thing vibrates like crazy."

/coolstorybyabro

 

I got the directions from Powell now and other than having the jack under the engine oil pan instead of the transmission, I pretty much did as the directions say. I didn't have to force anything into place or fight to get any of the bolts started. Maybe it is normal. Hopefully it will be a little less once it breaks in. We'll see. Thanks for the help guys.

 

Yeee vibrations are to be expected. There's always trade off's when modding for performance.

I did poly mounts on my old sunfire, engine and tranny, found it to be not too bad for me a young kid at the time. I would not want stiffer if I had children though. And the AC makes it twice as worse. And It did not change over time for me, I had the car 2 more years after installing them. I couldn't imagine solid mount vibrations.

People never mention the drawbacks of certain mods only the positives. "Go catless aftermarket for moar power" Oh yeah don't mind the stink and added noise drone! Happy 5whp!

 

Of course new stiffer mounts will make you have vibrations. There are a few caveats. You will want to loosen the upper mount and re-tighten so it can re-align. I had to do that myself, I wonder if that post is on this forum....Powell told me about that. Also there is a break in period. You WILL have vibes with ANY upgraded mount. Now with my AC off they are barely noticeable. But if you say you run AC always, dude it will be vibing as long as you do. Just after break in and tweaking it goes down some.

Just curious if you looked into the issues with mounts before buying?

 

I have barely any vibes with my powell s1 mount.

OP, did you loosen the 3 upper engine mount bolts and re-torque to spec after install of your powell mount?

 

this is important, and make sure the car is on the ground when you do. the lift will tweak the position of everything a lil bit. the ground is how everything would sit natually.

 

Yup. I had some crazy vibes at first, then powell said to do that. Helped some, but with AC you still will feel some vibes. I didn't think it was unbearable though...

 

They definitely settle in after 500-1000 miles. Even with the a/c on now I don't really notice anything different from the stock setup.

 

I dont even remember what stock feels like to be honest. I dont even know if mine vibrates, i drive it and i like it that is what matters to me.

 

Anyone ever run the stage 1 mount with the spacer on an Lnf and then switch to the stage 2 back mount.

Could you give me a review on your experience between the two in regards to vibration and wheel hop differences?

 

You will be hard pressed to find someone other than me who has done that. LNf less vibes and no difference in
Hop cancellation it's as good as it gets. It's clear to me that folks are looking for the total cure
Won't happen. Rotated mounts cancel the transmission breaking violent hop. Some tramp may remain depending on tire type tire pressure road surface condition of cabs and struts and driver mod. You
Go to the drag strip then you need solid rotated mounts if you expect to live without hop.

 

That pretty much answers my question! Just looking for the best possible way. Plus who better than the builder to know these things. Thanks John.

 

I did this about 2 weeks ago. I never got wheel hop anyways with stg 1, but since i got my zfr installed and tuned, i decided to be a bit safer. If anything it vibes more with a/c on. As i said in my previous post, i dont even mind the vibration and i love how it feels now.

 

^^^ there you go
I am sitting in the car idling right now . Ac on vibes a bit about the same as my SAAB. A/c off it's pretty much normal. If not balanced right during install the vibes will be worse. Ya get nothing for nothing and within the space available its not possible to rotate the engine to align the axles to control hop and use OEM size inserts to cancel vibration.

 

Didn't really go out of my way to look for "issues," but I didn't really see vibrations mentioned other than install error. Which is why I followed the directions on Powell's web site exactly. The new directions John e-mailed me now are identical except the part about putting the jack under the transmission instead of the oil pan.

I loosened those bolts in the second step after putting the jack under the engine. I did not, however, torque them with the car on the ground but I was using a two-post lift and not jack stands so the car was level when I did.