Growling from Driver's Side

[BigB]

After driving RA this weeekend I think I blew a motor mount. I put the AWR front torque mount in saturday but now I think the driver's side mount is bad.

I have a growl/vibration at starting from a light/stop and in low rpm 2nd/3rd.

Goes away when speed increases.

Also a good thunk at low speeds/rpms when getting on the gas hard.

Driver's side motormount?

 

[kcbhiw]

I'll say wheel bearing. I know Wayne installed new bearings not too long before you bought the car, but RA is HARD on the front left corner of cars. Check the wheel for any play if you haven't already.

 

[BigB]

I'll say wheel bearing. I know Wayne installed new bearings not too long before you bought the car, but RA is HARD on the front left corner of cars. Check the wheel for any play if you haven't already.

Pretty sure it is not wheel bearing as it only does it IN gear and only when at low RPMs. It is dependent on throttle input. If I give it more gas at from a standstill and slip the clutch a little more it does it less. Hence why I think it is a motor mount. It sort of did it a little Saturday after I swapped the AWR in and why I think it is driver's side mount.

 

[Shadow102]

did you check for animals in your engine bay sometimes they growl. Gremlins have been known to growl from time to time also. j/k

besides the motor mount the only other thing i could think of would be the trans as i know the trans sometimes will go after a decent beating in these cars

 

[RacerXGirl]

did you check for animals in your engine bay sometimes they growl. Gremlins have been known to growl from time to time also. j/k

besides the motor mount the only other thing i could think of would be the trans as i know the trans sometimes will go after a decent beating in these cars

I read the title and had all sorts of odd thoughts run through...badger, werekitty, the driver's tummy if he was hungry...

 

[G-Papi]

When I last broke a mount I noticed a thump (what you call a good thunk) under the same conditions you describe. What happens is the motor will twist under a heavy torque load and the off-side will rise up. The thump is the sound of the motor settling back down after the immediate load is eased.

If the car is driven hard while one mount is gone, others will crack, weaken, or fail. The answer is simple. Replace them all.

Also check lines - anything from a moving object (your motor with broke mounts) to something stable (radiator, a/c components, etc.)

EDIT: Afterthought on growling - I'm not sure of your configuration, but a motor that's hopping around will surely have an effect on driveline alignment. Look for signs of unusual wear. It don't take long.

 

[thewrench]

Is it just one thunk, or multiples? Kevin heard my bad wheel bearing and it sure sounds like your growling when it starts and I had thunks, like you were running over a rod in the road. Put the front end on stands, crank it up, and roll it in gear, a wheel bearing should be obvious then. It was on mine. Btw, the wheel bearings on pros are total crap, in my opinion.

 

[BigB]

Nah it's kinda like one thump when I get on the gas in gear at low RPM and then again if I let off really abrupt under full throttle.

 

[thewrench]

Yeah, that sounds like motor mount, I'm guessing the grinding is either still a bad wheel bearing, or more likely misalignment of the cv shaft in the carrier bearing that's on the passenger's side. I'd swap the mounts and hopefully the grinding will go away, then just keep an eye (or ear) on that bearing.

 

[FlipandFunk]

spun rod bearing possibly

 

[thewrench]

Mazda calls it the "joint shaft" Pic is below. I'm guessing the tranny is out of alignment because of a bad mm and causing a vibration from that shaft in the carrier bearing.

 

[G-Papi]

Mazda calls it the "joint shaft" Pic is below. I'm guessing the tranny is out of alignment because of a bad mm and causing a vibration from that shaft in the carrier bearing.

That's what I was talking about - I'm glad that somebody figgered out my ramblings.
Lotta stuff can go wrong when mounts go bad - mostly with stuff that's tied to something else.

 

[BigB]

I am gonna try the Window Weld fix on the tranny mount and see what it does this weekend.

Any tips?

I've heard you can bake it at a really low heat to get it to cure faster.

 

[G-Papi]

Replace all the mounts, or you'll be sorry - while you're replacing them later.

 

[BigB]

Replace all the mounts, or you'll be sorry - while you're replacing them later.

I hear ya... don't have the time to wait right now to order. I can do this fix this weekend.