engine mount bolt failure

[fatmatt0116]

So I got the old engine mount bolt failure last week....less than 2 weeks after replacing the oem transmission mounts with the rogues.....coincidence? anyhow I had it serviced at Sterling of Newport Beach and it's running like a top now, so tight yet still smooth....

[Z4-VILLA]

wow i just put in rogue mounts wonder how long till this happens....

[mfanatic325]

I still have some vibrations from UUC tranny mount bushing instAll, but no signs of ebgine mount bolt(s) failure that I know of. Knocks on wood...

What were your personal symptoms from the failed engine mount bolts? Was it blatantly obvious? I'm hoping that I'm not just am oblivious to a failure lolll

[inTgr8r]

This definitely on my list for spring.
....a little preemptive maintenance.

[Pheonix]

My 2007 ///M is at the shop for the engine bolt mounts replacement. The two front passenger side came loose; i could hear some kind of rattling sounds at certain speed/rpm. Good thing i caught it in a timely manner (Thanks to the Forums). It is very easy to inspect (especially the 2 front ones). Just look down by the side of the engine (next to what i think is the VANOS can?). The bottom one could be seen if you jack the car up a little and get underneath.

[esqu1re]

Reporting that I've had rogue bushings in for a few months---no problems with the upgraded engine bolts. Maybe your engine bolts were about to go anyway and the vibration from the new trans. mounts made it happen.

[mfanatic325]

Last time when my car was in for inspection 1, I had my service adviser get the mech to look into the bolts. I told him that I was planning on tracking, so wanted the make sure everything was good and ready. He claimed that they weren't loose. But I'll definitely eventually get those upgraded motorsport bolts and those nord lock washer/fasteners, and get all of them swapped out just in case

[r4gs]

^+1 on getting the dealership to check my engine mounts out. except, i seriously have doubts that it was done properly or at all, since the sa's reply was 'it's only got 17000 miles, the engine mounts are fine!'

anyway, can someone point to a diy on how to visually check the engine mounts? i'm aware that i can see the front two passenger side mounts through the engine bay, but am not exactly sure what i'm looking for?

[mfanatic325]

Not sure if this guy's DIY page will help or not, but here it is, about 3/4 way down the page:
http://www.billswebspace.com/bmwmc.htm

[Pheonix]

It is somewhat easy to see if the bolt has backed out! The washer supposed to get "crushed" flat between the bolt and bracket. If you see a gap (or the waviness of the wahsher) then the bolt has backed out.
I am planning to strike the bolt/wahser/bracket with Torque Marker (paint) for future inspection.

[RBull]

Yeah, I'm going to add it too. Makes sense for peace of mind for the long term.

Got a pile of stuff for the spring already.

Originally Posted by inTgr8r

This definitely on my list for spring.
....a little preemptive maintenance.

[fatmatt0116]

Well I first noticed something was off when I was going over those traffic bumps, it almost sounded as though the strut bar was loose again, but a little different so I assumed there was a problem with the right front suspension since that is where the sound came from. Then I noted a difference in the tone of the exhaust and it made me think of the bolt problem since when the engine lists it disrupts the exhaust flow... anyhow, there is a service bulletin re:this issue, and I printed it out and gave it to my dealer back in MA about a year ago, he checked the car and reassured me no problem. Last weekend, the tech at Sterling Newport Beach said that these bolts were not produced to specifications that withstand the heat generated by the headers located nearby, so I guess that means failure is inevitable and they just should have swapped out the bolts to begin with when I pointed it out a year ago. That is why these bolts always fail on the the passenger side (near the headers). I would advise those of you who have not yet dealt with this to just go to the dealership with SIB in hand, force the issue, and save yourself some inevitable aggravation.

[Diokaef]

One more reason to use ceramic coated headers! It's not a BMW exclusive problem tho specially when running catless headers.

[inTgr8r]

Originally Posted by fatmatt0116

....... Last weekend, the tech at Sterling Newport Beach said that these bolts were not produced to specifications that withstand the heat generated by the headers located nearby, so I guess that means failure is inevitable ........

What I don't understand is;
Why don't the E46 M3 guys have the same problem, if that's the case?

[mfanatic325]

^ haha yeah, and why did BMW not recall or do service bulletin with the upgraded Motorsport bolts instead of the lower-grade ones they keep putting back in?

[boydgti]

Just ordered Motorsport bolts and Stainless Steel Wedge Lock Washer from mcmaster-carr. Its just as well to do it ourselfs if bmw is just putting the same shit back in

[inTgr8r]

Originally Posted by boydgti

Just ordered Motorsport bolts and Stainless Steel Wedge Lock Washer from mcmaster-carr. Its just as well to do it ourselfs if bmw is just putting the same shit back in

^I agree
I will definitely be doing it myself so that I know it's done right.

Be sure to read up on the nordlocks
There is a procedure to do it properly.

[fatmatt0116]

my impression is that they are using different bolts from the originals. they have a different part #. When I did have aftermarket headers on they were not ceramic coated, but did have the heat wrap on them....

[Z4Murder]

i loctighted mine back in after i had the motor mount problem

[fatmatt0116]

not sure if that will help, as the mount bolts actually break due to heat

[Z4Murder]

Originally Posted by fatmatt0116

not sure if that will help, as the mount bolts actually break due to heat

interesting... yea the problem with mine was actually due to backing out

[inTgr8r]

Originally Posted by fatmatt0116

not sure if that will help, as the mount bolts actually break due to heat

Not really.
They break after they get loose with the movement of the mount.