So..I recently installed Energy motor mount inserts on my B18C teg and ever since then, it's had a really bad harmonic engine vibration. The steering wheel would vibrate really bad at idle and you'd feel it through the gas pedal even at highway speed. It got so bad that my crank pulley came loose. Fortunately I was able to replace the pulley and there was no crank damage but I still had the vibration problem and it was driving me nuts! Google searched and found a thread that talks about a motor mount tightening sequence. I was skeptical but since the problem started when I was working on the mounts, I decided to give it a try. IT WORKED! Vibration is gone. Basically here's what the thread advised. You attach all mounts to the engine and trans and loosely tighten the bolts from the mount to the chassis. Then go back and tighten the mount to chassis bolts in this order.
1. right top trans mount
2. left top engine mount
3. rear trans mount
4. right front trans mount
5. left front engine mount

Has anyone ever heard this! I actually think this was the reason my front pully came off on my original engine and ruined the crank. Happened after a clutch replacement and I blamed it on a bad rebuilt flywheel.

 

I've never tried to follow an exact sequence, but it is a good idea to get all the motor mounts in before torquing them down.

Also when installing motor mounts either stock/aftermarket (non solid) its recommend to "neutralize" the mounts to help reduce vibration. Install the mounts without fully tightening them and power brake the car in both the forward and reverse direction. This will place the mount in a more "neutral" resting place. Finish by torquing to spec.

 

cool, good info!

 

Just a follow up. After about 5000 miles, engine vibration is now completely gone. I think the Energy mount inserts take a while to get settled in. Tightening sequence made a huge difference right away, and I think time took care of the rest.

 

I have 98 Gsr with Jdm B18c type R swap. I recantly installed polyurethane bushings in mine and the vibration was so bad it gave me headache lol. So I did what u said and a lot of the vibration went away but there is still vibration when the car is on low rpm and when I turn on the a/c and the car is ideling. It drives me crazy. Do u have any idea how to fix it?

Thanks in advance.

 

When I replaced the mounts on my old 90 Civic Si, I recall the Helm's manual noted a specific sequence to torque engine mounts or vibration problems could result.

 

i just bought a 04 V.P. 1.7L and this thing has some BAD vibration and its relevant the the motor and rpm as it gets better with more rpm.
the old owner had the trans. replaced and it was bad after.
he goes back there and they said it was like that when they got it... shocker
so im going to try this torque sequence and report back

 

well i finally did it and the vib. is nearly gone.

 

How exactly are you supposed to do this?

 

sweet , im going to have to try these

 

When following this torque sequence, should the car be on the ground or lifted on jack stands?

 

I'd also like to know what "power brake the car in both the forward and reverse direction" is and how to do it, I need to set up my engine mounts as I'm in the process of replacing them.

 

I believe they are saying to put the car into gear and put your foot on the brake and give it a bit of gas, this will put a load on the engine and driveline and do the same in reverse. I don't really think that is helpful, but I haven't had to replace all my engine mounts before, but power braking is typically something guys do in rwd vehicles to do burnouts.

 

Thanks, that seems like a fair enough way to ensure the engine is settled in an optimal rest state, I suppose you power brake it ever so slightly forward and then reverse then maybe give it a little rev.
Actually now that I think of it, just giving the engine a few small rev blips in neutral should achieve the same thing, when you rev in neutral the engine jumps forward slightly and then backwards as it returns to its idling rest state, then maybe just idle the motor for 10 seconds to seal the deal.

 

yeah, you don't really need to go nuts, just barely blipping it lightly causes more torque than you would think

normally the Helms has you raising and lowering the vehicle in conjunction with tightening the mounts down in a certain sequence which is likely the same as blipping it