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Author Topic: Engine mounting failed - advise please? (UPDATE)  (Read 36975 times)

Offline barlimow

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Engine mounting failed - advise please? (UPDATE)
« on: May 29, 2011, 08:03:37 pm »
Hi all (couldn't remember my log-in, as been ages since I've been on, so re-registered...)

My wife was driving the car today when it made a loud bang. AA man out, and the left engine mount (as you look at the car from the front) had failed, and so the left hand side of the engine had dropped  

God only knows what knock-on damage that has caused.   We had to recover the car somewhere (obviously couldn't drive it) so it is currently dumped outside the VW garage.

Has anyone heard of an engine mount failing on a mk5 Golf (07 reg)? Surely this can't be a common occurence? Luckily she was doing about 20 mph at the time, not 70+ on the motorway.

Any helpful advice on next steps much appreciated... 2 relevant points:

1. The cambelt was changed 6 weeks ago. Even with my limited knowledge of engines I know this is a big job, and potentially an "engine out"-type scenario. I'm not looking to blame anyone here (unless justified), but will they need to adjust/remove etc the engine mounts during a cambelt service?

2. (I think this is highly irrelevant, but...) about a month ago, someone reversed into the car in a car park, leaving a fraction of paint on our front bumper, and cracking the numberplate. No damage to the bumper or anything. Surely this can't cause anything like this??

I need to talk to the garage in the morning even if it's just to push my car into the compound off the road) so any info I can be armed with would be useful, as otherwise I could potentially be looking at getting shafted for a rather large (new engine?) bill? Many thanks.

(sorry if you read this on another forum as well)
« Last Edit: May 31, 2011, 09:13:41 am by barlimow »

Saint Steve

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Re: Engine mounting failed - advise please?
« Reply #1 on: May 29, 2011, 08:08:17 pm »
I may be wrong , but im sure one of the engine mounts are removed to help in access fitting the cambelt?

Someone may know more, but could be wrong?

Offline bacillus

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Re: Engine mounting failed - advise please?
« Reply #2 on: May 29, 2011, 08:48:54 pm »
Yup, removing the engine mount (i.e.the one that's failed) makes changing the cam belt a little easier by giving more access room.
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Offline gazbutS3

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Re: Engine mounting failed - advise please?
« Reply #3 on: May 29, 2011, 08:50:15 pm »
I thought that mount has to be removed for cambelt change

Offline 56OctyVRS

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Re: Engine mounting failed - advise please?
« Reply #4 on: May 29, 2011, 10:21:22 pm »
That mount has to be removed to change the cambelt.  I would go back to the garage that did the work and complain.  My thoughts would be that they did not torque the bolts up the specified setting and this has allowed play in the mount and I bet the bolts have snapped.
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Offline k04golf

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Re: Engine mounting failed - advise please?
« Reply #5 on: May 29, 2011, 10:26:31 pm »
Yea you def have to remove engine mount to access the cambelt area, this happened to my MK4 Golf too after a cambelt replacement, sounds like who ever removed the engine mount hasnt torqued the bolts correctly that hold the engine mount that attaches to the engine block just as "560ctyvrs" says
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Offline gazbutS3

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Re: Engine mounting failed - advise please?
« Reply #6 on: May 29, 2011, 10:53:47 pm »
I'm pretty sure that VW specify using new bolts as well

Offline vRStu

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Re: Engine mounting failed - advise please?
« Reply #7 on: May 29, 2011, 11:47:28 pm »
Yep new bolts should be used when fitting a cambelt.

Who fitted the belt?
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Offline QD MBE

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Re: Engine mounting failed - advise please?
« Reply #8 on: May 30, 2011, 01:39:14 am »
The bolts that hold the engine mount on are stretch bolts.  So are designed for one use only.  They will fail if re-used, and cause damage.  I hope they have not caused damage to the head/block due to being loose.

h4rdy

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Re: Engine mounting failed - advise please?
« Reply #9 on: May 30, 2011, 07:53:10 am »
The bolts that hold the engine mount on are stretch bolts.  So are designed for one use only.  They will fail if re-used, and cause damage.  I hope they have not caused damage to the head/block due to being loose.

Not sure about that.

Quote: Just to let everyone know that I have never had an issue with re using any of those bolts.  Not even VW bother with new ones.

Taken from here: http://www.mk5golfgti.co.uk/forum/index.php/topic,20317.msg284188.html#msg284188

I am not an expert but others are.

Not trying to disagree or annoy just what I have read :happy2:

h4rdy

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Re: Engine mounting failed - advise please?
« Reply #10 on: May 30, 2011, 07:56:04 am »
When you get up there too I would have a look to see if bolts have come loose.

Also on my last post, I think reusing once is ok but not sure I would do it twice!

How many miles has yours done and how many cambelt changes?

Saint Steve

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Re: Engine mounting failed - advise please?
« Reply #11 on: May 30, 2011, 08:00:09 am »
Those are big bolts to called "stretch"bolts :confused:

h4rdy

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Re: Engine mounting failed - advise please?
« Reply #12 on: May 30, 2011, 08:05:32 am »
It would take a lot to snap all of them I would say left loose.

Also when the THS ones turned up they only supply one bolt and thats the lower mount.

Saint Steve

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Re: Engine mounting failed - advise please?
« Reply #13 on: May 30, 2011, 08:09:13 am »
Sounds like some spanner monkey has gone for a coffee break whilst doing the O.P's car :fighting:

Offline barlimow

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Re: Engine mounting failed - advise please?
« Reply #14 on: May 30, 2011, 09:00:04 am »
Thanks all for the replies. It was a VW main dealer (I probably shouldn't name them). 1st cambelt change, 35k miles.

Looks like undoubtedly it will be cambelt-change related  then. But sounds like they will say they didn't need to change the bolts, and it was just "unlucky" that this one failed, and I am on my own... though I will have to argue that they can't have been torque'd properly etc...

I'm guessing they won't be open today though.