Hey all!

I've noticed Zelda's engine likes to rattle quite a bit. This is, from what I am aware of, due to the fact that she has soft engine mounts.

What is the process of removing this rattle when accelerating?
Is it possible to go to the earlier hard engine mounts? Or is this something custom that has to be done?

Are there products that stop the rattle that can be purchased, welded or bolted kits, I am not too fussed...

Just sick of it rattling like crazy when accelerating. Might have something to do with the LHS carb, but to be honest, she's always had the rattle when accelerating and taking off.

Any help would be appreciated! Tell me what you've done to your Super that has stopped the rattles!

Hi Seb

its most probably due to the engine mounts being worn out
or damaged by oil..

they come apart- the rubber comes off the steel

worst part is the engine must come out to do this..

just to put the bolts thru..

I find Most engine mounts are broken away from the steel
unless they have been replaced recently..
If You jack Your engine up slightly, You should be able to see that they have come apart..

Best to renew them every time Your engine comes out..
for a clutch plate - rear main oil seal etc..

and buy the best ones You can.. I do..

cheers

LEE

Engine mounts, even soft ones are meant to dampen any vibration from the motor so it DOESN"T pass through the car.
IE: properly functioning engine mounts shouldn't make your car rattle during acceleration, assuming everything else is up to spec.

When you accelerate your engine will 'move' (rotate anti-clockwise, oppose to direction of crankshaft motion) on the mounts and rotate slightly (normal), this can cause componentry like exhaust tubing and mufflers to get closer towards body metal and give you an irritating 'tapa tapa tapa' which can be really loud sometimes.

Check and see if exhaust components are close to body metal, particularly mufflers. maybe bash any exhaust or underbody metal that seem to be the culprit to create clearance, or depending on how the muffler is fastened to the exhaust, see if it can be somewhat moved.

Broken engine mounts allow for excessive movement, usually characterised by a nasty/scary sounding thump on corners as you go left and right.

Get yourself a set of these.

http://www.cbperformance.com/catalog.asp?ProductID=643 

Well worth the money.



Smiley

install a mid mount mate. i think there are a few kits that can be bought off the shelf

A mid mount won't help if the engine/gearbox mounts are split

they would still need to be repaired..

You can buy the more solid type or RED urethane mounts
at most VW shops..

these may be the answer...
[I should have thought of those before]

LEE

stay away from the cheaper red death mounts.

Quote:

Originally posted by SebastienPeek I've noticed Zelda's engine likes to rattle quite a bit.

I have a set of the CB perfomance mounts and they are excellent, i have just fitted a mid mount as well.

Hi

You can convert a later bug to early mounts like Lee has shown, well worth the effort even with new stock rubber mounts.

I had dreadful noise in my sons bug when I put it back together after it had been off the road for a while, turned out that the seat belt bolt was too long and was touching the gear selector shaft.

Steve

Thanks everyone!
Looks like I can't get those mounts from CB performance, they're for VW's up to 1972, but I will be digging into a bit more of the mid mount world very shortly.

I have a funny feeling that bajachris88 is also right in saying that it could be caused by stuff not being 100%.
Albeit, it has always done it, it now does it more so with the latest engine and I have a feeling it is because of one of the Kadrons.
I digress, will purchase new mounts and see what I can do about the mid mount.

Thanks again!

Hi

DO NOT purchase mounts for your model VW, they are shithouse. Buy them for the earlier model (upto 72) and buy the frame from an earlier model, they will all bolt in.

Steve

Aha alright, thanks Steve!

I'll do some more research into changing the frame to an earlier model.

Hi

This is what I use in my sons 1303 along with a centre mount https://www2.cip1.com/ProductDetails.asp?ProductCode=C13%2D9543 

Steve

THe 73 onwards gearbox cradle was definitly another of VWs derp moments.

I swap all my later bugs to the early style, they are so much better built.

Do the CB mounts create extra noise and vibration, that is are they suitable for a road car or just competition. I have a '68
Cheers.....Wayne

Thanks for the comparison Joel, looks like just a straight swap can be done!
Will attempt it when the body if off and doing the body swap. Shall be a long wait, but definitely something on the list of to-dos!

On the ghia it had a stupid transaxle strap when i purchased it along with the CB mounts, took that off and the car quitened down conciderably, still will be a small amout noisier that standard mounts.

I have a similar 'mid strap style' engine mount and strap at the bellhousing mount on my Sharp built kombi gearbox adapter.

I rekon its the reason i get so much engine and transmission noise passing through into my car.

Regardless, the fact is, a normal stock beetle shouldn't rattle during acceleration. Thus a proper operating stock setup should be more than adequate. Somethings not right.

Hi

The strap over the bell housing is rubber lined, I didn't find any increase in noise levels.

The lower part can be used by itself along with better engine mounts, its much more sturdy than the VW unit.

Steve

Interesting Joel,

never having seen one of those later model cradles apart from in manuals and I thought they would be a better setup..
much heavier looking gearbox mounts...

but the cradle isn't as heavy???

mounts last forever but cradles don"t???

I tried to think of a way to make the gearbox/engine mounts replaceable without taking the engine out...
I failed miserably.. the reason being, the bolts cannot be attached inside the gearbox bell housing because they come out at an angle.. one going each way -so they can"t be used

someone may have done some mods to do it??
so the bolts are parallel not angled away from each other??
from memory..??

LEE


PS: I know You are going to say its easy to drop the engine Joel... but You don't have to.. lol Lee

Quote:

Originally posted by Joel THe 73 onwards gearbox cradle was definitly another of VWs derp moments. I swap all my later bugs to the early style, they are so much better built.

Trying to cut down on cost and weight I guess.

The later mounts were designed to try and reduce abit of noise, that's why they are so much thicker than the earlier Bananna mounts.

they look great [like a normal engine mount] lol

and probably aren't prone to seperating??

and last a bit longer than the ones available now..?

which were no doubt invented in 1938??

Lee

Don't know why I thought the bolts were slanted?
maybe thinking of the other side.. where the two bolts that go them are slanted..??

Well I can't vouch for their longevity as first thing I do is swap to the early style but I can't say i've come across a broken one before.

The early ones do seem to seperate more.
Anyt time I have an engine out of a bug I always to the screwdriver between the cradle trick to see if they have seperated.

Hi Joel

Mine looked like they were seperated but after replacing them found it was just the way they were sitting..
so, maybe they move about too much
as they are a very simple design

cheers

Lee