Hey guys, My friend has 02 cavalier 2.2L, 4 spd auto, He was telling lately his car has been making a pop or thud sound while putting his car into Reverse or into drive gear, I noice his upper engine mount has some play in it. Not a 100% on the strut mount & mount bearings. Any input would greatly help,

Makes noises any other times?

No it only when its put into gear, Also makes thud noise if accelerate hard then let off on gas its notice able.

The bushings in the tranny mount are probably going out. More than likely its the lower motor dogbone mount that has gone bad. Mine did the same thing and allowed the motor to move back pretty far. It almost hit the firewall. Pickup a new mount from GM or buy a mount from carcustoms or someone else. The solid mount will keep it more stable compared to the oem one.

Update, I got a good look at what the problem is, Upper right side motor mount insert has just started to split, I told my friend to order those poly upper and lower mount kit from carcustoms.

Thanks for youre input guys.

ya i have the same problem just found out waht it was, and looking here, i feel relieved that its just a mount

http://www.cardomain.com/ride/2267189

i had a ford ranger do the same thing.it was low on tranny fluid

would this same part cause a pop sound when turning the wheel if it was bad?


2001 2 door five speed 122k.
custom steering linkage pop
2000 s10 (THE WORKS)

possibly, it does give some play in the mount, otherwise i would say suspension?

http://www.cardomain.com/ride/2267189

Well basically Just by my buddy sitting inside his car, shifting into gear are out of gear, I could see and hear the popping sound, Right upper motor mount insert was split, While I was inspecting, lower dog bone mount was also dryed and cracked rubber parts, In which for a car thats only 5 years old, Crappy those mounts are gone, Ive also got an 01 cavalier, I feel play in my upper and lower mounts, And also see some play in the engine as well, I got to place an order for those poly mounts too, as well I will need to replace rear strut mount bear as well in the rear of my cavalier. Cause you drive down a flat road hit a little bump in the road, It makes a bobble sound in the strut, In which thats the strut mount and a bearing.

can you replace things without pulling the motor complete? ie changing one and then the other ? how involved was it

2001 2 door five speed 122k.
custom steering linkage pop
2000 s10 (THE WORKS)

white dime wrote:would this same part cause a pop sound when turning the wheel if it was bad?

That's a bad strut mount bearing.

white dime wrote:can you replace things without pulling the motor complete? ie changing one and then the other ? how involved was it

no, but you do need to support the engine while you take those out. Not all that involved if you have basic tools.

ok strut mount bearing ? what is that ? this is my first fwd vehicle... i'm used to leafs and coilsprings... can you clarify please


2001 2 door five speed 122k.
custom steering linkage pop
2000 s10 (THE WORKS)

When you remove the strut from front of the car, Theirs a coil spring, U need a spring compressor to compress the spring. when thats done you can remove, Heres a link for ya white dime:

http://www.j-body.org/forums/read.php?f=3&i=77664&t=77664&p=3

thank you kindly sir. anyone upgrade their shocks with better ones ? i plan on some long rides this winter.


2001 2 door five speed 122k.
custom steering linkage pop
2000 s10 (THE WORKS)

It all depends on how much cash you want to spend, Or what youre intrested into doing, into lowered performance shocks & coils, Or into nice stocker economic struts. Ive got to do mine in few months, I will get monroe sens-Trac struts, Never know I might get performance coils Koni Yellow Shock/Strut Kit & Eibach 1.4 Inch Pro Kit, $800. All depends what you want to do.