V40 engine vibration

[Ernest Scribbler]

I have a 2000 V40 with about 65,000 miles on it. Purchased last year at
about 50,000 miles. Since I've had it, it's had an engine vibration that
makes various interior things buzz. It's most noticeable standing still at
idle after a cold start, and it tends to diminish as the engine warms up.
Lately it seems to have gotten a little buzzier. Not a lot, just a slightly
perceptible increase in the buzz factor. There are no other symptoms. Power
is normal, no new noises, no drivability issues. Where should I begin
looking for a cause? Motor mounts maybe?

 

[John Smith]

Would put money on it being the mounts. Common problem and a regular
item for the car unfortunately. Is yours a manual?

John.

 

[Tim..]

I have a 2000 V40 with about 65,000 miles on it. Purchased last year at
about 50,000 miles. Since I've had it, it's had an engine vibration that
makes various interior things buzz. It's most noticeable standing still at
idle after a cold start, and it tends to diminish as the engine warms up.
Lately it seems to have gotten a little buzzier. Not a lot, just a slightly
perceptible increase in the buzz factor. There are no other symptoms. Power
is normal, no new noises, no drivability issues. Where should I begin
looking for a cause? Motor mounts maybe?

First point of call- the top steady bar attached to the cam cover. These are
well known for breaking up and giving metal to metal contact.

Tim..

 

[Ernest Scribbler]

Would put money on it being the mounts. Common problem and a regular item
for the car unfortunately. Is yours a manual?

Automatic. I'm told there was no manual transmission option on US V40s in
2000.

I've read of motor mounts being a common failure item on V40s, but haven't
seen much detail on the symptoms or how to verify whether a mount is good or
bad. At around $100 each, plus a day of knuckle busting, I want to be fairly
certain I have the right diagnosis before I start replacing parts.

 

[Ernest Scribbler]

First point of call- the top steady bar attached to the cam cover. These
are
well known for breaking up and giving metal to metal contact.

What's a steady bar? Vadis shows four motor mounts (they call them "engine
pads"), a pair of front and rear lowers attached to a removable member that
runs front to back under the engine, and two uppers on either side. The only
one that's readily visible is the upper one on the passenger side and the
rubber looks intact. I can stick a pry bar into it and rock the engine front
to back a little, but I don't know what I should be looking for in that
regard.

 

[Tim..]

What's a steady bar? Vadis shows four motor mounts (they call them "engine
pads"), a pair of front and rear lowers attached to a removable member that
runs front to back under the engine, and two uppers on either side. The only
one that's readily visible is the upper one on the passenger side and the
rubber looks intact. I can stick a pry bar into it and rock the engine front
to back a little, but I don't know what I should be looking for in that
regard.

Yup- thats the one. If you are sure it is fine, then check the bottom
mounts, which are hydraulic and oil filled. Occasionally I have seen these
burst- and the engine resting on the cross member. You should see oil around
the failed mount in this case though.

Tim..

 

[Ernest Scribbler]

Yup- thats the one. If you are sure it is fine,

What should I look for to determine if it's fine?

then check the bottom
mounts, which are hydraulic and oil filled. Occasionally I have seen these
burst- and the engine resting on the cross member. You should see oil
around
the failed mount in this case though.

Just crawled under and had a look. No oil present, but the front mount,
which was the only one I could see, looks similar to the upper one, a hunk
of rubber inside a steel ring.