Nismo Motor Mounts installed - now won't clear strut bar :(

[onosqv]

Ok, I installed this a few weeks ago, but basically: 89 240sx SOHC.

Once the nismo mounts were installed, they no longer cleared my strut bar.

The don't clear the following for sure:

1) eBay Pilot bar - many different variations, they are all about the same clearance2) Greddy tripple tube bar3) Drift spec cf bar

Anyone else experience this problem and found a solution?

[TrueSlide]

Heard of this problem before, maybe someone can chime in and give a few tips. Notice any difference with the mounts? They pretty stiff?

[onosqv]

Other than the strut bar problem... man are they awesome!

Before, just opening up the hood, when you start the engine, you can see the motor shake, and when you accelerate hard, you can "feel" it shake - or if you just let it idle and open the throttle up.

Virtually all movement is eliminated w/ the new mounts.

I also upgraded the transmission mount - my shifter was shaking on the freeway, now it is rock solid - you can feel a tiny amount of vibration through it.

At idle, you can feel the car shake a tiny bit more - less comfortable than a new luxury car, but significantly more comfortable than those old cars that shake and rattle at every stop. It's not something a passenger would notice w/o you telling them.

Throttle response seems much smoother on hard acceleration and from higher speed freeway pulls. It doesn't bog as much and accelerates more readily and smoothly - not at all faster, but smoother nonetheless.

I've asked a couple buddies who know ppl who have done kazama motor mounts - those will rattle your brains.

[nismo521]

I wonder if the strut bar problem is b/c when the companies R&D the bar, it's on a motor w/ worn mounts. You put in new, stiffer mounts, and the engine is now sitting higher than when the bar was made.

[sleepyRPS13]

did you put the right mount to the leftside and the left mount to the right?

[Red coupe]

its been said here a few times before, apperently the nismo mounts just make the engine sit slightly higher. I have heard others complain about it but have never hearda more viable solution then shimming the bar up a bit.... though thats not something I would want to do

[onosqv]

did you put the right mount to the leftside and the left mount to the right?

Yup.

[Badfish]

Its not just you. The Nismo mounts DO make the SR/KA engines sit higher. Its been discussed on here before of no longer clearing normal strut bars. Try searching the archived section for strut bars that will clear nismo mounts. I can't think of them off the top of my head, but there are models out there.

[usdm_180sx]

The CUSCO flat oval bar will clear NISMO mounts. This is on my s14 with an s14 sr:

[onosqv]

The CUSCO flat oval bar will clear NISMO mounts. This is on my s14 with an s14 sr:

Thanks for the help. Unfortunately, they will not clear the KA - or at least my sohc.

I have a buddy who has the sr w/ nismo mounts & his engine sits lower than mine.

I was pulling my hair out the first week I put it in - I made sure to switch the left & right mounts (or else my hood wouldn't have wanted to close - courtesy advice of a couple buddies who were there to help me that day).

I guess I just have to run w/o a strut bar for now.

[EstoMax]

maybe if it settles itll lower enough to get the bar on.. drive it for like a week and see

[onosqv]

maybe if it settles itll lower enough to get the bar on.. drive it for like a week and see

It's been about 2 months, hehe. That things rock solid and ain't sinking any time soon.

I've gotten used to the idea of not having my bling bars - I guess my coilovers + sway bars (which are sort of an overkill w/ my coilovers anyway) will do for now - the reason I wanted to be able to put strut bars on both front and rear was to see the effects w/ my particular driving style this coming autox day... I'm not good enuf for it to matter right now anyway.

Thanks for all the help and possibilities guys!

[Chezedik]

I haven't looked for sure, but I here they are adjustable somehow. Which is why all of us have a hard time setting the motor back down.

[Black on Gold]

Hey, i got a question..

How good are the Nismo motor mounts. They caught my attention a few months ago and was pending if i should get them when i swap

[onosqv]

Hey, i got a question..

How good are the Nismo motor mounts. They caught my attention a few months ago and was pending if i should get them when i swap

B4:

I pop up my hood, start the car, can see engine move left/right etc. Revving engine via cable to see how engine moves - looks like it wants to jump out of the engine bay. Driving on freeway, shifter wiggles when road is not super smooth.

After:

Popup hood, start the car, no movement. Revving engine - still as rock. Shifter is super solid in position for the most part on freeway. At idle, a small bit more vibration in cabin than before but nothing noticeable by ppl who ride in your car (they won't say, hey you got motor mounts?).

Also, for hard cornering, it "should" help out significantly w/ slaloms etc where you turn the car one way and if you have bad motor mounts, the engine may be going another way - I wouldn't be able to tell you bcs I have only done 1 autox event (school), and that was w/ the mounts already in there.

By far the cheapest I've found them for is on the Midway site (linked in my sig) - even cheaper than ebay, W0000T! Go sponsors!

[Dark-Hawk]

Yeah my Megan strut bar wouldn't clear either. I love the NISMO mounts though. I didn't reverse the mounts but my hood closes fines..?

[Fenvy]

I have the cusco 40D, it will clear also

[onosqv]

Yeah my Megan strut bar wouldn't clear either. I love the NISMO mounts though. I didn't reverse the mounts but my hood closes fines..?

I "believe" the ones w/ the problems closing the hood are the sohc engines, which seem to sit a little higher than dohc stock for stock. So yea, iono...

I have the cusco 40D, it will clear also

You have an sr tho right loveless? the sr doesn't have this problem.

[Dark-Hawk]

brokeAs240sx: I have an SOHC

[onosqv]

brokeAs240sx: I have an SOHC

hmmmm, then maybe it doesn't make a difference...

Mine doesn't clear by probably about 1" worth of space. So if your's didn't clear by that much too, then I guess it doesn't make a diff.

[thekage]

try a few washers on top of the strut tower bolts and then putting the stb on?

[onosqv]

try a few washers on top of the strut tower bolts and then putting the stb on?

I thought about doing that... look at how much space there is on the strut bolts - not that much. And I don't know if I want to put that much force on the studs even if I get extended ones (i.e. it's no longer pushing against the tower & bolts, but now just the bolts.

Thanks for trying.

[coupebuddy]

I have the chep bars on my car w honda sohc vtec 9.3 sp wires and it wouldnt clear so I put some washers on under where the bar mounts a it worked try mm washers from auto parts store

[Red coupe]

Yeah thats been sugrested, but he has an inch to make up, and doesnt wanna put that much stress on the strut bolts, which arnt long enough for that anyways...

[AsianALphA]

my cusco blue circle bar wont clear my sohc after i put my nismo mounts on

[Red coupe]

have people had problems with any other aftermarket mounts? I wonder if the energy suspension mounts would clear...

[40daws]

I also have a KA24E with nismo mounts-not currently running a strut bar though. When we lowered the engine back into the car (rebuilt the engine ) I started tightening everthing and the guy that was helping me had me take the mount bolts back off because the mounts weren'tsitting right. I said what ? and he showed me the little "nib" on the bottom of the mount was not down inside the "semi circle" the stud goes through also. So with some pry bar action we got the "nib" and the stud both sitting in the "semi-circle". I'm just wondering if this little bit is whats keeping those of you with strut bars from bolting them up.

[Chezedik]

Does this happen with the JGS mounts?

[onosqv]

I also have a KA24E with nismo mounts-not currently running a strut bar though. When we lowered the engine back into the car (rebuilt the engine ) I started tightening everthing and the guy that was helping me had me take the mount bolts back off because the mounts weren'tsitting right. I said what ? and he showed me the little "nib" on the bottom of the mount was not down inside the "semi circle" the stud goes through also. So with some pry bar action we got the "nib" and the stud both sitting in the "semi-circle". I'm just wondering if this little bit is whats keeping those of you with strut bars from bolting them up.

Any way you can explain that a little clearer? I have no idea what you are talking about, haha.

And as far as I can tell, other mounts, such as the kazama, jgs, cusco, etc. don't raise the engine as much, but as a side affect, increase the vibration inside the cabin.

[Chezedik]

Really, there is a relation between the motor's height and the vibration? Does anyone know why?