[xj-s] Transmission mount(tearing/torn)

Well,
One other note on the transmission mount that may be beneficial to
those searching and what not.
This, in short, is my second XJ-S and on both after replacing all
bushing pieces and spring w/ polyurethane and high tensile spring, the
center spool like bushing tears of the bottom lip all the way round
perfectly. I could not determine why this happened either time. I
thought it was assembled correctly.
Well, as I am in Dallas I goto John’s Cars often. Prices are not the
“greatest” but not too bad. Usually speak w/them over phone. Rather
rude. I met them all the other day and well they’re alright. Good ole
boy types but good guys. Anyway, Mike the parts guy wondered why I
needed another. I told him and he knew why it occurred.
Apparently, it was a phenomena he dubbed the “cookie cutter”
problem. AS everyone knows, things change w/out the factory making the
little guy aware. This is not in the factory or other manuals I have
seen.
Within the bushing, as it fits around the mount shaft coming down
from the transmission assembly, has that “washer stuffed inside it” as
per the XJ-S book. Some of these shafts(that is the long shaft pointing
downwards from the trans. assy.-ie.mount) were apparently machined
differently though. It is difficult to describe in words w/out a visual.
Along the shaft, some metal was cut away, on some. Some required only a
washer to regulate movement, etc. Some have a 1" spacer inserted. So,
what happened with me, after assembly and retightening, that double
washer with the wider opening facing upwards, cuts through the outer lip
of the bushing pushing upwards into the housing. He showed me the
differences in a couple he had on hand.
ANYWAY, It did not solve my problem which is this DAMN
rattle/tapping coming from under the console. It just began occurring. I
replaced, double checked the mount and all and it is still there. ALSO,
WHEN REASSEMBLING THE MOUNT and disassembling keep a jack under the
bracket/mount pressing it all the way up to the body THEN remove the
four bolts holding the mount to the under body as spring pressure and
whatever caused me to strip the back two bolts and permanently attached
bolt on the under body. So I got new nuts and bolts drilled the f$@#er
out and reached my hand over (I have no propeller shaft shield) to
tighten. If you have the shield just tap it with an oversize.
I am going to shove some insulation up and over the casing tomorrow
and see if that solves it. Any other ideas, I have had enough with that
already.
Thank you.
Paul Hackbart
90 XJ-S
68 E type
54 MKVII
50 MKV
67 3.8S Saloon
…and not enough hours in the day.