The left side motor mount towards the rear of the motor on my 2003 S Type with a NA V8 is leaking fluid. Is this a big problem that needs to be fixed soon, or not that big a deal? Any input would be appreciated. Thanks

 

Plan on replacing both rather soon.

 

I was checking out threads on motor mounts and found this one about testing the motor mounts.
What us shade tree guys do is this;

Open the hood so you can see the engine from the driver's seat.
Then start the car and put it in gear.
Then carefully hold the brake and push on the gas a little bit. This will use engine torque to try and lift the motor out of the car.
Use more gas pedal if you think you see something move.

Watch what the engine is doing. Is it just twisting a bit on the mounts or does it try to raise up? With a broken mount I have seen the engine raise up so far it would hit the hood!

But that will only compress one mount and place the other mount in tension.
Now put it in reverse and do the same thing.
Doing it this way you have pushed and pulled on both engine mounts using engine torque.

Just compare the amount of engine movement in reverse and drive. The movement should be the same in both directions if the mounts are all good.

Now as you might guess this won't be 100% but it's easy and quick and takes no tools.

I tried this test and there was just a little bit of movement with the engine. I imagine that means that I have a while to deal with it if it's just leaking, or is this test bogus?

Damn pot holes! First it was the hub and bearing on the same side and now this. The radiator on the left side is also leaking a little where the plastic side meets the aluminum core. Where I live the pot holes are usually on the left side, usually I can avoid them but sometimes between traffic and parked cars you can't avoid them.

 

Again, if the mount is leaking fluid it needs to be changed, but I'd focus on getting a radiator swapped out first!

 

Thanks for the reply. The radiator leaks so little I'm not worried about it. Two ounces in five hundred miles or so, is not worth the chance of damaging something else while changing the radiator. If it starts leaking more, then it"s a whole other story. I'm not going to wait until the motor mount fails before changing it out either.

 

So motor mounts can leak now? Fluid in motor mounts..., where have I been?

 

OEM mounts are fluid filled.