787 engine (97 XP) can be moved a bit by hand. Normal?

[happul3]

Folks,

Sorry for a naive question, but I noticed that I can easily push engine by hand approximately 5 mm. It comes back if I remove the hand. It is a sort of freeplay (rotational axis seems to coincide with driveshaft). I can see that front engine mount is fine. I do not see rear mounts and the service manual is extremely vague in that respect. Do you think those rear mounts are loose? If so how do I reach them to examine and/or tighten? Or is the engine supposed to be a bit loose like I describe? Please advise. Thank you!

 

[Dr Honda]

They are rubber mounts... so they will move a bit. When they are ripped... you can rock the engine easy, and you will feel it "Bump" when it sets back down on it.

 

[happul3]

Thank you, Tony. How big is "a bit"? Top of the engine moves about 5 mm in my case. Not sure about bump... So those mounts might be ripped in my case? I am guessing there are two rear ones (front one I can see easily and it is fine). Is that correct? How can they be examined, with flashlight and mirror or blindly reaching them with hand?

 

[Jetskigoodies]

http://www.ebay.com/itm/22111597305...ELX:IT&_trksid=p3984.m1555.l2649#ht_500wt_922

I have a set on ebay right now. 100% feedback selling just jetski stuff

 

[KyleB]

Just make sure, and this is probably understood, that you keep the shims if you decide to replace them. :cheers:

 

[Linescreamer]

I will go out on a limb here and say you probably have a bad mount or maybe 2. You shouldn't notice much movement at all.

 

[ski-d00]

I disagree, 5mm movement up at the top of the pipe is normal, they are rubber mounts and the engine is supposed to rock a little. if you can grab your engine and lift if up like an inch and then drop it and it goes thump, then it's bad. yours sounds fine.

the rear motor mounts are easy to see, one on each of the black mounting bracket at rear. just start lifting and pulling on the motor, if it feels solid and only flexes a little, that's normal.

 

[Linescreamer]

Yeah, 5mm isn't really what I would call movement.