Engine mount failure
 

During the job of my 'stat/timing belt repair it was noticed that the front right (i.e UK offside) engine mount was in a bad way. The rubber mount was badly split around 75% % of its circumference. When in compression it was difficult to see but when removed it was obvious that it was deforming the metal "cup" mount and that it was barely providing any damping on movement at all. So it was replaced during the job (mount cost £38).

On talking to The Laird about this, a quick check of his car showed exactly the same issue. Thats now on his next list of things to do. How many other have this, probably, age related problem? Thats the car age, not The Laird's or mine). :D

Interesting. How do you access this to check?

In the D2 you the mount is easily visible behind the rad on the right hand side of the engine.

Wonder how difficult it is to access on the D3 and if/when we will see these failing.

I had this fail twice on mine.

I wonder how critical this front so-called torsional mount is anyway?
Most other cars only have 2 engine mounts and two transmission mounts and seem to do just fine.
By the way it had also failed on both my S8's

I would have thought that the mount is critical in that the failures would appear to show that it is subject to (torsional?) forces which cause it to fail. That said i cannot say that i have noticed any significant change in engine vibration/movement when drving the car. But it has been up on jacks for the last week since a caliper seized and the calipers are away for refurbishment and so i havent driven it much since the mount was replaced!