Engine Damper - What You Think?

[taiphan]

Hi guys and gils (btw.. how many Skyline drivers are female?)

as the topic states, have anyone got some experience with engine damper?... the theory sounds logical, however have anyone actually have it in their car and actually sees an improvement?.

Although it would help improve power transfer but in my opinion, i think it actually reduces handling..

this is because.. when you slamp the accelerator.. the engine actually shakes and lean to one side.. the force is transfered evenly (in theory) to the engine mounts..thus the rubbery mount to dissipate the energy reducing stress on the chassis but if you have an engine damper.. woundn't the force be transfer to only one side of the vehicle?, the side that the damper is attached to, therefore the energy would force the car to one side?

any way that's just my ilinformed opinion, anyone can clear this up for me?

thanks looking forward to hearing some of your thoughts..

[ebola]

An engine dampner can't possibly reduce handling in the way that you describe.

think about it - engines produce torque. The same amount of force that the engine produces at the flywheel is exerted at all the engine mounting points.

an 'engine damper' (by which I take to mean a shock absorber onto the block) gives a lateral mounting point to counter the torque on the rest of the engine mounts.

It stops the engine from being able to twist so far on its mounts. thats all. better mounting.

I once broke an brake vaccuum line because of how far the block moved. But there is something to be said for east-west engines... the torque is generated in the same plane as it is transmitted.

Umm, thats about as simple as I can get it...

[bnr#@]

Does anyone think that a engine damper can help reduce the chance of the block cracking by reducing the amount of movement and therefore changing the harmonics? Also same question with the stiffer nismo engine mounts

[Busky2k]

Reduce the chance of the block cracking? Hmmm I can't really see that happening. I reckon the thing will fall apart long before then!

[bnr#@]

But if its acting as a shock absorber then it should be suppressing some of the vibration from the engine operation and changing the harmonics of it all which is supposedly why the blocks crack in the first place

[R33S2]

You mean like this

[bnr#@]

What am I looking at here?

[R33S2]

A block that cracked in halve below the piston sleeves, its a tractor pull contestant and was running HUGE psi, somewhere around 100? Got nothing to do with engine dampers but looks awesome dont you think?

[ellie]

Engine dampers have been designed for a specific reason = drift/race!

As you said, "when you trump the throttle the engine aggresively twists" due to the fact that the traction of you rear wheels fights the torque (twisting power) of you motor and with your engine mounts being the most compliant (soft) part it allows a certain amount of movement to smooth things out. The harder you make the compound of the engine mount the less it will twist but the more you will feel through the car and the more strain on your drivetrain. The less twist, usually, the more torque being transfered to the drive train as less energy is being wasted.

Thats why full on race cars have solid engine mounts.

Engine dampers are a comprimise. You retain you cushy factory engine mounts for smooth feel at idle but when you trump it, ideally the shock will take the brunt of the twist.

It could be helpful in saving your engine mounts if you're hard on your car but by mounting the engine to the body more rigidly you could also feel a bit more engine vibration though the body

[bnr#@]

Looks prety busted up..

[Cubes]

It prevents engine mount (rubber) breakage.

Running solids is the only other way around this.

I've seen a few newer cars run around with engine dampers from factory, the factory have obviously ran soft engine mounts to reduce NVH to a bare minimum, the engine damper in this case prevents excessive movement on the soft rubber that would lead to breakage.

It really depends on driving style and power being made. Every car I've owned I've always been through a set or two of engine mounts.