virginia63

no i didn't see the whole job because he had my car over 4 days. i had to walk up several times over that period as once i got the mount delivered to my house due to him going out and then I took it to him at the shop when he got back. before that i went up to see the original broken bolt after he damaged the mount so i could see what he was talking about (at that point i didn't even know what an engine mount was). on the 3rd day while I was there [after we decided to use the solid mount after all, and I took it back to him as I had been going to return it to the supplier until we found out we could modify it]; that's when he incidentally showed me the radiator and told me he had removed it so he could get to the timing belt easier. there was no discussion or question about issues or problems with it. I've had the car 4 years and never had an issue with water leaks. I admit it's probably due to refurbish but can't see how moving it out would compromise it unless (as you say) he was incompetent whilst handling it (I think he forgot the water or something like that). Anyhow, nothing I can do now but get it fixed at a radiator specialist on Monday. Currently it's hailing pretty heavy here so I aint going nowhere lol !

no he took the radiator and fan out completely. i saw it on the ground so it wasn't connected.

i definitely will. gonna wait a week or so for my emotions to calm down and then i'll write an honest review about him. i'd hate for something like this to happen to anyone else without prior warning. not sure how to write it without outright accusing him with no proof but i'll think of something. That price, including postage, is fairly competitive with what's out there actually but before i order from that site i'll just verify that the OEM is correct. I'm only quoting the one given to me by the mount specialist so id better double check first.

hah, coolant? maybe he did but the thing was bone dry by the next day so i wouldn't know. i'd say he just put water through to be honest as that is what i saw all over the ground and if he'd used coolant he probably would've put that on the invoice. i've been told that every mechanic does timing belts how it best suits them, some prise the motor up while others may lift it out altogether. as far as i know this one prosed it up and took the radiator out to allow more space. i don't see how he would've damaged the radiator seal though as he wouldn't have had top remove the top cap just to take the whole unit out. i'm seriously guessing he either forgot to put water in before he ran the motor or he punctured it on purpose just to be spiteful because he'd been shown up by a woman. the only other possibility is that the radiator seal happened to crack as he took the unit out and he was none the wiser for it; an honest coincidence. i will never know so all i can do is give him the benefit of the doubt so i don't eat my own heart out about it. what i do know is the guy was outrageously rude with me, bordering on abuse. i seriously doubt he would've spoken to me that way in front of anyone else. so your v6 auto car hasn't done many k's. is it a touring model? is the mount hydraulic or solid do you know? you can tell underneath if it has a soft rubber cup or a solid metal base.

@trentmeyer23 so i went to the checkout on that web page you linked and the postage is $52 AUD, total around $182 for the item shipped. i might just get one after i sort out these other issues and be done with. better to have the right mount and not need to worry if the one i'm using now is a fraction too high etc etc.

@Hiro, okay ye that makes sense thanks for that info. The one in their listing looks very much like my front mount, which attaches to the engine only. it's not the left side mount as that is a dog bone shape and i don't know what the right side mount looks like, or rear one (if there is one of those). They never did reply about that. @ZZT86, good observation, I missed that. glad it makes sense now. I hope I didn't waste their time asking I was just being cautious asking for pics as some other outlets i've checked these last days had the wrong mount assigned to the specs for my car, cause when I saw the pics I could tell that. Obviously, by what you say these guys are pros and it's a relief to get access to reliable service for a change. The other places just supply the solid [auto] mount as fitting for auto/manual. my car being a 5 spd manual came with a hydraulic mount which has a smaller base than any of the solid mounts i've seen. I don't know if there are specific solid mounts for manual cars, and if they are smaller at the base too, but the cradle in my car has a cut-out that accommodates the smaller-based hydraulic mount perfectly. when we fitted the solid base that is on there now [the label said for auto/manual] it cleared the rear cradle area nicely, but at the front the base area was raised slightly in a crescent shape, and while the mount didn't actually touch it, it was a lot closer to the metal there. (the front end seems stable and sounds to be running fine since fitting it). I took my car to another mechanic in my area today and he tells me the clunking sound at the back is the left rear wheel bushes. I never noticed them that loudly before. It may just be a coincidence of timing or else it may have something to do with the way the solid mount affects the suspension. i don't know. on a side note, while I was at this other mechanic he noticed some water in the engine bay and after checking we found that the water reserve and the hoses and radiator were empty! the mechanic that did the timing belt took the radiator and fan out for better access and said he had to refill it and run the water through to eliminate air pockets before I could have the car. When I arrived to pick it up I found a large volume of water on the ground under my car but I reasoned it away. Had this mechanic today not seen the water seepage I would've been stuffed; overheated at the side of the road by tomorrow. Once again I can't say if it was a coincidence that the radiator is now seeping around the top (it's a plastic cap and aluminium radiator) and if the seal was probably already on it's way out, but I can't understand why the timing-belt mechanic didn't point that out. After the experience I had with him I can't rule out that he didn't start to run the motor after reassembling all the parts and simply forgot to put any water in first, thereby blowing the seal ? Obviously he did end up putting water in it at some point, I don't mean to be a suspicious person but the way he behaved with me the last 4 days beggars belief. So thanks for all your help so far. I'm going to run the car until my next service in 6 or 7k and during that time I'll consider if I want to stay with this solid mount or go on and order the correct one for my model from the link you gave me. I'll check in here for any updates in the meant time. It's good to have contact with people that know what I'm asking about. Next up I have to fix the radiator. This Camry has been so good for the years I've had it, it just goes and goes between services really well. I guess she's due for the overall changing of parts, as what I've been told many of them are still factory issue.

update - i had the solid mount installed and the car seemed to drive really well until a little later i went over a speed bump (not fast) and now stuff rattles in the rear area whenever i go over a rough surface. has the rogue mechanic sabotaged my rear end or is this the effect of having a solid mount at the front instead of a hydro? i expected rattling at the front area but it's coming from the back. at first it seemed rear right and then it shifted to rear centre. checked the boot, nothing's loose. the spare tyre has a bit of movement but i don't think its that.

thanks that's helpful, but there's 2 different prices for the same part number and no pics. what would you do? Edit: I emailed them & asked for pic and gave them my Vin #, appreciate your help mate.

edit: in case anyone's looking in the future the OEM for the original part 'hydraulic engine mount' as per pics pf my old broken above (I'm told), is 123610A020

nevertheless as she said it's not a hydraulic mount but it obviously would've been a better fit than the solid one we are attempting to use now. i may have indeed gone with it too had i got it earlier. i trawled through ebay in recent days and didn't see that one though i did come across that seller as i recognise their diagram of the mount positionings in the engine bay. i have another seller there that says he has one identical to mine (I sent him pics) and that it's hydraulic .. once again i only got his email a few minutes ago ..., but he doesn't have a pic of it to show me yet. listing says he has 50 so i may consider getting one after he sends me a pic to confirm. i also gave him the OEM# of the one i need so hopefully he may be able to cross check that.

i noticed that with the side mounts on mine though i've yet to see the actual transmission mount. i'm guessing the ebay listing discrepancy is down to over zealous technical jargon.

Thanks for that. It sure does look very similar. i messaged the seller asking if it's a hydraulic mount. Also, in the listing description it says the item is an engine transmission mount, which is confusing so I asked the seller if it's an engine (motor) or transmission (gearbox) mount. [waiting to hear back.] so to otherwise update, this morning i spoke at length with an engine mount specialist at Transgold in Sydney and found out my model camry was most likely imported from the USA (here are 2 links to american web pages that sell the mount I need): http://www.autohausaz.com/pn/WS-EM-8967 and also http://www.autohausaz.com/pn/8610HY seemingly suggests these are common in the US models as they were not forthcoming in Australian searches. I was further told by the Transgold guy that I could mount the solid mount i bought (pictured in post above) by pulling out the locator pin and simply placing the cap from my own mount on top of it (after removing the rubber dust cover/glove that comes over it). at this point i have my mechanic doing just that and hoping it all fits nicely together. i figure it will get me out of trouble for now. i would've liked to investigate the one in the ebay listing that 'campbeam' provided but we are already moving ahead with this as per the above. i will keep the link however, in case i decide i'd prefer the hydraulic mounts and that the ebay one does turn out to be just that. i'm also going to look into finding out how much it would be to have a 'genuine-part' hydraulic mount imported through toyota. i have the OEM for the correct one after speaking with the guy at Transgold who looked that up for me. good to know there are some people out there that know their stuff. the lack of knowledge about this across the board from parts and service dealers surprised me. edit- just heard back from ebay & the seller says it's not hydraulic. it does nevertheless appear to have been the better fit into the cradle of my own car, even though it is solid. i really hope the one we're trying now does do the job. what with a mechanic that tends to be rude and doesn't like to be told anything, and this problematic situation i just want to get my car back and out of there. i've learned a lot through this, and hope this thread helps any other Touring model owners in the future. If any dramas arise I'll update the topic.

to be honest I don't know because no one seems to know the difference between mounts on all these models, not even the toyota spares guys. i only worked out the hydraulic ones look like mine through lots of internet searching. the solid one they sent me clearly has AT & MT on the label but that label might even be wrong. do you actually know if the manual & auto ones are different in the 6 cyl and also if v6 type is different again- and then is it just the touring model that has the hydraulic ones; and, can i use one off a touring wagon for my touring sedan? i wish I could find someone who has these answers. you'd think i could ring toyota and they'd know but they're just looking at a bunch of model numbers and sketchy diagrams on their systems. he entered my vin# and all he could say was toyota had none anywhere in the country. directed me to burtons and repco and they said all theirs were auto; one manual in qld but no one thought to ask if i needed hydraulic or solid. they just looked up MCV20 and went off that not even asking about it being a touring model (i figured that out tonight). i'm just gonna have to call them all back tomorrow and ask if it being a touring sedan does it make a difference, or can they search for hydraulic or get me some pics etc. the pics on the website of the place i bought mine off today looked just like mine, the hydraulic one, but what they delivered was different. when i pointed that out they said sorry, they'd have to update their pics, and that they had nothing like the one in their pics (go figure) anyway, thanks for your help....

the last pic is of the bottom

thanks for your reply. yes i think it was because he seized the bolt and can't get it out. also most of the oil leaked out of it when the mount tipped on it's side and other than that we don't know if he damaged anything internally when the bolt seized (is that even possible?). I wondered if we could just refurbish this one if he can get the bolt out. what do you think? i wouldn't even know were to take it. as for the solid mount. i accidentally ordered one today (will attach pics- sorry they're not very clear cause the thing is still in the plastic bag). the guy that sold me that says he'll refund me and is coming to get it tomorrow but i'm thinking if i keep it and use it for now as you say. But can it be modified to fit in the space? the bottom of it is longer than the oil filled one, and the securing lug on top is in a different position. the one on the solid mount would probably need to come off as there's no cavity to fit it in under my engine. the cavity is at the rear to fit the lug positioned at the outer rim of the hydro mount as in the pic of my mount. have you heard of anyone modifying these mounts to fit in place of the hydro mounts? i heard some mechanics do that. is it effective and safe?

Hoping someone can advise me. Having my timing belt done and the mechanic busts the bolt that goes down the middle of my front engine mount. he tells me it seized in there and i need a new mount. trying to source one and getting nowhere. Toyota spare parts have none in the whole country for my model. turns out i have a 'touring' model sedan (5 spd manual) which means they have extra luxury (hydraulic engine mounts at the front as opposed to solid). Can't get one anywhere, seen similar ones on USA websites but the only ones available new, aftermarket, or refurbished over here are the solid variety and they don't fit. someone told me they can be modified to fit but i'm not sure how that would work. my mechanic is as clueless about this as i am. i think it means the retaining lug on the top needs to be filed off (cause it's in the wrong position on the solid mounts) but i'm not even sure if they'd then fit into the bottom bracket space as the shape of the hydraulic version is different there. and besides, i'd prefer a hydraulic mount as what's the point of having a comfy touring model with a solid mount? has anyone had any similar experiences to me, or advise where to source one of these mounts? i'm attaching pics of my damaged mount, you can see the broken bolt in there (and yes, i need one of those too). all the wreckers i've called only have auto models of these camrys and none of them come with hydraulic mounts. ...does anyone even know what i'm talking about? i've become a bit of an expert these last days, for all the good it's doing me, not. my car's stuck in the garage and i'm stranded. HELP. Located in Melbourne south east/peninsula