Engine mounts

[spec.B]

Hey guys,

Got a 2.5T 6 speed manual MY08 GTB here, had it for 3 years now.

Just in the last few months I've noticed a bit of what feels like clutch shudder on takeoff occasionally which causes a knocking noise, and the same knocking noise when going over large speed bumps at conventional speeds, the ones with ramps and a flat bit on top.

Initially thought it may be suspension components, mechanic took it for a 10 minute spin for the rego check but couldn't hear anything.

Had it tuned by Michael South about a year ago and he mentioned some bushes in the front suspension were looking perished (apparently this is pretty common?), and reckons the clutch is aftermarket just by the feel of the pedal pressure. I got the car at 33000kms and the original owner didn't mention the clutch having been replaced, so I'm not sure if it's the original clutch or an aftermarket. Car didn't have any mods when I got it.

I don't hear the knocking noise over little bumps in the road or the holes that run to middle earth on Sydney roads, making me think it's more engine mount related.

Also worth mentioning is there's only a bee's dick clearance between the dump pipe and the firewall, so if the engine mount is dying that's another potential source of the noise as the engine torques against the mounts and the dump pipe hits the firewall.

Can anyone shed some light on what this might be specifically? Do these cars often have issues with the engine mount or front suspension components?

City apartment life means I don't have access to a decent jack, blocks, lights etc to inspect this as easily as the old man's place.

Any help would be greatly appreciated!

Edit: fixed typos from phone and clarified a little.
Edit: admins - your db doesn't deal with emojis in posts there's a MySQL update that does so everyone can use poops in their posts.

[Manaz]

Front suspension bushes mentioned by MSR are likely the lower control arm bushes - they're a known failure point (so well known that a rego check done recently by a non-specialist place recently commented that I'd clearly replaced them, and so they weren't a failure point for the rego check). You can get solid bushes (the OEM ones have holes cut in them to remove NVH, but it just makes them weak, and they fail) from a number of places - my Outback and Liberty both have the J-Speed bushes from Garage88 in them, and I didn't notice any additional NVH worth talking about when they were fitted.

Engine and transmission mounts are another thing that fails over time. You can get Group-N mounts which hold the engine and gearbox better, and also a pitch-stop mount (sits under the TMIC) to help prevent the engine & transmission pitching forward/back. On a car with those kms on it, I'd be looking to have those checked.