The way I check for motor mount is this . Foot on the brakes , tranny in drive , tap on gas pedal . If the engine 'jumps" the motor mounts are bad. So it is best for two people to do this and don't stand in front of vehicle

 

well yes that works but will only tell me that one or more mounts are bad...there are 5 mounts on the 2008 AWD...well 3 lower mounts, an upper torque strut and a rear bushing...

 

I can see where it would be difficult to pinpoint the faulty one unless there are visual cues such as oil residues. I just replaced the dogbone on my 06 and I went back to OE from my local dealer. The aftermarket one only lasted a tad over 20k miles.

 

Put car in flat surface. Put it in park but release the parking brakes. Then go to the front of the car and rock it back and forth. The engine will start to sway back and forth. Look at each mount while doing this and you will see the one with the most movements.

 

I see it's been a while since this topic was discussed, but I just want to ask

has anyone here tried using a vacuum pump or gauge to test the hydraulic motor mounts?

I’ve been reading that some mounts can leak internally over time, which might not be visible but could affect performance. Would this method work for checking the integrity, or is there a better approach you all recommend?

 

If you've got excessive vibration and suspect the hydraulic motor mounts, I’d check their fluid-filled chamber for leaks first. A quick way is to visually inspect for any oily residue. If they’re worn out and need replacing, you might also want to assess your replacement pumps to ensure they’re in good working condition, as issues there could stress the new mounts prematurely. Simple checks often save a lot of hassle later.