Sort of bad news on the engine today. Good news if you look at it another way. So yesterday when I was messing around with the tachometer I started up the engine while the engine compartment was open. I noticed a noise and traced it to a loose bolt on an engine mount that was allowing one of the engine lift hooks to vibrate. So I noted that, continued with some other work, and then went back to it today.

I started with tightening up that rear engine mount bolt (actually not a mounting bolt, just a engine hook bolt on the side of the engine mount). Then I checked the other at the rear which was still tight. Back at the front of the engine I saw that the starboard side nut was right at the top of the bolt—nearly coming off, though I couldn’t get it to budge one way or the other. Thinking back I couldn’t remember if that was where it has always been positioned or not.

On to the fourth mount I went. I pulled away a couple of wires that hang in front of the mount and there it was—a broken engine mount. The bolt sheered right in two.

To be honest, I don’t really know if this just happened or not. I haven’t noticed anything amiss, but either way I’m happy to have discovered it now. Both because it didn’t cause any major problems, and because my mom is visiting next week and so I’ve got a mule for the new mounts.

So, like I said, bad news with a twist of good.

This is Lowe after a two-hour nap. This boy does not wake up ready to take on the world.