ENGINE MOUNT UPGRADE
996




We are excited to announce our new product/service for Upgrading your existing OEM engine mounts! This is one of the best and least expensive handling modifications you can make to improve your Porsche driving experience, and they work nicely in tandem with our Transmission Mount Insert. At least one other member has been testing and using this Engine Mount Upgrade for a while now, so perhaps he can chime in with his impressions...

As we've all read over and over again, the OEM engine mounts are a wear item and need replacing after only a couple years of use, due to their rapid deformation. The weakened mounts lead to a loose feeling chassis, imprecise handling, and numb shifter feel. Yet, even new OEM mounts exhibit too much flex to extract maximum performance from your Porsche.

Enter the FUNCTION-FIRST Performance Engine Mount Upgrade.

We modify your existing OEM engine mounts by gutting and draining their dampening hydraulic fluid, placing them in a jig to restore each mount to its original dimensionality, and filling all the voids, top and bottom, with a carefully selected durable urethane. The result is a rejuvenated and stiffer performance oriented setup, akin to a semi-solid mount – for a fraction of the price. This solution does not alter any structural component of the mount and adds only minimal NVH to preserve a streetable ride.

By limiting undesirable drivetrain movement, you will be rewarded with precise turn-in, planted handling, reduced weight transfer, minimized wheel hop, and direct and confident shifts.


Ordering Options:
1. CORE EXCHANGE - we send you Upgraded Mounts and you return your existing OEM mounts with the included domestic shipping return label and box
2. OUTRIGHT BUY - we send you Upgraded Mounts and you keep your existing OEM mounts
3. MODIFY YOURS - send us your existing OEM mounts and we'll Upgrade those (buyer responsible for shipping to us; 1 week turn-around)


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Please click here for more information!




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I've been the "secret" tester for the mounts and have been testing for ~6 months in various conditions.

A little background:
I originally bought OEM turbo mounts thinking they would be stiffer and also to replace my original mounts since the car had 120k on it. I found little to no difference when I switched to the turbo mounts having me conclude that the mounts could've been changed by the previous owner and/or the OEM turbo mounts have a more softer fluid/rubber compound compared to the OEM aftermarket replacement mounts everyone has raved about.
Having done diy motor mounts in the past, I was in the process of doing some for the 996 when I came across Function First having done some already after exchanging some technical messages. These prototypes were ready to go and I was willing to try them out.

Observations:
I've experienced the same typical observations of people that have swapped motor mounts but I think the degree might be amplified with these in terms of performance.
- Better and more precise shifting(almost like getting a new shifter or bushings)
- Better handling since there is better weight control(it is like getting new shocks to some degree)
- Better threshold braking as more controlled weight transfer allows you to better and effectively modulate the brakes

I've driven this in spirited and relaxed driving environments and in a wide temp range from 35-95deg F.

NVH was very minimal and not noticeable for me(YMMV) since I already had the GT3 coilovers and was used to some amount of roughness.
I would say NVH was more noticeable on first startup in cold weather(below 45 deg) but otherwise for me, was hardly noticeable.

For me the positives far outweigh any negatives that may exist and you have to remember, this is a performance part. I don't understand people that want to corner on rails yet have Cadillac ride(Magnetorheological shocks aside). You're always gonna have to compromise in some aspects in most situations imo.

To me this is a mod that should be right up there with the Fister D mod. And like the Fister D mod, I feel this represents a great value for the feeling it gives you. But unlike the Fister mod where it is 100% subjective, this mod actually exhibits tangible benefits in the way your car behaves.

And just like the Fister D mod, technically you can do this yourself but I don't know why anyone would want to go through the hassles and the time. For anyone that has worked with raw polyurethane, you know how messy things can get really fast.

This really should be one of your top 3 mods that you get done IMHO.

*Lastly, I don't think this mod is for everyone. For the casual cruiser in their 996 with stock suspension that drives casually and prefers maximimum comfort and refinement over everything else, this isn't for you.

Disclaimer: I'm in no way affiliated with Function First and they have not paid me to write this review. This is an objective 3rd party review from a fellow gearhead with no other interests other than to see the same smile of satisfaction from other gearheads.