Melmoth 2 inherited its engine mount brackets and isolators-the rubber pads the engine is actually bolted to-from Melmoth 1, which had in turn acquired them, in 1971, from a Cessna Skymaster that was already far from new. It’s surprising that any rubber compound can retain a whiff of elasticity after 35 years or more in the heat, gusty winds and general turmoil of an engine compartment, but those dampers still felt more like rubber than wood to the touch. Nevertheless, the engine vibration struck me as excessive. Now, the quality of the vibrations coming from an engine and propeller is to some degree a matter of personal perception. One pilot found the airplane quite smooth. But even after trying to convince myself that it was all in my mind, I still thought it felt harsh; and so I decided to replace the isolators.
Looking at a listing of Lord mount types, I was surprised to discover that there is a huge variety of them, and a bewildering number exists specifically for my Continental TSIO-360 engine. Naturally, Melmoth was not one of the airframe types mentioned in the list. I called Paul Snyder at Lord for advice about which mount type to select, and he recommended a J9613-31.
