Motor mount shield -- learned something new

[Gjeep]

My eldest will be driving soon so I found her a low mileage (160K) 98 XJ I’ve been fixing up over the past month. She had no choice, was getting a Jeep. Like all the MJs / XJs I’ve had the drivers side motor mount needs replacing. At least on my Jeeps that’s the side that shows wear — passenger side like new. I assume the heat from the header is a cause of its shortened life span. Then I remembered I’ve never changed the motor mounts on my 01 XJ with over 500k (daily driver, had it since new)...so I popped the hood and found a heat shield on the drivers side motor mount that specifically protects it from the headers heat. Guessing since the header on the 00/01 XJ is cast it gets it hotter than the aluminum of the past. Also, I’m a California emissions truck so that means I have dual cats high up on the header also. Not sure if other state emissions vehicles have the same. Snapped a pic from the underside of the Jeep up at the underside of the engine. You can see the shield. Then I ran out to a local yard that had an 00 XJ available... and I cut the three rivets that hold the headshield on off and am going to put it on the 98 XJ which will be getting new driver and passenger motor mounts to see how it does... Sure I have to wait about 150K (15-20 years), but looking forward to the results.

 

 

 

[Jesse J]

That's smart of them. too bad they didn't integrate that sooner

[fiatslug87]

Is it riveted to the mount bracket itself?

[Gjeep]

The heat shield is riveted to the engine mount that attaches to the engine block.