How can I tell if my 1973 VW Super Beetle has bad engine mounts?

If I go over a speed bump or something to fast a hear a bang from the rear.How can I tell if my 1973 VW Super Beetle has bad engine mounts?Is it just me or have most of the answers ignored the fact that a VW engine has NO engine mounts. It sleves into the transmission housing and is held in place by four bolts. They seldom break, but if they have been loosened for any reason perhaps they are not tight.



If you are hearing a bang from the rear (right or left side) consider:



1) Bad shocks

2) Broken torsion bar

3) Broken transaxle mount

4) Loose or misinstalled shrouds or muffler

5) Or simply a engine cover that does not latch properly and opens and slams on each bump...





.How can I tell if my 1973 VW Super Beetle has bad engine mounts?
It sounds more like a broken Suspension Damper ( aka Shock Absorber ). The rear engine Beetle has very simple mounts. The engine attach to the Transmission Housing, no other place. The engine is light enough for two people to move it and I was able to pick it up, so is pretty light.



When the Shock Absorbers goes bad, they rattle like they are loose or can "bang" (as hitting) since they to do not have any dampening.How can I tell if my 1973 VW Super Beetle has bad engine mounts?Doesn't have engine mounts. It's bolted right to the transaxle.



If one or more of the bolts came loose, grabbing and shaking the engine will make that problem obvious.



Has the engine been recently removed and reinstalled into the car? If so, then it's quite possible one or more of the mounting bolts loosend up.
Bump has the right answer. If you love you're beetle you'll find the right answer. It looks like you're a person who is dependent on someone else for answers. That doesn't work with a beetle. What works is to find someone who works on them that loves them and they can find the noise in about 2 seconds. I've worked on hundreds of them and if I was at your house, the noise would be history.How can I tell if my 1973 VW Super Beetle has bad engine mounts?The easiest way is to look around on the vehicle that does indeed say VW/Volkswagen/Beetle or anything else signifying that it is a beetle, and you have found the problem.How can I tell if my 1973 VW Super Beetle has bad engine mounts?
Open the hood, or trunk, or bonnet, or whatever you call the rear deck lid that houses the engine. Put the parking brake on. Have a friend watch the engine while you put it in first and give it gas like you're driving away. Then do the same thing in reverse. If your friend says the motor looks like it's rocking too much, then the motor mount is probably bad.



Also, jack it up and check the rear suspension for loose components.
just jack the car up a little with the jack under the engine %26amp; look at the mountings youll soon see if they have come apart . Other sourses of banging from the rear are the exhaust tail pipes hitting, The engine lid not adjusted tightly, The body to rear suspenion bolts loose and or the rubber worn away under the rear mudguards. ( last one the more common at this age of the car.How can I tell if my 1973 VW Super Beetle has bad engine mounts?
grab the engine and shake it.