Gen1 unspecified damage after snagging a manhole

isn't that the lower engine mount/torque limiter?

and no, it's not supposed to be all wiggly looking. It should be straight as an arrow. Pretty sure I would get that replaced ASAP, since it's no longer properly locating the engine and transaxle. If you think about it, bending that arm is essentially twisting the engine so the top is closer to the radiator and the bottom is closer to the rear of the car.

I have a Gen 2 engine and transaxle sitting on a hoist in the garage. I'll grab a photo.

Ok, I had the engine/transaxle assembly resting on an old tire. Lifted it several inches to get a good photo. (Assuming the Gen 1 and 2 use identical components.) You can clearly see the mount arm/torque limiter and the two bolts where it mounts to my engine assembly. The metal that is torn up on your car is the engine side bracket for fastening this engine mount. Yours is jacked up and needs to be replaced. The sooner the better. Hopefully, those bolt bosses aren't damaged. Any mechanic that says that is 'all good' needs to go back to school and would never touch one of my cars. Torque limiters are what keeps the engine assembly from rotating excessively every time you accelerate or decelerate. Pretty important for a FWD car. Found them on RockAuto.com, the terminology they use is "torque strut", but you'll need to get the bracket also, which is likely a dealer or salvage yard item. and..the Gen 1 and 2 appear to be slightly different on the rockauto site, but same theory applies and it's still supposed to be straight.

 

Go after the city for compensation?

 

Basically all you got to do is jack up the car and unbolt that thing and unbolting another doesn't have to be new there should be millions of them for you to get It's not that huge of a project I wouldn't say you're mechanic is crazy and it may be working fine but it looks like it's pretty weak It won't sustain another lightweight impact of any kind at all and that would make me a little bit nervous just because it probably won't cause you any strife even if you hit it again but since I'm fooling with my cars almost every other day I have four or five of these things laying around I could just bolt on the new one on a Saturday afternoon or morning no problem and I might not get around to it real fast if the cars are driving well and all of that I don't have the propensity to run through construction sites and hit things but oh well I've done other things but that kind of twisted up business should just be unbolted and put another one there It is a good idea I wouldn't say you have to do it and your mechanic is probably not wrong and if the engine is still sitting relatively straight in the vehicle and all that then you could let it rip You have nothing's happened so there's always that.

 

I shop shouldn't charge more than an hour for that. It's a very easy job. Just find someplace with a slanted driveway, if you don't have one. Industrial warehouses on weekends work too. That'll lift your front wheels enough because this part is located right over the space you'll create. Your car's jack with a spacer would support the engine while you remove those three bolts. Make sure the missus watches to know how manly you are, then take her to dinner with the $100 you saved. I guarantee it will be worth it.

SYK, I do have a couple of these on parts cars you're welcome too. I don't know what they cost new, so may not be worth paying me to take it off and ship it. if you were in Houston, I'd tell you to come take if off yourself, but don't be trying to buy me no dinner.