When examining engine mounts of the FD, what should I be looking for as far as evidence of damage?

 

It is a little hard to see the motor mounts while installed in the car. You might jack the car up and then attach an engine hoist to the engine and pull it up some to put some tension on the motor mounts. Usually the rubber part of the motor mount splits and the silicone goo in the mount oozes out. You don't need to lift the motor up but it helps. The passenger side mount fails more often in my experience. Make sure you keep the heat sheilds on that mount or the new mount will fail faster than the old one did.

Mounts aren't cheap, about $159/ea from Mazdacomp.

Jeff
93 R1
93 Base
87 TII

 

During later 1992, Mazda redesigned the right (passenger) mount. They had to replace mine with the newer one do to it being noisy/clunky.

The last three cars(93 - 94) that I have worked on in 2001, all had the original left(driver) mount and all of those were broken. Mazda also had redesigned this mount but I do not know when.

The rubber also splits in half on these. You should be able to see this.
With the car jacked up high enough for you to get under and look at it, have someone rock the engine sideways as much as posible. If broken, you should be able to see it flex and see the split.