Vibration

[neanderpaul]

92 5 speed. Vibrates when under load (accelerating) or off load (in gear and decelerating). When in neutral or when it is in gear with the clutch disengaged the vibration ceases. It does increase with speed. Axle? Transmission?

[Festiva Time]

Sounds like a motor mount broke. Prop the hood open and get in to start the motor. Look between the hood and the dash at the top of the engine. Put the trans in Neutral, start the motor, & "goose" the gas pedal. the engine is only move a little.

- Kirk

[batstiva]

Assuming here that you have checked the tires for wear and balance. I would also check the balancer(?) on the passenger side half shaft, make sure it's still there, and there's nothing loose wobbling around.

[neanderpaul]

The tires are good as far ad wear but not checked for balance. It was fine and then it just started vibrating. I will check the balancer on the axle next. Thanks to both of you! Will be checking motor mount and balancer tomorrow. This is a friends car.

[Damkid]

if it was tires, it would have the vibration at all times

i've never seen a front or pass. side mount fail, but i've ripped apart the rear tranny mount before and all that really happened was bad wheel hop, never really caused any vibrations like you described

What i would do is jack up the front end and put it on jack stands so the front tires are off the ground, then have someone inside the car put it in gear and start accelerating while i laid beside the car (just in case the car falls off the stands your out of the way and won't get run over lol) and looked underneath to try and spot anything abnormal

[neanderpaul]

I told my buddy to jack it up and do the wheel test but he didn't see anything. He was alone though. So he reved it then looked. I will help him do that test again.

[batstiva]

if it was tires, it would have the vibration at all times

In general, I agree. But when I had this one on Slick...



I could make the vibration go away by hitting the gas hard, then letting off. The car would ride perfectly smooth as long as I was coasting. Don't ask me why.

[drddan]

With vibration on acceleration and deceleration, I would bet on something mechanical.
Example: RWD drive cars do that when the u-joints are bad. So i'm thinking axles, bearings, or tranny related?

[econoaddict]

I would have to say an axle as well.
what you are describing is classic inboard joint gone bad, caravans were really bad for this.

[neanderpaul]

It was the axles. Installed new axles. Problem solved. thanks.