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General Car shaking/vibrating

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General Car shaking/vibrating

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Pedrinho

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Horrible shaking/vibrating which gets very noticeable just below 30 and becomes like a tumble dryer around 40! smoothes off around 50 plus. can feel it through the pedals quite bad. wheels are fine and balanced. issue only happens when on the gas, as soon as your foot is off the pedal it stops right away. Replaced left engine mount as it was perished, thought this would cure it, it did make it a bit quieter and smoother but problem was still there. 107,000 miles now and just passed mot again today, always had the problem since i bought it, should have taken it for a proper test drive and not just down the road! any ideas anyone?
thanks
 
Pedrinho said:
Horrible shaking/vibrating which gets very noticeable just below 30 and becomes like a tumble dryer around 40! smoothes off around 50 plus. can feel it through the pedals quite bad. wheels are fine and balanced. issue only happens when on the gas, as soon as your foot is off the pedal it stops right away. Replaced left engine mount as it was perished, thought this would cure it, it did make it a bit quieter and smoother but problem was still there. 107,000 miles now and just passed mot again today, always had the problem since i bought it, should have taken it for a proper test drive and not just down the road! any ideas anyone?
thanks
Click to expand...


What engine and gearbox? Sounds like it could be a damaged drive shaft to me. The MOT is not concerned with mechanical condition other than when it affects safety or emissions.


Robert G8RPI.
 
Could be a worn joint in one or both driveshafts.
This tends to cause vibrations particularly when accelerating.

It's hard to spot if they are worn, but if you can slip underneath with the wheels on the ground and try rattling either end of the solid bar part of the shaft, close to the joints. (jacking up and trying this only causes any slop to be pulled out of the shaft by the hanging wheel)

Also, jack up and try holding the inner joints casing still while gently rotating the wheel back and forth, you might get a few mil of play, but it shouldn't turn too far without locking up joints and rotating the complete shaft and wheel as one.

There are a few other things to check.
Although the tyres have been re balanced, one still could be out of round, you could try moving the fronts to the back (and backs to front), see if it makes a difference.

Check the wheel bearings, jack it up and grip the wheel at 3 and 9 o clock, then 12 and 6 and try rocking it.
If it's loose or has play it can be one of many things, but if it goes away when the foot brake is pressed, it's a worn wheel bearing.

Warped brake discs can cause a vibration, but usually only when braking, though if the discs have been fitted to the hubs badly (ie rust and dirt between disc and hub face) they can oscillate as the go around and cause a wheel shimmy.
 
Last edited:
g8rpi said:
What engine and gearbox? Sounds like it could be a damaged drive shaft to me. The MOT is not concerned with mechanical condition other than when it affects safety or emissions.


Robert G8RPI.
Click to expand...
yes i checked that when i checked all the mounts, all good :)
 
g8rpi said:
What engine and gearbox? Sounds like it could be a damaged drive shaft to me. The MOT is not concerned with mechanical condition other than when it affects safety or emissions.


Robert G8RPI.
Click to expand...
Active 1.2 manual, i am going to replace the ds for all that it costs, i've had an uneducated guess that that's the problem, thanks
 
Goudrons said:
Could be a worn joint in one or both driveshafts.
This tends to cause vibrations particularly when accelerating.

It's hard to spot if they are worn, but if you can slip underneath with the wheels on the ground and try rattling either end of the solid bar part of the shaft, close to the joints. (jacking up and trying this only causes any slop to be pulled out of the shaft by the hanging wheel)

Also, jack up and try holding the inner joints casing still while gently rotating the wheel back and forth, you might get a few mil of play, but it shouldn't turn too far without locking up joints and rotating the complete shaft and wheel as one.

There are a few other things to check.
Although the tyres have been re balanced, one still could be out of round, you could try moving the fronts to the back (and backs to front), see if it makes a difference.

Check the wheel bearings, jack it up and grip the wheel at 3 and 9 o clock, then 12 and 6 and try rocking it.
If it's loose or has play it can be one of many things, but if it goes away when the foot brake is pressed, it's a worn wheel bearing.

Warped brake discs can cause a vibration, but usually only when braking, though if the discs have been fitted to the hubs badly (ie rust and dirt between disc and hub face) they can oscillate as the go around and cause a wheel shimmy.
Click to expand...
Thanks Goudrons, bearings ok and wheels swapped around, my mate was under it checking various bits for play/movement, i've got a gut feeling drive shaft, will order this today, put up with it for so long now, if it had failed the mot badly it was for the bin, but looks like it's destiny were stuck together, actually no issues worth mentioning in more than 2.5 years, off the road for 1 day only, took me to Orkney and back, and i abuse it for delivery driving, i owe this car a drive shaft minimal!
 
There are two shafts on it, you either need to work out which is fecked or replace both.

I've used this company before without issue
http://www.jandrcvjoints.co.uk/
They seem to be fairly popular around the various forums.

They can be a struggle to remove, if you've not done them before, read up, ask, what Youtube Vids etc, oh and make a plan in case one gets stuck in the gearbox!
 
Goudrons said:
There are two shafts on it, you either need to work out which is fecked or replace both.

I've used this company before without issue
http://www.jandrcvjoints.co.uk/
They seem to be fairly popular around the various forums.

They can be a struggle to remove, if you've not done them before, read up, ask, what Youtube Vids etc, oh and make a plan in case one gets stuck in the gearbox!
Click to expand...

Now that's a handy website! I was actually looking to replace both of my CV joints from CP4L, but J&R have full shafts for less than CP4L were going to charge for just the joint, think I'll go that route!!!
 
I don't know a lot, i do know there's two shafts. Thanks for the link, already ordered n/s. which was same price, o/s is a lot cheaper than what i've found so far, cheers. Having a mate who is a mechanic, meant very little was learned up until now, apart from working on bikes to a degree. Dad was a mechanic and eventually taught mechanics, good for some info but too old now to going under cars. Thanks for all the help everyone, should have come on here ages ago.
 
Goudrons said:
There are two shafts on it, you either need to work out which is fecked or replace both.

I've used this company before without issue
http://www.jandrcvjoints.co.uk/
They seem to be fairly popular around the various forums.

They can be a struggle to remove, if you've not done them before, read up, ask, what Youtube Vids etc, oh and make a plan in case one gets stuck in the gearbox!
Click to expand...
Fitted n/s shaft today, same issue continues but was fun, my dad loved helping out, the old magics still there, will fit the other side next week.....
 
Pedrinho said:
Fitted n/s shaft today, same issue continues but was fun, my dad loved helping out, the old magics still there, will fit the other side next week.....
Click to expand...
Vibration under load is likely to be an inboard CV joint.
Good work going for the complete drive shaft change option.
I have used Jandc for drive shafts, CV joints and other parts they have been great.
Good luck for other side and well done to your dad-sounds like a top man.
 
Goudrons said:
There are two shafts on it, you either need to work out which is fecked or replace both.

I've used this company before without issue
http://www.jandrcvjoints.co.uk/
They seem to be fairly popular around the various forums.

They can be a struggle to remove, if you've not done them before, read up, ask, what Youtube Vids etc, oh and make a plan in case one gets stuck in the gearbox!
Click to expand...

UPDATE... It was the drivers side, drive shaft that was worn :) Changed it yesterday, all good, quite a smooth car when it's working properly. I had been waiting on a delivery from j and r for one but they kept not getting the part in their order so i just bought it local, £105 - £18 for the old one.
 
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