Hi, I have 2003 1.9 JTD 85kW and when I start the car, or just idling on red light, car vibrates. I can feel it on steering wheel. Engine shakes on right side (where battery is), left side looks still. Could it be bad gearbox mount?
I don't see any other problem mentioned in mount changing guide as "gear stick vibrations" or "vibrations on hood". Also when I turn on AC, vibrations won't stop. (My AC is quite low on gas, but still working a little).
Last year it got new flywheel and clutch.
Also how is compared cheap mounts to original FIAT? I've read somewhere, that after changing to non-original mount vibrations were a little better, but after fitting an original it has stopped completely. I just don't want to throw away 80 pounds for that if i am not sure.

I also have this problem with shifting into 1st and 2nd gear. It goes there, but kinda hard. Sometimes it's really easy as shifting 3rd or 4th gear. Mostly after warming up. Previous owner said he changed transmission oil last year. Can I make it any better?

Thanks for help

Yes.. sounds like a gearbox mount. If you buy one that's not Fiat then it may be a different spec' to the Fiat one but I doubt it will be completely useless. It's worth a try if it's half the price of a Fiat mount... but I'd say try to get one from a brand you've heard of, at least.

The gear shift being notchy sounds like the clutch is dragging a bit. The clutch is hydraulic, so I would bleed it at the bell-housing to see if that improves things. While you're there.. top up the reservoir (it feeds the clutch as well as the brakes).

It's worth also checking the gear oil level in case it was underfilled. There's a drain screw at the bottom of the transmission case (facing out into the wheel arch - you need to remove the lower wheel arch liner to see it) and then about 10cm above it at about 1 o'clock position there's another identical screw which is the level indicator. If you remove the level indicator screw and add oil to the transmission, when it's the correct level the oil will come out of the level indicator screw.

If your oil comes in a container with a long dingle-dangle, you don't even have to put oil in at the top of the transmission, you can just squirt it into the level indicator hole and then let the excess drip out. When it's done, refit the screw and wipe up all the oil that's dribbled down the casing.


Ralf S.

Here in Czech Republic I can get mount from SWAG or FEBI. Never heard of any of them, but both should be German. One is 40 Ł, other 45. Does anybody have experience with them?

Clutch seems to work fine, grabs quite high. But I will try to bleed it.

Thanks

FEBI is made by Bilstein, so it'll be good.. and I've had various SWAG parts - they seem okay too.


Ralf S.

Today I finally managed to get the mount changed. I get the FEBI one, but it seems very stiff. Guide says it should be easy to move with it. After replacement I don't see much improvement, even though there was originally old style mount from 02/2003. (And some people were complaining after few years lol)
Can it be anything else? Another mount maybe? I don't think anybody changed the others when this was still original. Or the injectors? Or is this normal with JTD?
At 1000+ revs vibrations stops and acts normally if that helps.

Also I lubed the gearbox connection and now I can shift much easier. At least that :worship:

Thanks for any answers

Wow it's kind of freaky, I have the same problems as you!! 2002 1.9 jtd 115. Vibrates in idle, quite a bit. Haven't found a solution to that though I'm suspicious of my steering box (or steering rack I don't know the exact name in English). What did help was lubricating the steering column (the 2 metal pieces from the steering wheel to the floor of the car that connect to the steering rack/box). I did notice a difference not much but a bit. If you can, try to tighten those 2 metal pieces from the steering column they tend to get a bit of a gap. Or ask someone to do it for you it's rather difficult. As for the gears, same with me, sometimes I have to press the clutch 2 or 3 times to get the gear in place. I guess it's the gear box lube it must need it. The clutch pedal engages really low, I mean, as soon as I start to release the clutch after engaging a gear, the car starts to move so I guess the clutch is fine. Hope this helps.

They are old cars, same parts wear out... I'm not sure if lubricating that could help with wibrations. I wanted to tighten it today anyway ?. Do you mean that connection at floor, next to pedal, right?
I don't have to press clutch more times, it only had big resistance when shifting to 1st or 2nd gear.
Have you changed that geabox mount?

My old beast vibrates but it looks like a "normal" (for a diesel) vibration.

Which mount did you replace? There's a "triangular" one on top of the gearbox (attaches to the chassis rail) and another one that looks like a "U" shape that's behind the engine (under the car).

(There's also the mount on the left hand side, under the coolant bottle... but that one looks okay, you wrote).


Ralf S.

I have changed that one under battery box (https://www.fiatforum.com/stilo-gui...jtd-all-changing-gearbox-mount.html?p=4177564). There was one made in 2003, so I thought it will be bad, but it looks like new.
Now I'm going to change the mount under engine to be sure.
I can make video of vibratoins if that helps.

Yesterday I changed two mounts (46781893) under engine and vibrations are much better now. Both mounts were soft and cracked a little, the one under gearbox was worse. Very easy replacement, just two bolts for each. It cost me about 35 quid for both. Also engine does not "kick" when shifting.
It still vibrates a little, but I guess it's normal for diesel with 300k miles.


Btw I also changed a thermostat and I never want to do it again On other cars are just two screws, but here half of engine had to go.

The thermostat is tucked away a bit... Luckily the guy I bought my car from did it just a month before. But if it's a tricky job, I hope you bought a high quality one, so that you don't have to do it again, for a very long time.

Ralf S.

The worst thing was to get old clamps and hoses off. After 15 years they were little stuck I got Calorstat by Vernet, it was cheaper than Behr, but not the cheapest. If it would last few years it's OK.

Vernet is okay.. they make water pumps and thermostats not just "everything" so they know what they're doing.

Ralf S.

Last week I cleaned MAF and the car vibrated less. Today I changed non-original mount to original and finally vibrations are gone :worship:.
In conclusion - don't buy cheap parts... Original mount was rock hard, new non-origial was little softer and new original is the softest, so it works the best.