Hi,
I have a Fiat Bravo 1.4 s from 1997 (Mk-1)
actual mileage: 100 000 km
since about the last 800 km, I noticed the gear shift lever started to vibrate. First, I wondered whether maybe its the tires (I recently put snow tyres on which had been balanced some year or two ago). But no, the steering wheel doesn't have any vibrations. Furthermore, the vibrations have become much stronger in the meantime, they are strongest in fifth gear between 80-110 km/h (that happens to be the speed I'm travelling at most of the time).
What's strange is this:
When I pull out the gear (moving at 100 km/h without motor power) all vibrations completely cease
When I'm in fith gear, and I don't accelerate or I only accelerate extremely moderately, there are NO vibrations. When I push down about 1/4 to 3/4, there are quite strong vibrations, which tend to disappear again when I push down very hard.
Now, I have to explain three things about my car:
I always changed oil in regular intervals, only using the best synthetic oil from Fiat garages (which cost a fortune)
The replacement of the toothed drive belt which drives the camshaft and (I believe) the waterpump, is due when mileage has reached 105 000 km, since this mileage has not yet been reached this drive belt has not yet been replaced (I planned to changed it this year).
I never changed spark plugs in this car, nor did I do any "regular" inspections expect the "necessary" ones (changing oil, repairing exhaust pipe, exchanging battery and other small stuff). Analysis of exhaust gases (its compulsitory in Germany) and function of the lambda regulation of injection and catalyzer were always fine.
Gear oil has never been changed, but I think it should not be due yet anyway.
I never ever drove with the small emergency wheel replacing one of the front wheel (which should never be done), so the differential should be still okay too.
A) Could there be some problem with ignition (because I did not change spark plugs, and they have already 100 000 km mileage)?
B) Could it be that there is some problem with the tightening mechanism (if there is any) of the toothed driving belt of the camshaft? Which somehow "disrupts" timing of valves
C) Could it be that there is somehow a problem of a "blocked" injection valve on one of the cylinders?
I had a motorbike once and my problem now reminds me somehow of ignition problems of that bike - either no carburant in one of the cylinders or no good ignition or something.
What suggestions do you have, that it could be?
My garage is a little distance away otherwise I would just drive there and show it to them.
by the way, this fiat motor has some special mechanical or electronical mechanism (I don't understand it very well) to prevent pinking - maybe this mechanism is "out of order" for one of the cylinders?
Overall power seems not to have suffered to much, the car seems to still able to reach about 160 km/h (as I have said, vibrations tend to disappear if I push it down hard) but not it is winter so I seldom to this high speeds now; fuel consumption did not increase much. There is no blue smoke out of the exhaust pipe or anything else noticeble you might imagine, and there is no oil leaking of any sort.
I drive very often in fifth gear, as I'm used to accelerating slowly and going to fifth gear rather early, at about 40 - 45 km/h . I have not yet checked or noticed wheter the problem occurs also in other gears.
Idle running is perfect (as far as I can tell without special instruments).
Many thanks for your help.
zardo
I have a Fiat Bravo 1.4 s from 1997 (Mk-1)
actual mileage: 100 000 km
since about the last 800 km, I noticed the gear shift lever started to vibrate. First, I wondered whether maybe its the tires (I recently put snow tyres on which had been balanced some year or two ago). But no, the steering wheel doesn't have any vibrations. Furthermore, the vibrations have become much stronger in the meantime, they are strongest in fifth gear between 80-110 km/h (that happens to be the speed I'm travelling at most of the time).
What's strange is this:
When I pull out the gear (moving at 100 km/h without motor power) all vibrations completely cease
When I'm in fith gear, and I don't accelerate or I only accelerate extremely moderately, there are NO vibrations. When I push down about 1/4 to 3/4, there are quite strong vibrations, which tend to disappear again when I push down very hard.
Now, I have to explain three things about my car:
I always changed oil in regular intervals, only using the best synthetic oil from Fiat garages (which cost a fortune)
The replacement of the toothed drive belt which drives the camshaft and (I believe) the waterpump, is due when mileage has reached 105 000 km, since this mileage has not yet been reached this drive belt has not yet been replaced (I planned to changed it this year).
I never changed spark plugs in this car, nor did I do any "regular" inspections expect the "necessary" ones (changing oil, repairing exhaust pipe, exchanging battery and other small stuff). Analysis of exhaust gases (its compulsitory in Germany) and function of the lambda regulation of injection and catalyzer were always fine.
Gear oil has never been changed, but I think it should not be due yet anyway.
I never ever drove with the small emergency wheel replacing one of the front wheel (which should never be done), so the differential should be still okay too.
A) Could there be some problem with ignition (because I did not change spark plugs, and they have already 100 000 km mileage)?
B) Could it be that there is some problem with the tightening mechanism (if there is any) of the toothed driving belt of the camshaft? Which somehow "disrupts" timing of valves
C) Could it be that there is somehow a problem of a "blocked" injection valve on one of the cylinders?
I had a motorbike once and my problem now reminds me somehow of ignition problems of that bike - either no carburant in one of the cylinders or no good ignition or something.
What suggestions do you have, that it could be?
My garage is a little distance away otherwise I would just drive there and show it to them.
by the way, this fiat motor has some special mechanical or electronical mechanism (I don't understand it very well) to prevent pinking - maybe this mechanism is "out of order" for one of the cylinders?
Overall power seems not to have suffered to much, the car seems to still able to reach about 160 km/h (as I have said, vibrations tend to disappear if I push it down hard) but not it is winter so I seldom to this high speeds now; fuel consumption did not increase much. There is no blue smoke out of the exhaust pipe or anything else noticeble you might imagine, and there is no oil leaking of any sort.
I drive very often in fifth gear, as I'm used to accelerating slowly and going to fifth gear rather early, at about 40 - 45 km/h . I have not yet checked or noticed wheter the problem occurs also in other gears.
Idle running is perfect (as far as I can tell without special instruments).
Many thanks for your help.
zardo