General Suggestions On Old Topics...

[Illuminator]

Sorry to rehash a lot of the same that's been covered already, but needing some guidance on a few of many issues still needing attention on my 89'. First off is the drive line vibration. I have followed many threads with different outcomes, or lack of thereof... and would appreciate some starting points without ripping car apart from end to end in the process. I'm getting a gyrating vibration, that seems to be inconsistent depending on what day it is. It starts around the high 2k range and seems to progress through 3k and up getting worse, but like I said not always consistently. You can feel the oscillations through the shifter rather intensely at higher r's shifting, both under power and deceleration... makes for lousy highway driving with the 4.10's to say the least. Replaced the trans mount, checked u-joints, and starting to think it's centralized in the trans or clutch as I'm sure if the tailshaft were bent it would destroy the seal and leak seeing as how badly the vibe can get. So starting to think clutch, but wouldn't issues with pressure plate and/or disk pretty much also show major slippage and erratic shifting issues? Just wondering if anyone had any ideas that could help save me tearing entire driveline out and replacing pieces at random. I'm certain it's isolated between engine and trans somewhere. Sort of feels like a pressure plate with missing bolt heads almost, but not sure if it would even shift if that were the case. Also having issues regarding ignition switch. Replaced not all that long ago, but it seems theres something not adjusted properly or perhaps bad contacts somewhere. I get a gnashing noise every time I start the car that almost sounds like the starter is not disengaging soon enough, also the switch detents seem weak at best and takes a little wiggling to get the key position in the right spot to avoid kill etc.... It was working fine for quite awhile, but I remember when I first replaced it was giving some headaches with movement after setting etc(and this is the 2nd time replacing). Another not so critical issue is after fixing the numerous wiring issues and replacing computer, the CEL has not lit for quite some time. Today was the 1st trip on freeway as I drove it to work, all other driving has been in town. Halfway to work(25 mi trip) on comes the light just like in the past when I had the wiring issues (inc. a bad ground in the A9L)....replaced and traced all wiring problems and repaired(per Jrickters diags), hoping this issue was over, but here we go again. Frustrating because I need the car atm for DD duty...


Thanks for any suggestions...

 

[Illuminator]

Well that didn't go as planned....lol OK, next issue, where to check first for blinker not working on one side with bulbs all working??

 

[Bullitt347]

U-joints bad...............need to pull driveshaft to inspect the u-joints properly. I have had a u-joint feel fine in the car but once the driveshaft is out it was obvious that the joint was bad. Also check pinion angle. As far as the blinkers go..................check blinker fluid level J/K..............a bad flasher can cause one side to work and not the other.

 

[Illuminator]

Thanks....sounds like a plan... makes life much easier. I was talking to a friend last night thats pretty sharp with cars, and he mentioned something I considered a good possibility as well, the input shaft and/or bearing... guess if the joints look ok then that would be the next thing to check.

 

[Illuminator]

Did the U-joints, lost half of the vibration, but still have the ocillating vibe at around 70-75mph+ I'm positive its the rear disk rotors which PO hacked onto vehicle with 4-lug/5-hole creation....just ordered some new ones from Breeze and see if that cures it. With car on stands I can see the wheels start to run out badly in 5th gear around 2500rpm...... feels like the whole car is going to shake apart when on the freeway, yet somewhat subtle, still feels like a lot of wear being induced.

As a sidenote I consulted with Richard Oben of Northracecars and he validated my concerns with the PO's hack job. Guess they didn't do their research too well prior to throwing everything together. I replaced most of the stuff (sans rotors)awhile back and just replaced calipers when I did the U-joints, tried to have rotors turned but no one would touch them with the 5-hole redrilling. Hope this cures my problem, if not I may go to the later model setup with larger rotor, or just hold out and go with Wilwood setup and have no problems...lol

 

[MikeH686]

Yeah if he re drilled a four lug rotor to five lug and it was absolutely perfectly centered all its gonna do is wobble and it could just be something small as have vibrations you feel to tapping the caliper or even gouging the caliper every time it hits it

 

[Illuminator]

Yeah if he re drilled a four lug rotor to five lug and it was absolutely perfectly centered all its gonna do is wobble and it could just be something small as have vibrations you feel to tapping the caliper or even gouging the caliper every time it hits it

It definately feels like a run-out issue....and the center hub on old rotors was massacred by PO so its not even registering on the axle as it should....the guy from Northracecars told me that the rotors most likely were not even the correct ones for the conversion. The new ones I ordered are actually 4-5 converted as well but are machined not hand drilled, and they look like they came from a solid pc of material vs a machined casting/forging.... will update what happens when they get here next week....another week of driving to work with the shakes is getting old...

so how's your car coming along? I'm still waiting on IRS and return stalled since Jan...ugh...just forked out around 2k to get car regged/smogged/insured...

 

[S&B]

jack your car up in the back take the tires off run it in gear up to speed while on jack stands see if you feel the vibration. If you do its in the drive line, if not then bolt the tires on on and see what happens with that. this way you can take the ballance of your wheels and tires out of the equation

 

[Illuminator]

Did that...with rear rotors off....and and only thing I noticed was strange sounds from the trans area in 5th gear at higher rpms....tires, wheels and rotors on there is a distinctive vibration

 

[Illuminator]

I'm thinking of draining the T5 this weekend and replacing the lube...what's everyone recommend for this in a high power application? I see they recommend Mercron ATF from the factory, but I'm use to the old school TopLoaders and gear oil...typically I use to use RedLine Synthetic in mine...any suggestions?

 

[MikeH686]

Just use what the factory recommends its what I'm using in my t5

 

[Gearbanger 101]

Sounds like it's time for the old "hose clamp on the driveshaft" balance trick. These driveshafts are notorious for being a little "off" at times.

I'm having the same driveline vibration problems and this will be my next step. Hard throttle blasts have my rear view mirror shaking so bad, I can't make out anything in the background.

 

[Illuminator]

Sounds like it's time for the old "hose clamp on the driveshaft" balance trick. These driveshafts are notorious for being a little "off" at times.

I'm having the same driveline vibration problems and this will be my next step. Hard throttle blasts have my rear view mirror shaking so bad, I can't make out anything in the background.

Yeah after replacing the rotors the vibe isn't quite as bad but its still there. Worse off it looks like my axle bearings are on their way out again on the passenger side....this will be the 4th time since I got the car around 8 yrs ago. Mind you the car was undriven for years. I think I've pretty much isolated to 1 of 3 things now.... rearend/axle tube issue, trans, or driveshaft....still feels a little too mechanical to be just tires and wheels...its real bad after winding through the gears pegging the tach....my shifter knob actually comes off(spins loose). Need to blue lock tite it on. Mine is so bad that after you get out of the car you have to practically run to the restroom because the shaking pretty much settles everything in your body.........So what's the trick with the hose clamp Gearbanger??

 

[Gearbanger 101]

So what's the trick with the hose clamp Gearbanger??

Get yourself a cheap dial indicator, crawl under the car, secure it somehow to the body or a piece of flat bar (or the like) where you can get the contact point of the plunger lined up to run on the outside edge of the driveshaft, then turn the back wheels to rotate the shaft. Most likely you'll have a high spot in the shaft. This is of course assuming your U-joints are in good shape. In a pinch a piece of chalk or really anything that will make a mark on the shaft will do to find the high spot. Experiment at the yolk end, center and pinion end to see if it's consistent and where the highest differentiation is. Attach a hose clamp to the shaft with the screw end 180-degrees of the high spot. This should act as a counter balance to the offset. Take it out for a drive and see if it smooth's out the vibration. If it improves, you're on the right track. Add another clamp next to the first one in the same position to see if it improves further. You may need to rotate the clamps in opposite direction in small increments to get it perfect. This is of course assuming there are not drastic bends, dents or damage to the shaft.

I've done this on a few vehicles with great success in the past. I'll probably do it to this one too then next time I'm under the car. Some driveshaft's can be too far gone for this trick to work, but it won't cost you more than about $1 and a little time to try.

Before you do anything though, remove the drive shaft bolts from the pinion end (4X12mm 12-point) and clock the driveshaft 180-degree's, tighten it up again and take it for a ride and see how it feels. This sometimes helps.

 

[Strype]

I'm getting a gyrating vibration, that seems to be inconsistent depending on what day it is.

Were you once femal... NO DEMONS! MUST RESIST!

I'm getting a gyrating vibration, that seems to be inconsistent depending on what day it is. It starts around the high 2k range and seems to progress through 3k and up getting worse, but like I said not always consistently. You can feel the oscillations through the shifter rather intensely at higher r's shifting, both under power and deceleration... makes for lousy highway driving with the 4.10's to say the least. Replaced the trans mount, checked u-joints, and starting to think it's centralized in the trans or clutch as I'm sure if the tailshaft were bent it would destroy the seal and leak seeing as how badly the vibe can get.

Hmm... Did you downshift at a really high rpm into the wrong gear? Like 5th to 2nd?

 

[Illuminator]

Were you once femal... NO DEMONS! MUST RESIST!




Hmm... Did you downshift at a really high rpm into the wrong gear? Like 5th to 2nd?

seem to hit 3rd instead of 5th a lot, otherwise no.... when I have the funds just going to start replacing everything because the PO did a lot of half assed mods and chasing them all down has gotten to be a major burden, and time consuming. Easier just to replace stuff and do it right then try to figure out how deep a pile of **** I have to wade through to fix things..

 

[Illuminator]

Has anyone had one of the Equus digital code readers not be able to do the KOER test before?? Mine won't, and I don't have any idea what the issue is....just sits on the screen with 000 or whatever and no square box appears. Engine off test works ok... getting a wide range of codes once again, and just finished squaring all these up recently, now many of the same (egr and fuel pump circuit issue) happening all over again. I have replaced the EGR twice now in just a few years, would I not be better off just to get rid of it and live with the diminished highway mileage? Anyone used one of those plugs for the wiring to keep the cel from going off after removal? I reset the computer to see if perhaps they were old codes from before I swapped the new one in and fixed the wiring problems....Also was getting O2 codes which I never have gotten before. that and a ecm code, don't have the list handy right now but will post later. Just replaced the computer recently as well, and isolated and repaired a few wiring gremlins... I can't seem to fix things fast enough, about ready to stip the car down and start from scratch as most of the problems transfered over from PO....since I need the car at the moment for DD duty don't really have the time to mess with it all that much.