crAzy95Z28

iTrader: (3)

My buddy has a 2000 v6 3.8L Manual and is having a really bad shaking problem in the motor. The whole motor shakes badly. There are no misses in the ignition or anything, but thinking the harmonic balancer some how is out of wack. Would that cause it to shake really bad? When looking at the front of the motor. It shakes a good 1"-2" back and forth. I don't think it could be the motor mounts do ya?


Anyways i know i won't get many responses on here than i would with a mustang forum, but i don't feel the need to sign up for a mustang forum. No hate or anything. Hopefully someone here might have an idea with this type of car. Thanks for reading.

nite ryder

iTrader: (-2)

does it smooth out once you are moving? could be motor mounts or tranny mount. dont know much about mustangs but my .02

redz_02

iTrader: (4)

Can you move it easily. Might check the mounts, make sure it is tightened down. If the balancer was loose, you would have alot more problems. It is built into the crank pully so he would be throwing belts.

Might also check the tranny mount. How does it run when driving?

lo_jack

iTrader: (27)

So is it running right and the motor shakes excessively, or is it running poorly on top of shaking? It's easy to tell motor mounts from ignition problems...it just doesn't run right.

crAzy95Z28

iTrader: (3)

The vibration becomes faster, but doesn't really smooth out. I just went to shake the engine by hand and it seemed nice and firm.

crAzy95Z28

iTrader: (3)

It runs great with a wobble. This is a two piece harmonic balancer with vulcanized rubber between the two pieces. I think the rubber may have spun or stretched which is causing the out of balance.

lo_jack

iTrader: (27)

I would still think ignition. You won't likely get a CEL on ignition problems and it will just run badly.

EDIT if it runs great, then I guess something else physical and your intuition is probably right.

The mounts could be junked and still feel ok with just you pushing on them. Perhaps the bolts are loose? I have a loose motor mount and it does thrash nominally at idle but its fine on the road.

1_fast_gto

iTrader: (1)

wtf? they have ignition control circuit codes and misfire codes and both of those would set a check engine light lol, sounds like a mount issue though.

transam5.7lt1

iTrader: (18)

I'll say motor and tranny mounts.....

SleeperZzZ28

iTrader: (9)

im going with mounts as well. You would have other issues if it was the balancer

Palomba

iTrader: (1)

sure its the engine and not the drive shaft or anything else? My bent drive shaft made me and a mechanic think it was something else for the longest time.

lo_jack

iTrader: (27)

Yes they do. But no car I have ever had will throw codes on bad coil, loose plug, bad plug, burnt wire, or bad engine ground, including my ford V6 and GM v6.

If it runs fine, and shakes at idle, it's probably not those.

slick red z

iTrader: (3)

I had the same problem with my mustang and it ended up being the balancer

_Zac

iTrader: (1)

Wait a second, WAIT A F'n SECOND???

This isn't a mustang site?

DAVE00

iTrader: (10)

Check for spark on all the plugs as the same thing happened to a buddies 99 f150 4.2 V6 truck when we replaced the spark plugs a couple of weeks ago. Turned out to be a misfire and one of the new plugs failed. Once we replaced it the motor ran smooth as glass and no vibration.

crAzy95Z28

iTrader: (3)

Its not a ignition problem. The exhaust sounds fine and no misses when running. Just a very bad shake.

DAVE00

iTrader: (10)

Understand, but on his truck I wasn't really sure it was a miss as the truck ran good (just bad vibration) and it sounded smooth as well (idled good also). Honestly, I have had a miss on my car before and you could tell but we really thought it was a tranny mount at first. Just telling you to check as when I pulled the bad plug and laid it on the manifold (plugged in and the old spark plug put back in the motor to seal the cylinder) it was getting no spark to that plug - clearly seen by no arc. The symptoms sound exactly the same as what we saw, so thought I'd chime in.

BTW - it is OBDII and no codes were thrown for misfire as well.

Strange as on my 2000 silverado I got an SES light once for a misfiring plug.

01SOM

iTrader: (1)

My roomates mustang did that for a while.. After tearing the motor apart we found nothing.. Looked at the cheap *** balancer and it was cracked.. Check it out.. Doesn't take long.. Worth a shot..