1 Stout Z

iTrader: (1)

I have been having the same vibration for over 6 months and I am getting tired of guessing what it is. This vibration has stayed the same and not gotten any worse or better. I thought it was the rearend because the last time I was at the track my car was doing the one wheel wonder in the burnout box with E.T. streets and soon after that(week to 2 weeks) I went to another track about 3 hours away and on the way back on the interstate I started getting this bad vibration that shook the whole car. I got home and could have bet my house that I had broke the rearend that time at the track(spinning with a 1.77 60') and had just then reared it's ugly head but I have been driving it for the past 6 months(hoping to save up the money for a 12 bolt) and it has not went out or gotten worse!? It starts at a low rpm and can't really tell whether it is rpm or speed related but you can tell a difference the faster you get. One thing that gets me is that if you put the car in drive, you can definatly tell the vibration is there in first, second, and third but if you put the shifter in overdrive it tones it wayyyy down. Sometimes it is real noticabe, sometimes you really can't tell it is there unless you really pay attention. It feels like it is coming from the rear but can't tell for sure. Maybe tranny? Mount? Something I am not thinking of? This is the easiest way I can think to explain it without somebody riding in it or talking to somebody; 30mph= wrrr.....wrrr.....wrrr.....wrrr
40mph= wrrr...wrrr...wrrr...wrrr...wrrr...wrrr

I would have thought that if it was something really bad in the rearend it would have went by now but so far so good. There was no whining from the rearend so I don't think it is the gears, I thought that if it had broken a spider gear and had chunks laying in the bottom of the rearend, it would have picked them up by now and locked up the rearend. This is not like a clunking, more like a shuddering vibration. I am really getting sick of it.

Do you know what it is like not to be able to go WOT for over 6 months!?!?! I am going crazy here!! But I do not want to replace every single thing in the chassis to find out it was one thing. I am not rich and cannot afford to buy a 12 bolt and a tranny and a new converter and such and such. So if I(or all of you) could narrow it down to something, that would be much better.

Should I just take it somewhere like a tranny shop and have it put up on a lift and see if I can see what is making the vibration?

All my mods are in the sig.

Help me out here guys, I am having withdrawels here. <img border="0" alt="[cry]" title="" src="graemlins/gr_cry.gif" />

wrencher

iTrader: (2)

I'd bet it's in the rear. Put it on jack stands & listen to it while running.

onfire

iTrader: (17)

Good luck with the vib...could it be the lockup clutch going bad in the Yank Con? Who's the best hipo trans shop in the Tri-Cities area....I may buy a t400 for a swap??????

badazz99ta

iTrader: (13)

what i can understand from reading about your problems, it sounds like the same thing that was going wrong with my 99 A4 ta. it sounded like it was coming from the back, so i took it to the dealership. it ended up that my bearings in the rearend went out or something like that. but i drove it for a couple months before getting it checked out. i think that may be what it might be. if its not that, the next thing that pops into my mind is your converter, it may be going out. hope it helps.

1 Stout Z

iTrader: (1)

Onfire-I couldn't tell you what the name of a good hipo performance tranny shop is around here because they all change there names about every 6 months. The place that installed my converter has changed names three times since. Wait..there is a shop that installed a buddy of mines(probably know him, red ram air TA that runs at Bristol with yellow lettering) converter called Top End Performance in Kingsport. He said they were a small shop but knew there stuff. I can get ahold of them and find out if you want me to. Let me know.

I thought from the begining that it might be a bearing in the rearend for the simple fact that my pinion seal had been leaking but if that was the case, wouldn't the bearing have failed by now? How can you tell if the converter is going out without pulling it??

onfire

iTrader: (17)

After I reread your post....a whr,whr,whr sound sounds like a bad pinion bearing....I had one go bad in a new Tahoe and it did the same thing...you might be able to hear it on a lift...Thanks for the heads up on Top End. I'll give'em a call.

Dustin Butts

iTrader: (5)

Wait a minute...you said the vibe gets better when you put the trans in overdrive..right?
Well then it almost has to be an engine or trans related problem. Putting the car into overdrive only slows the engine and trans speed. The rearend and driveshaft are continuing to spin at the same rpm. Get the car on to the highway and get up to a good "vibration" speed and then shift into neutral. If it still vibrates the same in neutral then it could be driveshaft, rearend or tires/wheels. If the vibration almost immediately stops(when shifted to neutral) then it must be either engine or trans related.

Jon Green

Just a shot but you may what to look at the universal joints my 4x4 did the same thing when the joints would go bad…….

badazz99ta

iTrader: (13)

allright, heres what you do, if there is a dealership near you, take it to the mechanic shop and let them drive it while you are in there. so that you can tell them what the deal is and how to make it do the vibration. if you dont want to do that because you think it may void the warranty or something like that, then just take it to a good mechanic and go for a drive with him. trust me, one of them will no what the problem is.

Hunter98TA

I agree with Jon Green. Are the U-Joints in good condition? If you grab the drivshaft and wiggle up and down(not twist it) it, it should not move. If it does, watch the U-Joints as you do it. If one of the roller bearings is shot, it will not allow the free movment of the U's, causeing the DS to not spin smoothly.
My S-10 had the same type of noise you describe. When I installed new U's, problem went away.
My $.10 (inflation)
matt sr.