Vibration Update

Jim Knight

Jim Knight

Active LVC Member
Joined
Aug 18, 2017
Messages
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Location
North Haven, CT
Alas, I'm in a profound quandry . . . so the bard said.

My '97 Mk Base has a serious vibration issue. I just had the harmonic balancer replaced, it seems even worse. From 700-1000 rpm it feels like I'm holding a hand sander. In addition, the idling pulses, like a heartbeat -- up a few rpm, then settles -- up a few rpm, then settles. Plus, it just recently manifested a faint drum-like sound. I thought it might be the front brakes, but the drumming continues after I apply them. HOWEVER, the very faint drumming goes away when I lightly apply the accelerator. I'm thinking faulty balancer? I know my left engine mount is history, but, would that manifest in a pulse like I have? I've been trying to diagnose and fix this vibration issue for forever -- anyone got any ideas . . . ? I just dumped a ton of $$$ into my beast for a lot of other sh**, and this is the final straw. Other wise, it's now nearly close to perfect. I mean, it's my car... my MK . . . ya know . . . ?
 
All boots and coils good?
Leakdown test?
A dead cylinder from a bad boot or oil on boot can shake bad and change with rpm
 
UPDATE! Ok, here is the ultimate diagnosis.
Vibration: motor mounts. Engine nearly lept out of the car. Mounts were Absolute history.
Thump: bronze bushing seal at rear of tranny. Getting fixed now, promised to be done by tomorrow.
So, since cross bar has to be dropped, said to replace oil pan seal and oil filter adapter gasket, plus air suspension compressor gaskets -- they were gone, too. Sounded like a roll on a snare drum.

Ill let you know the final when all is said and done.
 
Well, after a complete front and rear end overall; new motor, tranny, air compressor, and differential mounts, the beast rides and drives like brand new - which, for all intents and purposes, it is. Just drove from New Haven, CT to Salt Lake City, UT, and what a driver's dream of a trip it was.
 
Wow, that's great-
I love taking long trips in my cars (more than 1000 miles),it really tests you as man and machine-to go through what you did and have a long trip like that, you really deserve congratulations, nice!
 
mikemark8 said:
Wow, that's great-
I love taking long trips in my cars (more than 1000 miles),it really tests you as man and machine-to go through what you did and have a long trip like that, you really deserve congratulations, nice!
Click to expand...
Wow. Gee. Thanks.
 
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