Vibration help
 

I need a little technical guidance here. About a week ago my car started to vibrate heavily, starting at about 60mph, much like an unbalanced tire. The vibration was present only under load. I do not feel it in the steering wheel, but definitely through the gas pedal

If I let off the gas, the vibration went away.
If I shifted into neutral, the vibration went away. Shifting back into drive, the vibration did not come back until I applied the gas again.

Car idles smoothly, no shifting problems through the gears. Tranny fluid is only 1000 miles old, pink and clean. No odd noises.

(I think "she" may be jealous of the fact that I am going to buy a Polo Green 96 with 46,000 miles this weekend. I never mentioned this in "her" presence, so she must be psychic as well.)

Once its fixed, the infamous svxcess alcyone pearlie will probably be sold. I will give club members here the first opportunity

Front axles. CV joints are bad. Do your axles go snap crackle pop when turning tightly and accelerating?

I had the same problem. Put four people in the car and try going up a steep hill. That will really load up the joints.

But It could be something else as I remember I felt in the steering wheel. Gas pedal vibration seems odd. Not the floor eh? But the gas pedal. Something is shaking the engine.

Could it be motor mounts? Just wondering. I would think, though, that mounts would give a clunk on standing start. I was also thinking axles or axle bearing. Drive shaft (propeller shaft, or shaft bearing?) Just thinking out loud.

Gas pedal ansd possibly the floor is where the vibration seems to originate from. As I said, no shaking through the wheel as in a bad balancing or alignment problem. Reminds me of the same vibration the pearlies at Snowshoe II had on that hill.

The CV joints are good and the boots as well. No odd noises on turning, etc. Seems to show up when the car is up to about 60mph moving in a straight line.. Around town at lower speeds the vibration is minimal at best.

Engine runs smooth. I even had someone rev the engine while I watched it under the hood. No shifting of position.

I just for the first time realized you have 171k on your car. After seeing it in person I figured it had less than 40k on it. Whoever buys it is getting the deal of a lifetime. I wish I had some extra money laying around.

Check the center bearing on the tail shaft, It can produce that type of vibration.

Harvey.;)

OK, John, the car's obviously on its deathbed. Lucky for you, I'm generous & will offer 15 hunnert bucks for it.

Seriously - did you take it by Heritage, or any other professional opinion yet?

Ron.

John,

The vibration on my '92 starts at about 65-68 mph. I think I threw a wheel weight on the day I brought the car in for the left front axle. This Sat morn. I'll try to get the wheels spin balanced.
My problem is that I have no time. I leave the house at 5:30 AM, get into work at 6:15 AM, and arrive home at 6:30 PM. That only leaves Sat. & Sun. This working for a living is begining to get old rather quickly. It's definitely interferring with my personal & SVX time.

Is it possible your throttle cable is loose?

Hi Harvey,

Is it the floor that vibrates around the gas pedal?

John,

It is possible with the age and miles that you have sheared a rubber tranny insulation mount. If one of these is loose, one side only, torque reaction under load may be getting the prop out of line and causing your vibration.

Check those mounts.

Joe

starting at about 60mph, much like an unbalanced tire.
 

I too have this odd noise at around 60 mph, and up.
However for me it started after I slid into a curb sideways;
I've been told it was the tire: it wasn't. I've been told the wheel bearings: it isn't. I've changed the struts, (where I acquired a new noise...kind of like a thumping) the strut mounts, (didn't do a thing) and am presently waiting on new springs. My mechanic can do my struts blindfolded....the axles, CV joints, boots, etc. are all fine; but get this: switching the wheels front to back slightly alters the sound- leading me to believe the rim is damaged in some way that spin balancing can't help. Anybody lose the sound when installing new wheels? And if so, PLEASE tell me what brand, size, cost was, etc.!
TIA,
Tim
Otherwise mint '92 LS-L
128K

John-

My car had almost the exact same symptoms. Tried having the wheels balanced a couple times to no avail. Crawled under the car and found a blown p.s. CV boot. Replaced the CV axle and the problem went away.

I have a set of wheels and tires you can borrow if you want to see if that makes any difference.

I might like to have a shot at the car if you do decide to sell it, but don't you really think you need to have two of them?

:D :D :D

I have driven the car about a 1000 miles now and the problem still exists. It appears to be reduced after about 50 miles of driving, but the vibration up to that is not comfortable.
Both my brother and myself are ex-mechanics and we both believe it to be CV joints. But we also agree that the transmission can also produce this same effect. But I'd rather start changing CV's first.

To try and isolate the problem I inserted the FWD fuse, in nuetral while car was still running, then drove on. This either made it worse, or was the same, can't tell. But I'm not sure I did this right.

I'm going to take it to a Subaru Dealer nearby( Dan Wolf Subaru in Elmhurst) tomorrow, see if they can find something now that I have added a few more miles.

Tranny mount?? But it in drive then pop it into reverse while stoped and see if you hear a thump. Mine is going and it causes some odd shakes at higher speeds. Puting it into neutral always stops the vibration. This may be your problem but i wouldnt bet on it, but that is how mine was when it first started to happen...