The hits just keep on coming...(a little long)
 

To add to the sheer beauty of Wednesday's 0 degree temperature at 5:30 in the morning, the car decided to have a little fun with me. As I'm driving to work, I feel an odd shift. I figured it was just 4th gear kicking in. However, about a 1/2 mile later the rev's start climbing and I start slowing down. :eek: You know that sinking feeling? Yes, so I pull into a parking lot and shut her down as quick as possible, grab the flashlight and pop the hood.... Fluid everywhere in the engine compartment. The line coming out of the transmission popped out of the rubber hose and spewed its guts....Needless to say I was now stuck, in the pitch black freezing cold. So I call AAA and they take 2 1/2 hours to pick me up. Ugh. Once I got home the fix was easy. A new hose clamp and some more fluid. I filled her back up and all was well. Thankfully it was so cold out I didn't destroy anything...I think...Here comes the question: When I got in my car this morning to go to my second job (it had already been driven and warmed up once) there was a hell of a lot of vibration. Felt like the engine was shimmying all around. So I let it warm up again and the vibration settled, but its still there. And now there is also a front to back "shimmy" when I accelerate from a stop. Think this has anything to do with Wednesday's events? Looking under the hood the engine seems to be moving a bit more than before at ilde...almost rocking. Anyone have thoughts? What I shoudl take a look at? Thanks for reading, and as always, all help is appreciated. :cool:

Mike,

Depends what you mean by "shimmy"

One thing you ought to check. There is a rubber block mount at the back of the tranny. It's a kind of an isolator block.

This thing can break. It tends to shear, and sit there looking like it was all right, but moves under torque load.

What I'm suggesting is, if this part was already broken, then your leaking tranny fluid may have flowed back there and into the shear layer, with the result that it now has lost even the grip that the rubber-rubber surface was giving you.

Could be totally wrong, but it is worth checking out. [along with all the rest of your engine mounts while it is up on the ramp.]

Joe:)

By shimmy I mean a forward and reverese shudder rather than a left right shudder...It rocks you back anf forth in the seat...Make sense? It definately feels like something is off balance in the engine....Could a misfire cause that kind of vibration? I think its odd that it just happened suddenly after it had been parked for a few hours...Hmm. Although your theory about the mount seems like a good start. Is it a pain to replace? Thanks again:D

most likely there is snow and ice packed on your tires/in your rims. check that and clean it out
phil

But how would that account for the shudder at a stoplight?:confused: It's not bad once I'm moving, but at a stop and light acceleration theres definately something nutty going on....I will check the tires anyway though, thanks.

That's a very good point Phil.

Mike, check inside the rims, they can hold a lot of rubbish and slush.

Also, yes, if you are misfiring, it could cause a lot of vibration.

Joe

Will do. I also noticed the car sounds different, I think I forgot to mention that initially...it sounds a lot deeper, noticibly(sp?) deeper...which made me think misfire...I'm out of work soon, I'll report again after the drive home