Venture front end vibration?
VentureBoy
01-30-2012, 01:17 PM
Hi all. I have a Venture with a steadily-worsening vibration problem which is always worse at the front passenger side. The vibration is not the growly rumble I remember from the bad bearings I replaced 3 years ago. It's more like the thudding feel of an out-of-balance tire, but the tires are relatively new and have been rotated and balanced since purchase and since I noticed the problem. The vibration shows mainly from 45-55 mph, but not if coasting. It's only when the engine is under load that I feel it. It occurs when the gear select is in D or 3. At any other speed it is not as bad, but if I get on the gas, the vibration becomes worse. Revving the engine in park or neutral reveals no abnormal vibration.
I jacked up the van and rotated the tires again and checked for any play in the bearings or loose mounting bolts - nothing obvious there. I did notice on the passenger side of the engine, around the inboard CV joint, a spray of thick axle/moly grease, like one would find inside a CV boot, as if the boot has a small hole in it, but the CV joint does not grind or make any typical noise on sharp turn.
My list of guesses include: motor mounts, tranny mounts, bad bearing/hub, bad half shaft/CV joint, tranny going bad, bad bearing in engine.
History/details:
2004 Venture LS long wheelbase. 160,000 miles. Goodyear Viva 2 tires. Front bearings have been replaced as a set once, driver side again since then, when the ABS sensor went bad. Sometimes when I put it into drive and turn sharply to the left, traction control turns on momentarily. The tranny has begun to slip and grab on a coast-to-stop followed by sudden acceleration.
I jacked up the van and rotated the tires again and checked for any play in the bearings or loose mounting bolts - nothing obvious there. I did notice on the passenger side of the engine, around the inboard CV joint, a spray of thick axle/moly grease, like one would find inside a CV boot, as if the boot has a small hole in it, but the CV joint does not grind or make any typical noise on sharp turn.
My list of guesses include: motor mounts, tranny mounts, bad bearing/hub, bad half shaft/CV joint, tranny going bad, bad bearing in engine.
History/details:
2004 Venture LS long wheelbase. 160,000 miles. Goodyear Viva 2 tires. Front bearings have been replaced as a set once, driver side again since then, when the ABS sensor went bad. Sometimes when I put it into drive and turn sharply to the left, traction control turns on momentarily. The tranny has begun to slip and grab on a coast-to-stop followed by sudden acceleration.
gmtech1
01-30-2012, 01:45 PM
I think you may have a couple of things...worn axle shaft(s) causing the vibration and worn eng/trans mounts transmitting the vibration. The mount on the R/F, by the oil pan, crank pully, is bad for collapsing and causing noises.
VentureBoy
01-30-2012, 02:09 PM
I think you may have a couple of things...worn axle shaft(s) causing the vibration and worn eng/trans mounts transmitting the vibration. The mount on the R/F, by the oil pan, crank pully, is bad for collapsing and causing noises.
Is that motor mount the one that looks like this?
44984
Is that motor mount the one that looks like this?
44984
gmtech1
01-30-2012, 05:45 PM
yes
VentureBoy
01-31-2012, 12:48 PM
yes
Thanks for the input. I will likely start with the CV shaft and see how much improvement I see before considering the mount.
Thanks for the input. I will likely start with the CV shaft and see how much improvement I see before considering the mount.
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