Got a real brain twister of a problem for you guys

Hi ho! It's me...the damsel in distress. I've got a problem that's about two years in the making. got a 94 cavi that vibrates when it idles. REALLY vibrates. Slight vibration in reverse. Nice little butt massage, but it's loosened some of the interior stuff. My mechanics are calling it Riplies believe it or not mystery because they've never been able to figure it out. THey've gone through the standard stuff like changing hte plugs, changing filters & fluids...etc. Theyv'e finally resorted to simply adjusting hte motor mounts to get the least vibration possible. It's not nearly as bad as it used to be, but it's still there, waiting to get worse like it alwyas has. I was in a fender-bender about three or four years ago which required a new headlight and hood...nothing else. And I had to replace the trasmition about two years ago. Dunno if that'll give you any data to go off of.

Oh and another thing...very minor. I can never seem to get the inside of my windshield clean. Ten paper towels later, it's still all streaks and smudges. And it's always covered in what looks like soot or oil when I clean it. Rags and towels come off black. It's pretty minor...until the glare hits it.

I'll take 1st crack at this one...lol

Misaligned; or screwed up Torque Converter install. Misaligned Transmission Mounts. Needs brand new Motor Mounts installed by a brand new mech. Any good mech should have solved this problem long ago......(unless or course the mech is your husband...lol) which in any case make the job impossible to repair and requires a new 2005 Cavalier to be purchased w full options package.

Or

Turn down the stereo.

Tookie

ps: wonder if anyone will notice...heh heh

Tookie

Odd question and all but do you smoke? If so, thats the problem with your windshield. Its from all the tar and the nicotine(sp) clinging to the glass and creating a tarred over effect. Use alcahol wipes to clean your windshield and that should do the trick. I know it does for me.

Here is a funny car smoker thing. I just bought one of those visor CD holders and after about 2 weeks being up there all the cds are brown where they stick out of the holders. See tar from the smoke going clear to clear just creates a wacky foggy effect but on anything light colored it will turn it from yellow to brown.

Just reminds me I need to quit really. :lol2:

Odd question and all but do you smoke?

No indeed...I do not smoke. Granted, I am blonde, but I think I would have figured it out if I smoked, that it might just leave black residue on my glass. ;) However, I believe my car may be crackin the gonge while i'm not looking. Mebbe that's why it's vibrating. Needs a fix.

I'll take 1st crack at this one...lol

Misaligned; or screwed up Torque Converter install. Misaligned Transmission Mounts. Needs brand new Motor Mounts installed by a brand new mech. Any good mech should have solved this problem long ago......(unless or course the mech is your husband...lol) which in any case make the job impossible to repair and requires a new 2005 Cavalier to be purchased w full options package.

Or

Turn down the stereo.

Tookie

Oh hun, don't I wish! I can't talk about new cars because I AM GRATEFUL for this one...Grateful I tell you!!!! And actually, my mechanic does a smashing job on the rest of my fam members' cars, and mine too. Except for this. And if I'm not mistaken, the motor mounts are new. I'll have to double check this tho. And my stereo...doesn't have any bass yet. Although those tweeters man, you gotta watch out for those tweeters. They'll blast your car wide open. Ridin down the road like a pee-ump with a Twee deet dee da dee dee deet! SEXAAAAYYY! Watch out boys. I'm outta control!

:eek7: wow....thats all I have to say is wow

I am going to go with the absolute easiest thing ever. Try pouring that gas line cleaner into your gas tank lol.
hey it may just work...

:eek7: wow....thats all I have to say is wow

You know you've reached a very sad place socially when the guy named "psycho" is floored by your inane quips. :screwy:

so...check the motor mounts and clean the gas line.

I have hope that Ockham's razor will be bourne out.

:eek7: wow....thats all I have to say is wow

You know you've reached a very sad place socially when the guy named "psycho" is floored by your inane quips. :screwy:

Yes, Monsieur Tookie, the motor mounts are indeed new, so that rules out that option.

so...now to clean the gas line, tho it definately doesn't seem like a engine performance issue

I hope that Ockham's razor will be bourne out. That would be wonderful.

yea. i dont know, you said youve tried everything else.... just go out to a gas station and get that heavy duty fuel line cleaner that you put into the gas tank when you fill up.

You know you've reached a very sad place socially when the guy named "psycho" is floored by your inane quips. :screwy:

Ive never seen anyone actually type hyper. And what does my nick psycho have to do with anything? It doesnt mean Im some wild and crazy guy. Its a name given to me by my buddies because I would cut the throat of my own brother if he looked at me funny. But Im really a nice guy once you get to know me. :lol2:

[QUOTE=PsychoJJ]Ive never seen anyone actually type hyper. QUOTE]

Did I type hyper?

Anywayz...

BOYS!!! Fix my car! I expect miracles!

And if there are any WOMEN that would like to respond, that would be lovely too. But none yet...

I will accept miraculous car fixing from any gender, race or species.

[QUOTE=PsychoJJ]Ive never seen anyone actually type hyper. QUOTE]

Did I type hyper?

Anywayz...

BOYS!!! Fix my car! I expect miracles!

And if there are any WOMEN that would like to respond, that would be lovely too. But none yet...

I will accept miraculous car fixing from any gender, race or species.

Occams Razor it is then. Might the exhaust anti-vibration mounts be worn and transferring vibration to the body? I can think of nothing simpler.
How bout' more data? Type of vibe, idle rpms, mitigating incidents. Occam expects the data to be stripped of any other possibly unrelated issues, like sooty windows...lol
Thats another issue.

I'm permitted just one miracle a week now.


Tookie

I'm permitted just one miracle a week now.


Tookie

Only one? Drat. I dunno about hte rpm's...perhaps you could direct me as to how I might go about retrieving said data. Yes, there was one mitigating accident, but I only had to replace the hood and the left headlight. Nothing internal. I replaced the transmition about two years ago. Got a rebuilt one from the junkyard. It vibrates like a disel engine on speed. That's all I got.

Only one? Drat. I dunno about hte rpm's...perhaps you could direct me as to how I might go about retrieving said data.

When the car start vibrating look at your tach.

The gauge on the right being the tach of course.

http://www.matrixracing.com/images/items-large/EGCC9599TM.gif

okay i just have to find out a few things. you said it rough idles, and it shakes when in reverse, does it do this when in drive as well? is it hard to accelerate? does your car ever stall? ever stall while in idle or driving? Check the IAC system, the O2 sensor, check for vacuum leaks, check the gas line, the fuel injector, etc. let me know what the mechanics have checked for on your car so i can look into it.

get your gasoline somewhere different then normal :p (serious)

defently something is wrong with your tranny Installation I think.

when u have it in Neutral and give it gas can u hear any abnormal noises?
how high is your RPM's when u put it in Reverse or Drive?
can you hear any noises coming from the tranny? put a long screwdriver on it and put ur ear up to it and listend, then get someone to shift through the gears.

and does it vibrate the same when you are in Drive at a stop sign or at 100KM/h down the highway?

any steering issues?

i have a lovely idea. I have a HUGE ass hammer on a stick that I call the "Ford Beater" it has come in handy with several odd jobs. We could put your car on a lift and beat the PISS out of the tranny. To me it sounds like a tranny problem. Did it shake this bad with your old tranny. Also check the fluid in the tranny.

by any chance could you car have the 3.1L?

anyway you all think maybe it could be the harmonic balancer. it has a rubber damper in it that gets rid of the vibrations from the crank. maybe its bad.