Violent Shaking w/ smell???

[bdot79]

I have a 96 GC 4X4 w/ 75K and last week my wife drove into town and noticed some light vibration in the font end while on the interstate. After driving around town she got out and she smelled a strong sweet chemical smell that could be smelled very well outside of the vehicle. After 20 min with the jeep off, she took it out on the interstate but the jeep started shaking so bad at 40 mph she pulled off the road to see if the tires were flat. The smell was inside and outside the jeep. We had it towed to the house and the next day I drove it and it seems fine. All I notice is an occasional slight vibration under the pedals. What could it be?

[fredjacksonsan]

Is there anything leaking underneath? What 4x4 system & engine do you have? Did it happen suddenly, or has there always been a slight vibration?

[dksob81]

Well the Sweet Chemical smell would most likely be Coolant (antifreeze).

The Violent shake is most likely "DEATH WOBBLE", which jeeps are known for. Ussually happens while driving on the highway at 40MPH or above and when you hit a bump, pothole, defect in the road, etc.

I just got over a case of death wobble about 7 months ago by switching to a HD Steering Stabilizer (Old Man Emu makes the best). Some say using a HD Stabilizer just masks the real problem, which makes sense, but I replaced damn near everything on my front end and didn't help until I got the HD Stabilizer.

If you search to forum for DEATH WOBBLE you will find quite a few posts and some remedies other have found.

It is possible maybe your cap for your Coolant overflow bottle is missing and when the shaking occurs it is splashing coolant onthe engine, hence the sweet smell.

[bdot79]

The engine is 4.0 6cyl and I don't see anything leaking. I have read about the death wobble and it doesn't appear to be it. The shaking was so bad she couldn't hold the steering wheel on smooth pavement. She also said it got worse the longer she drove. We got the Jeep from her grandfather who rarely drove it, about 3k mi. over the last 3 years but we have put 2k in the last 4 months. I don't know if that has anything to do with it.

[dksob81]

well if you experienced death wobble you would know it, it shakes soo violently it feels like the front end is about to fall apart.

If it happens while driving on smooth road with no bumps at all, then it is most likely not DEATH WOBBLE.

[Bob D.]

Did you check the coolant level? It could have over heated because of coolant loss... the motor would misfire and shake big time-- then it cools off and runs as if nothing happened. That would at least explain the sweet odor.
Just a thought.

[fredjacksonsan]

There's been a few posts about the radiators going bad, at 10 years you could be developing some leaks. Keep an eye on the coolant level. I've got a 2000 that has a small leak somewhere on the radiator, and will be replacing it before summer hits.