2000 vibration at idle or moving 2.2L 124K

[gold10go4]

I've owned my S10 for a long time, and I had very few problems. But during the past 6-7 months I have noticed a vibration that is very irritating. It's not the kind of vibration that shakes the truck. But it seems to resonate throughout the vehicle. This sounds crazy (maybe it is!) but it's so rapid that it's almost like a buzzing. It radiates throughout the vehicle. When you're inside the cab you can hear and feel this "buzzing", almost at though it originates in the engine area and is radiating throughout. When you touch the fenders, you can actually feel the vibration in the body. And inside, at times the dash sounds at time like it's buzzing almost. It's not loud, but it's noticeable - more at certain rpm's. At 500 or 2000 it's hardly noticeable; at 1400-1500 it's very evident. I've taken it to a couple of repair shops and they couldn't find the source (although I think they were looking for the obvious - rubbing of metal against metal).

I'm wondering if motor mounts are involved, but it doesn't shake at all. I've also wondered if a bad harmonic balance could be at fault. But can these go bad? Is there something internally going on in the engine that could cause this? I'm stumped. Have driven well over a million miles, but never experienced anything like this before.

[mcmalloy]

run it with the fan belt off for a minute , see if it goes away

[gold10go4]

I tried it without the belt, so that probably eliminates the tensioner, AC, power steering pump, fan, etc. Still there. It feels almost like something vibrating against the frame. I had the catalytic converter changed a couple of weeks ago, and they thought the exhaust pipe might be touching the A frame. They changed the exhaust slightly, but the vibration still persists. Actually, after they changed the exhaust it was slightly better, but only slightly. It wasn't "rattling" quite as loudly, but the vibration is still very obvious. I'm stumped.

[gold10go4]

Well, I finally caved in and decided to have a mechanic look at it tomorrow - someone I trust, and there aren't many of those around. He thinks it may be a motor mount, which is kind of the conclusion I was coming to the more this thing developed. Apparently the mounts can wear out without breaking. I've seen mounts break, but never had to replace worn ones. If this is the solution I will post, because I don't want anyone else to have to deal with this kind of issue and not have some idea what's going on.

[old_master]

Motor mount is a real posibility, another name for it is "engine isolator". If the insulator material, (usually rubber) wears and allows the two steel halves of the isolator to touch, the engine is no longer isolated from the frame, allowing engine vibration and noise to transfer from the engine to the frame/body. From what you're describing, check the passenger side isolator very closely. Let us know what happens.

[gold10go4]

Took my truck in today, and it came back quiet as a mouse. It was the motor mounts, or isolators, you referred to. I hope my experience will help others out there that experience the aggravating vibration and hum that can occur when the mounts aren't broken, but the rubber portion is worn to the point that the isolators don't isolate like they once did. I had a tough time trying to figure out the strange noise/vibration because I couldn't see an obvious source. Reason being that it's not obvious.

[old_master]

Glad you got her fixed, thanks for posting back.