Chevy Van with new Jasper Engine has Vibration problem

[petef]

Everyone,
I have an interesting case to share with everyone here. I recently had a new/rebuilt Jasper 305 Chevy engine installed to my 1985 Chevy G20 Van.

The transmission was newly rebuilt by my mechanic and a new flexplate and torque converter installed.

With all these components newly installed the van now has a vibraton at two distinct points. At about 1000 RPM you can hear the side panels of the van body vibrate. At about 1600 RPM you can see the steering wheel & column vibrating. The vibration occurs while driving or if the automatic trans is in park. I can put the trans in 1st gear or 2nd gear and the vibration still occurs at the same 1000 RPM and 1600 RPM points.

So far my mechanic has changed the vibration damper, motor mounts, and flex plate but it still vibrates the same. Tried loosening all the belts on all the accessoriies on the front of engine and it still vibrates. Even split the engine from the torque converter & trans and it still vibrates. So it's looking like the engine is vibrating all on its' own.

Next Jasper will be contacted to see what they say or do.

I'll keep you posted.

---pete---

[MT-2500]

Originally Posted by petef

Everyone,
I have an interesting case to share with everyone here. I recently had a new/rebuilt Jasper 305 Chevy engine installed to my 1985 Chevy G20 Van.

The transmission was newly rebuilt by my mechanic and a new flexplate and torque converter installed.

With all these components newly installed the van now has a vibraton at two distinct points. At about 1000 RPM you can hear the side panels of the van body vibrate. At about 1600 RPM you can see the steering wheel & column vibrating. The vibration occurs while driving or if the automatic trans is in park. I can put the trans in 1st gear or 2nd gear and the vibration still occurs at the same 1000 RPM and 1600 RPM points.

So far my mechanic has changed the vibration damper, motor mounts, and flex plate but it still vibrates the same. Tried loosening all the belts on all the accessoriies on the front of engine and it still vibrates. Even split the engine from the torque converter & trans and it still vibrates. So it's looking like the engine is vibrating all on its' own.

Next Jasper will be contacted to see what they say or do.

I'll keep you posted.

---pete---

Make double sure you have the right flex plate.

Also unbolt torque converter and see if that takes out vibration.

Post back what you find there.

[petef]

Originally Posted by MT-2500

Make double sure you have the right flex plate.

Also unbolt torque converter and see if that takes out vibration.

Yes, as originally posted, the torque converter and trans were unbolted to isolate them from the engine and the engine still vibrated.

Just today, they obtained the correct (weighted & balanced) flex plate and the engine still vibrated. So now we are waiting to hear from Jasper for a solution.

I'm wondering, if the engine is at fault as originally received from Jasper, will Jasper compensate my mechanic for the labor charges to reinstall another Jasper engine?

---pete---

[MT-2500]

Originally Posted by petef

Yes, as originally posted, the torque converter and trans were unbolted to isolate them from the engine and the engine still vibrated.

Just today, they obtained the correct (weighted & balanced) flex plate and the engine still vibrated. So now we are waiting to hear from Jasper for a solution.

I'm wondering, if the engine is at fault as originally received from Jasper, will Jasper compensate my mechanic for the labor charges to reinstall another Jasper engine?

---pete---

Flex plate and crank balance pulley is the only external things to cause a vibration.
Jasper should take care of it.
I think Jasper has some of there own shops to.
Give them a call.

Good Luck and let us know how it goes.

[petef]

Originally Posted by MT-2500

Good Luck and let us know how it goes.

Ok everyone following my case. On Friday 2/12/10 the vibration problem was determined to be the new Jasper engine itself. My mechanic called in the claim (presumably on Friday or Saturday) and finally on Firday 2/18/10 I got news that a new Jasper engine will be delivered on Monday 2/22/10.

So it's taken one whole week to process a claim with Jasper to replace a faulty engine. To the credit of Jasper, my mechanic tells me he buys Jasper engines all the time and this is the first time an engine has been delivered defective and needed to be replaced.

Man, I sure miss driving. It's been since 12/29/09 when I initially delivered my van to have the engine replaced. I initially got it back on 1/13/10, but I had to bring it back several times to get this vibration issue addressed. I have either not had to van to drive or I avoided driving it to avoid damaging parts due to the vibration. This is week #7 with no reliable vehicle to drive!

I usually do my own mechanic work including engine installations but this one time I hoped to take the easy way out by letting a professional do the work. Well it was some bad luck (bad Jasper engine) on my mechanics part but overall, I think it was easier to do all the work myself because I can get the job done faster on my own and it would be soooooooo much more easier on my nerves if I had control over the situation instead of having to wait hours or days for news and updates from the repair shop.

---pete---

[MagicRat]

Thanks for the update.
I think we all can appreciate the frustration. I have found this with exhaust systems. I have installed a few without problems. But when I have let a shop do it, I find usually something is not aligned properly, or tightened properly, so the exhaust rattles against the underbody somewhere. I end up having to crawl underneath and realign it.

[MT-2500]

Thasnks for posting back how it went.

Glad they got things going and fixing it.

Yes them things happen sometimes.

I have had one bad factory GM rebuit transmisson and one bad ford factory rebuilt transmission.

[petef]

Originally Posted by MT-2500

Thasnks for posting back how it went.

Glad they got things going and fixing it.

Yes them things happen sometimes.

Update:

An odd change of plans to fix the vibration problem. Jasper had sent a replacement engine. My mechanic tells me he proceeded to install the new engine by first removing the transmission when he noticed that the balancing weight was missing from the torque converter. He decided to replace the torque converter and that solved the vibration problem!

What????? But my mechanic previously told me he had disconnected the torque converter from the engine and it still vibrated. So now he's saying it probably vibrated because the engine is designed to operate under a load.

Anyway, it seems to be fixed now. No more vibration at 1600 RPM.
Again to the credit of Jasper they did not send a faulty engine.

End of story! I hope.

---pete---

[MT-2500]

Originally Posted by petef

Update:

An odd change of plans to fix the vibration problem. Jasper had sent a replacement engine. My mechanic tells me he proceeded to install the new engine by first removing the transmission when he noticed that the balancing weight was missing from the torque converter. He decided to replace the torque converter and that solved the vibration problem!

What????? But my mechanic previously told me he had disconnected the torque converter from the engine and it still vibrated. So now he's saying it probably vibrated because the engine is designed to operate under a load.

Anyway, it seems to be fixed now. No more vibration at 1600 RPM.
Again to the credit of Jasper they did not send a faulty engine.

End of story! I hope.

---pete---

Sounds kinda fishie.
But.
Thanks for the update.
Glad all is well.
Good Luck

[petef]

Originally Posted by MT-2500

Glad all is well.
Good Luck

Spoke too soon! All is NOT well. I had a chance today to take the van for a long drive (38 miles) since having the off balance torque converter removed and replaced. At about 28 miles I started noticing trails of smoke behind the van and the smell of burning oil. It didn't seem to be coming from the exhaust. My temp gauge was at 182 Deg F when it's normally at 180. Upon arrival home I noticed the entire rear bumper and backside of van to be showered with oil. I checked the underside of the engine and trans and they were dripping in oil. I had to add 3 quarts of oil to the engine! I talked to the mechanic and he told me to bring it in tomorrow to be fixed.

I suspect it's the engine rear seal that was damaged due to the old torque converter being off-balance. How about the engine? Is it damaged due to running so low on oil?

This is the worse experience I ever had with a vehicle!

----pete---

[MT-2500]

That does not sound good.
The rear seal should not be damaged from the vibration.
ENGINE OIL LEAK SHOULD NOT BE CAUSED FROM CONVERTOR REPLACEMENT
If oil pressure never dropper and just 3 qt low and 2 qts left the engine should be good.

BUT BETTER FIND THAT LEAK AND FIND OUT WHT IT IS LEAKING AND FIX IT.
Good luck and let us know how it goes
and let us know what was leaking and why.

[petef]

Originally Posted by MT-2500

BUT BETTER FIND THAT LEAK AND FIND OUT WHT IT IS LEAKING AND FIX IT.

MT, you were correct, it was not the engine rear seal. It was the oil pressure switch at the rear of the engine that had gone bad and was squirting oil all over the rear of engine, dripping down to transmission, exhaust system, etc..

What may have happened was the switch was marginal to begin with due to age and all that vibration weakened it further. Then when I took it for a long drive the added heat stress caused it to fail.

Anyway, no matter the cause of failure, it was an easy fix and I'm relieved and happy to finally have my old 1985 van working normally again.

Thanks all for your help!

---pete---

[MT-2500]

Thanks for posting back how it went.
Hope all goes well now.
Good Luck