E30 Vibration issue, M20B25 ** fixed maybe **

[charles28 117]

Since changing the gearbox oil and installing my short shift (soon after) my E30 has developed an issue where the car is fine for the 1st 20mins ish of driving and then gets a vibration through the drive train that can be felt strongly with the engine between 1500-2000rpm, you can feel it through the steering, pedals.. pretty much the entire car.

An open road blast can bring this fault on earlier then 20mins, the Centre Support Bearing looks to be ok, that is the rubber surround is fine.

The Guilbo also looks fine with no visible damage

In my mind the only things causing this could be, CSB, Diff, Gearbox.

Surely if the Drive shaft needed balancing I'd get this issue all the time.

Could it be the U join?

Cheers

Edited January 3, 2013 by Charles32

[BM WORLD 1261]

U-jays can seize up , but that would be noticable at certain speeds etc.

gearlever shifter rod isn't upside down is it?? , rubbing on the coupling??

[Andre3000 55]

What guibo did you use for the manual conversion? From memory the manual and auto guibo's are of different lengths and are not interchangeable

[e30ftw 396]

Check the bolts on the guibo are tight, mine used to come abit loose and cause all kinds of shakes so I'd have to get under and re-tighten. Throw some spring washers in there too if it becomes a problem..

[_ethrty-Andy_ 2122]

What guibo did you use for the manual conversion? From memory the manual and auto guibo's are of different lengths and are not interchangeable

I disagree, but happy to be proven wrong.

Check the bolts on the guibo are tight, mine used to come abit loose and cause all kinds of shakes so I'd have to get under and re-tighten. Throw some spring washers in there too if it becomes a problem..

Good to see you back on the forum bud!

I did that too.

[charles28 117]

Hmmm, well its not a drive line vibration, only thought it was due to feeling it through the entire car once the fault occurs.

I worked out today that I can re-create the vibration through the steering once the fault occurs (after 30 mins of driving) by revving and holding the revs from 1500-1750rpm.. when sitting still in neutral, I hadn't bothered trying this before for some reason.. heh.

I suspect its the Power Steering fluid causing the issue (Fluid looks as old as the car), or something that's driven off the engine.

Next step is to change the power steering fluid and see if it stops the issue occurring.

[dubman 39]

Also, check the exhaust system.

My car used to have a "grinding" noise at ~2700rpm, and also have a "jingle" at ~2000rpm. Turns out, it was my mid-section exhaust bracket being broken and not securing the exhaust properly.

It was bad enough after 18 months, that it caused a little vibration at those revs, and it was very noticable on the motorway. Might be complete BS, but all the weird noises and vibrations stopped after a $20 weld.

[charles28 117]

I still haven't worked this out.

When I have the fault occurring I can feel the vibration and hear the noise in the car. (This is sitting on the drive way not going anywhere, but revving the engine around 1500-1800rpm ish.).

If I open the bonnet and listen for the noise within the engine bay I can't hear it, only the valve train noise of the M20.

I disconnected the A/C compressors belt, but that wasn't it, Tuesday I'll change the P/S Fluid, but I doubt that's it..

What ever the fault is, it occurs after a good drive for 20-30mins, something getting hot/warm and playing up.

But what possibilities are there? Alternator?, waterpump? power steering pump? Viscous Fan? Flywheel? clutch bearing?

What else can I check..

Edited October 7, 2012 by Charles32

[charles28 117]

Also, check the exhaust system.

My car used to have a "grinding" noise at ~2700rpm, and also have a "jingle" at ~2000rpm. Turns out, it was my mid-section exhaust bracket being broken and not securing the exhaust properly.

It was bad enough after 18 months, that it caused a little vibration at those revs, and it was very noticable on the motorway. Might be complete BS, but all the weird noises and vibrations stopped after a $20 weld.

My exhaust is secure and was repaired about 6 Months ago, I don't think the exhaust could cause an intermittent problem that only occurs after 20-30mins of driving, it would be all the time surely

Cheers

[danutt 4]

That sounds like engine mounts

[charles28 117]

That sounds like engine mounts

Yeah, I was thinking that too, I ordered some new ones last weekend, for the gearbox and engine..

Hopefully that sorts it..

[charles28 117]

Replaced engine mounts and gearbox mounts.

Whilst this helped the car it hasn't solved my issue.

As usual, after a good 20min + run, the car makes a bit of a droning sound in the lower revs and has a vibration that can be felt through the entire car, including the pedals, steering wheel, touching the bonnet and roof etc.

[charles28 117]

I'm now convinced the vibration is from within the engine itself.

Perhaps a Crankshaft issue.

Days before this issue I had put Valvoline Synpower Engine Oil in, which is 5w40 and fully Synthetic, not sure that this could cause this problem however.

I will drain it and re-fill with normal 10w40, but I can't see it changing things.

[charles28 117]

I'm now convinced the vibration is from within the engine itself.

Perhaps a Crankshaft issue.

Days before this issue I had put Valvoline Synpower Engine Oil in, which is 5w40 and fully Synthetic, not sure that this could cause this problem however.

I will drain it and re-fill with normal 10w40, but I can't see it changing things.

http://www.e30.de/fotost/f01014/f01014e.htm I found this interesting reading also

[charles28 117]

http://www.bimmersport.co.nz/forums/index....rt=#entry264093 reading this, it sounds like this guy had the same issue, but 3 years back..

[charles28 117]

Video made of how the car sounds once this problem occurs after 20mins of driving.

Doesn't sound that good really ..

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0650jtAQzTU...eature=youtu.be

[Allanw 1051]

Hmmm... can't really hear anything much.

When did it last have a valve adjustment? If it's only when it heats up, it could have a tight valve, and not running properly on all cylinders once hot?

That video sounds very ticky.

[charles28 117]

Hmmm... can't really hear anything much.

When did it last have a valve adjustment? If it's only when it heats up, it could have a tight valve, and not running properly on all cylinders once hot?

That video sounds very ticky.

yeah I need to sort out the valve adjustment.

I should buy a feeler gauge, job for tomorrow.

[*Glenn* 854]

yeah I need to sort out the valve adjustment.

I should buy a feeler gauge, job for tomorrow.

And buy a stethoscope to find your noise / vibration

The handiest tool a technician can have

Edited October 26, 2012 by *Glenn*

[charles28 117]

I attempted valve adjustment today, but it didn't seem to make it any better.

I thought I would remove the viscous fan to see if that was somehow causing the vibration.

To my suprise, it wasn't on tight, I could easily undo the bolt without any effort.

I thought i'd try and tighten it up and see what happened, but naturally I can't as the it just causes the belts etc to turn. how do I stop this occuring so I can tighten it properly? cheers.

mmmm looks like I need to take the Dizzy back off to make room to jam the pulley from moving.

Edited October 27, 2012 by Charles32

[Allanw 1051]

They don't need to be super tight - the engine tries to tighten them all the time.

I only do them up like you tried - then give the spanner a dong with a hammer. Never had one come off!

[Andre3000 55]

I thought i'd try and tighten it up and see what happened, but naturally I can't as the it just causes the belts etc to turn. how do I stop this occuring so I can tighten it properly? cheers.

Push the belt inwards to tighten its grip on the pulley and tighten the bolts at the same time. When it turns while trying to do this its tight enough.

[charles28 117]

Righto, attempt 2 at valve adjustment, I took my time this time and double checked each valve.

This is the result,

Its a lot better then it was and I tightened up the fan a bit, tighter then it was at least.

I took it for a 20min drive before the Vid and didn't detect any vibration, engine is running smoother also.

[dubman 39]

glad that was sorted, good work!

[charles28 117]

glad that was sorted, good work!

Thanks.

I was surprised that doing the valve adjustment was so straight forward, a fairly basic engine for sure.