Vibration at 70ish+

[lorriman]

Has anyone come across this symptom before and do they know how it was sorted?
Driving at 65+ on smooth road surfaces (not noticeable on rough roads) there's a vibration coming from the front of the car and felt through the steering and feet.
It's not a constant vibration, rather it has about a 4 second phase - like a wave with the vibration coming and going.

I had this for about 6 months last year during which time the garage changed the wheels, tyres, offside drive shaft to no avail. Then it just went away and though I was told it was something stupid the tyre people did to cause it no one could actually tell me what was done to get rid of it. Now the service manager has left and there's no info on the system to tell anyone what went on.

I've just had the fronts and rears balanced and the tracking done. Could it be tracking as that's the only thing I can see has happened to make it come back.

I'm running stock 215/45/17s with F1 G3s on the front and no suspension mods.

Hope someone can help.

[BraindG]

pete had this, i think it ended up being his alloys... there was a small dent/buckle or something..

[Pescha]

Or could it be the dreaded 'daper' in the transmission? Is it automatic?

[lorriman]

Thanks guys.
The wheels have been off twice and have been checked for damage, but both times I have been told they are fine - paying special attention to the inside edge which is a bit flimsy on these Rimstock jobbies.

Last time it was sorted they didn't have to replace the wheels to get rid of the vibration.

Yes it is an auto. What's this about the gearbox? Though, again when I had the problem before I dropped it into neutral and the vibration kept on going.

I've been trying to work out what it could be if not the wheels or tyres. Everything appears to check out fine including the suspension. They even said it could be the locking wheelnut throwing the balance out, but that was proved to be tosh.

Then they balanced the wheels while on the car and this didn't make any difference.

The original tyre people said it could be a spiggot ring missing from the wheel which may mean the wheel doesn't fit centrally on the hub, but mine are original alloys and they don't have spiggot rings.

I'm out of ideas.

Thanks for your feedback. I look forward to anymore - however unusual.

[Pescha]

I had the same vibration, took my car into mitsi motors and they fixed it. What it is, is a worn dapner (sorry my bad spelling) in the transmission. The dapner is the torque converter which keeps the tension within the transmission. It keeps the oil regulated that keeps your car at a constant speed and lets the torque converter slip when needed.

I really hope this helps, its a very common problem. It eventually will get worse where the transmission wont go into gear!

Pescha!

[lorriman]

Thanks Pescha.

Sounds like an elegant solution, but when it went away last time the garage didn't do anything with the transmission, but I'll mention it. I just don't want to go through months of
Me: "There is a vibration"
Mitsi: "We couldn't feel anything"
Me: "It's still there"
Mitsi: "We've changed everything we can think of"
Mitsi: "Ooh it's miraculously gone away. Fancy that".

Thanks.

Any more suggestions in case this one doesn't do the job?

[Pescha]

Well, it's just an option, it may not be the solution!

Cheers,
Pescha!

[wirdy]

You sound like you've got to the end of all the possible 'wheel & tyre' reasons for your vibration. Pescha could be right - try an ATF oil change? (if it hasn't had one recently). Don't suppose you'd relish a gearbox strip just yet?

If you've a couple of hours spare I'd suggest a complete strip and clean of your brake calipers; my fronts were seized solid (7yrs old - 41000 miles), so solid in fact that one of slide bolts sheared when I tried to undo it!! Backs were as free as the day they were made.

If one of your calipers is seized you may not notice - I didn't- but I did notice the difference after freeing it off :) . This maycause a vibration, who knows, as the brake pad heats up,'grabs', then backs off again. Especially if only one pad is doing all the work (as mine was). Maybe try to not use your brakes too much as you come back home after a trip, once home then feel if one side is hotter than the other?

[lorriman]

Thanks Wirdy

That sounds promising as I have terrible brake judder, especially noticeable either when braking at high speed or a sensation of the brakes grabbing and letting go as I pull up gently.

Cheers!

[wirdy]

a sensation of the brakes grabbing and letting go as I pull up gently.

Exactly the same symptoms as I had - very annoying - my passengers thought I was a poor driver :-D

[wirdy]

See here (http://www.clubvr4.co.uk/forum/showthread.php?t=3426&highlight=brakes) also.

[Big Ian]

:headsc: yipp sound's like good old (no matter what form of galant you drive) warpped disc syndrome,some time's not noticed about town then.....hit the high way and there it is,on my mate's galant he thought that it was the ABS working? until he phoned me one morning to say he had just came to a sudden stop at a roundabout and when he went to pull away his car would'nt move ..i went and had a look for him and
:wtf: he had welded the pad's to the disc's and melted the rubber dust cover round the piston .

[lorriman]

"he had welded the pad's to the disc's and melted the rubber dust cover round the piston"

Sounds expensive.

I've booked it in with Fish Brothers in Swindon and am paying them for an hours diagnostics. The work should all be covered by warranty but I'm fed up going into garages and saying 'There's a rattle from here, please fix it' 'cos either they don't hear it or they fix the wrong bit.

This way they can take ownership of the problem and get it sorted at long last (I hope).

'Cos it's a loud rattle from the passenger airbag and the 'warped' discs as well as the pulsing vibration at 70 that I need sorting.

Updates next week I hope.

Has anyone had any dealings with Fish Bros? Customer Service at Mitsi HQ rate them.

Cheers guys.

[lorriman]

Went for a test drive with a techie from Fish Brothers of Swindon and blasted up and down the M4.

He could feel the vibration, but wasn't convinced the brakes were at fault.

However, he found that both rear wheels were slightly buckled. Apparently they will be replaced under warranty which is just as well as they are £148 each. And strangely they'll come with new tyres as well as the wheel and tyre package costs only £6 more than the wheel on its own! £6 for a new tyre? Even the stock Dunlop SP Sport 2000s are worth more than £6!

We'll see if the vibration has gone. I don't hold out much hope.

[BraindG]

i think you'll find that cures it

[Kieran]

...And strangely they'll come with new tyres as well as the wheel and tyre package costs only £6 more than the wheel on its own! £6 for a new tyre? Even the stock Dunlop SP Sport 2000s are worth more than £6!

This is true... Had this at Variava's in Nottingham. It's one of the oddities of Mitsubishi's pricing structure. That's why I was tempted to get a set of 17" Sport wheels, because they're a cheap purchase. :)

[lorriman]

Yes, very odd. But I think we'll all admit that while Mitsi are expensive when it comes to servicing and parts their warranty is fantastic. Where else would you get a new set of wheels and brand new tyres 'cos the ones on the car were buckled?

I know I haven't driven into any kerbs, but they don't know that. Or maybe it's because they know how poor the Rimstock alloys are.

Whatever, a good deal if you ask me.

I got my motor from Chris Variava in Nottingham. I was impressed with them, but Nottingham is a long drive for me from Glos. so haven't been back for any servicing.

[lorriman]

An idea for you Kieran

Would the alloys be warrantied on their own? If so, it would be a no brainer to buy a set and if they did subsequently buckle then you could get them replaced under a 3 year warranty, even though your car may be out of warranty?

Too much to ask I know, but it might be worth asking the question.