Shaky hands (and not through drink)

Hi all

Got a strange problem with my 2000 2.5 DHSE in that it vibrates loads.

I thought it was just wheel balancing as it happend on long journeys that I'd get pins and needles feeling in my hands.

However since I've done the airbags and had it in the garage to replace 4th injector and timing the vibration has increased to the point that sitting in the car at lights I can feel vibration through the seat as well as through the steering wheel.

I drive 7 miles to work and when I get there I feel like I'm still vibrating 15 mins later.

The air compressor pump is running quite a lot and I plan to replace seal but surely the vibration of this pump would effect the whole car.

This is my first diesel and I know their noisey but this seems unusual

The engine has done a fair few miles so I was wondering could it be a sign that something is wearing in the engine?

It's definitely got worse since garage did timing so perhaps it's running at higher revs at the lights and vibrating more than usual?

Any ideas before my fillings fall out.

Cheers

I drove a trattor like that.
Turned out to be the rubber seat mount had gone.might be worth checking if any seat damping is in place.Failing that you may as well get a series landy cos they is smooth.Also my tdi range is a right old rattle.Makes yer fillings fall oot but would not miss it for the world.

I find to obtain a smooth ride then buy a car....

Dr W said:

Hi all

Got a strange problem with my 2000 2.5 DHSE in that it vibrates loads.

I thought it was just wheel balancing as it happend on long journeys that I'd get pins and needles feeling in my hands.

However since I've done the airbags and had it in the garage to replace 4th injector and timing the vibration has increased to the point that sitting in the car at lights I can feel vibration through the seat as well as through the steering wheel.

I drive 7 miles to work and when I get there I feel like I'm still vibrating 15 mins later.


The air compressor pump is running quite a lot and I plan to replace seal but surely the vibration of this pump would effect the whole car.

This is my first diesel and I know their noisey but this seems unusual

The engine has done a fair few miles so I was wondering could it be a sign that something is wearing in the engine?

It's definitely got worse since garage did timing so perhaps it's running at higher revs at the lights and vibrating more than usual?

Any ideas before my fillings fall out.

Cheers

Click to expand...

Is it a manual? Cos if it is think DMF see the other threads on dual mass flywheel failure. Otherwise engine mounts. Mine's a 2000 DHSE and it's pretty smooth, smoother in fact than my son in laws V8

No it's an auto.

Runs fine especially since having no. 4 injector replaced but steering wheel vibrates a fair bit (when moving or not).

Could it be a loose engine mount?

The air compressor shouldn't cause any vibration should it?

I'd be very surprised if it was the air compressor. It's only a diddy little thing and not connected to anything likely to cause the vibrations you're describing.

You could check it by taking the lid off the EAS box when and seeing what it does when it's running, but I can't see it myself.

Dr W said:

No it's an auto.

Runs fine especially since having no. 4 injector replaced but steering wheel vibrates a fair bit (when moving or not).

Could it be a loose engine mount?

The air compressor shouldn't cause any vibration should it?

Click to expand...

The compressor is too small I would have thought to cause the vibration you describe, much more likely to be an engine mount shot.

I don't like the sound of that

Dr W said:

I don't like the sound of that

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I haven't changed engine mounts on a P38, but they don't look too difficult. They are pretty loose on mine and will no doubt need doing soon. If you do yours I would be interested to know how you get on

I have a bit more vibration than i think I should have and i'm starting to think it may the the Harminic Damper although i havn't confirmed it yet. I

Datatek said:

I haven't changed engine mounts on a P38, but they don't look too difficult. They are pretty loose on mine and will no doubt need doing soon. If you do yours I would be interested to know how you get on

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Will do although as I've due to go on holiday in it soon I may have to get the garage involved.

What's strange is that (a) it's worse when it came back from having injector fixed and (b) it's only really bad when stopped and the revs are idling about 800rpm then the whole car steering wheel, door etc is vibrating. When I set off it's not too bad.

Will post my findings.

I was getting a lot of vibration through the bodywork mainly at idle, and traced it to the rear of the car, where I found the exhaust was touching the underside of the bumper, the tailbox having been replaced with one without the usual heavy downkick at the end. I would check to see if the exhaust has shifted against something it shouldn't have.

Did you manage to trace the source of your vibration?

No not yet

It was sounding like a bus when at idle so took it back to the garage who had a little play with the idle speed and up'd it to about 850 rpm so not as bad but still get to work and my hands feels shakey and minor pins & needles.

Haven't had chance to look at what else could be causing it yet.

What's also odd is that the acceleration has dropped off especially above 50 mph, when in top. It takes an age to go pick up speed. I wonder if when they were changing the fuel filter they've done something to the connections to the chip?

Can anyone else with a diesel tell me if their cars vibrate, the garage owner reckoned that it seemed ok for a diesel but it can't be right, it'll have to go if I can't find out what it is as it makes me feel a bit sick driving it.

Dr W said:

No not yet

It was sounding like a bus when at idle so took it back to the garage who had a little play with the idle speed and up'd it to about 850 rpm so not as bad but still get to work and my hands feels shakey and minor pins & needles.

Haven't had chance to look at what else could be causing it yet.

What's also odd is that the acceleration has dropped off especially above 50 mph, when in top. It takes an age to go pick up speed. I wonder if when they were changing the fuel filter they've done something to the connections to the chip?

Can anyone else with a diesel tell me if their cars vibrate, the garage owner reckoned that it seemed ok for a diesel but it can't be right, it'll have to go if I can't find out what it is as it makes me feel a bit sick driving it.

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P38 November 2000 DHSE chipped. Engine is noisey when working hard, mostly due to the viscous fan that I have not had the cash to bin yet, but smooth as silk, no vibration through the steering other than a bit of bump steer over the ruts.

Right well then that proves it, it's not the fact it's a diesel that's making it vibrate.

I have a 2.5tdi disco, very basic which rattles like hell BUT no vibration, the chances are its something minor but its finding it as it could be a combination of things, i'd go along the engine mount theory, i had this prob on a car some years ago, it was suggested that if i lift the bonnet while the engine is running and put some weight on the engine, eg a bag of sand, then if the vibration changes then it is an engine mount and if not ????????

Dr W said:

Right well then that proves it, it's not the fact it's a diesel that's making it vibrate.

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Have you ruled out the harmonic Balancer?

No I haven't as not sure what one is?

I'm guessing it's something cancel to out vibrations?

Where is it and what does it do?

How could I tell whether it was shot?

Cheers

Dr W said:

No not yet

It was sounding like a bus when at idle so took it back to the garage who had a little play with the idle speed and up'd it to about 850 rpm so not as bad but still get to work and my hands feels shakey and minor pins & needles.

Haven't had chance to look at what else could be causing it yet.

What's also odd is that the acceleration has dropped off especially above 50 mph, when in top. It takes an age to go pick up speed. I wonder if when they were changing the fuel filter they've done something to the connections to the chip?

Can anyone else with a diesel tell me if their cars vibrate, the garage owner reckoned that it seemed ok for a diesel but it can't be right, it'll have to go if I can't find out what it is as it makes me feel a bit sick driving it.

Click to expand...

My DT was only vibrating while the exhaust was resting against the bottom of the bumper, since I sorted that it's been fine. I did 500+ miles overnight lastnight on a trip to Ireland without a hint of a fatigue from vibration. I wouldn't expect that it's an engine ecu problem unless you're also experiencing a misfire/rough running, which you haven't mentioned, along with the lack of acceleration. If the cylinders are all firing ok then the problem is much more likely to lie elsewhere, in something physical.

Something which would tie-in with your loss of top-end power could be a turbo fault. If the bearings were on the way out or rotor imbalanced you could get a low end vibration which would appear to lessen at higher revs (but actually simply rise in frequency till it was covered by normal engine vibration) and also loose your power. At the other end of the scale and possibly one of the cheaper options could be to replace the steering damper if it's been there a while and see if that makes a difference, but of course if it works it means you have a seperate acceleration problem.

Dr W said:

No I haven't as not sure what one is?

I'm guessing it's something cancel to out vibrations?

Where is it and what does it do?

How could I tell whether it was shot?

Cheers

Click to expand...

Harmonic balancer or torsional vibration damper is the complete crank pulley assembly in the front of the engine that drives all the belts. it is a 2 piece affair that has the inner hub seperated from the outer pulley by a thin section of bonded rubber. Without this device the engine will vibrate from new. The weight of the pulley and rubber have been carefully chosen to offset inherrant vibration from the crank.

If it is obviously bad the outer part will have broken free from the inner part and turn. Or not so obvious the rubber will be fatigued. and not doing it's job properly.
Mine has slight vibration and I'm beginning to suspect this. if i place my finger on the engine, the vibration is quite moderate, but if i put my finger on the little shock absorber on the belt tensioner i can feel a lot of vibration meaning the belt is not travelling at a steady pace. But I'm not sure if this is normal. Anyone???

Karl