Something bad is about to happen to my car - vibration from somewhere

2FastLX · 08-17-2001, 12:58 AM

I noticed a couple days ago on the way to work my car was starting to get a slight vibration while driving down the highway. Tonight on the way home I noticed it's getting worse. The vibration stops completely when I depress the clutch pedal. Could a driveshaft cause this? It kinda feels like it's coming from the engine, but it could be from the back of the car, I'm not 100% sure. I didn't noticed any vibration coming from the engine when I popped the hood and revved it up a bit so I'm kinda stumped. Anyone ever experience a similar problem? If so please respond. Thanks.

------------------
Gunning for 12's!

Buy your parts here
ICQ# 42269241

Fox Body · 08-17-2001, 05:09 AM

YES, I have experience that b4 and it cause me not to get to work that morning. I'm the type of person who will find out what the problem is b4 it gets fatal instead of letting it blow up and finding out what happened afterrward.

Turned out to be nothing in the engine or rear end, just BAD U-JOINTS, but it does feel like it'd be coming from the engine (I thought at first it was my harmonic balancer). I'd suggest removing your driveshaft. If you have ramps, then it should only take ~ 30 minutes (that's unless you have serious problems removing the 4 bolts that connect the driveshaft to the diff.

Anyways, remove driveshaft and check front and rear joints. If they're bad, you can use it as an excuse to buy an Al driveshaft or just replace u-joints for about 15 bucks, an easy repair.

-----------------------------------------
351W-powered 1979 Ford Mustang notchback
Stock 5.8L under 4" cowl, C4 w/ shift kit
Holley 750 cfm, Edelbrock Performer RPM intake
1 5/8" MAC shorty headers, Al driveshaft
2.5" Off road H-pipe, 2-chamber Flowmasters
Front: 225/60/15, Rear: 255/60/15 Eagle GT II
Weld wheels (15x6;15x8), 8.8" Rear w/ 3.55s
14 x 4” K&N air filter (getting the Xtreme setup someday)

"Red, thou art my companion. Hasten now your quickened metamorphosis to Green that I may conquer all who dare abide there beside me. May they be left thither behind burnt black." ---Fox Body

[This message has been edited by Fox Body (edited 08-17-2001).]

2FastLX · 08-17-2001, 11:34 AM

I was hoping someone would say it was my driveshaft since I have been wanting to order an aluminum one anyway. Thanks.

------------------
Gunning for 12's!

Buy your parts here
ICQ# 42269241

jimberg · 08-17-2001, 02:02 PM

Do you hear a ticking, too? That's what I noticed when my U-Joints went bad.

------------------
351W 89 Mustang GT Convertible

2FastLX · 08-18-2001, 12:39 AM

Well, I found out some very bad news today. The axle seal on the driver side appears to have sprung a leak. I'm not sure what kind of damage has been done, but I assume it's severe. When you have the car jacked up and rotate the driveshaft slightly there is a distinct thump inside the rear end. The guy that looked at the car swears up and down the noise is coming from inside the driveshaft and said he thinks the center piece in the driveshaft broke loose and is flopping around. But, he held the driveshaft from moving while I rocked the wheel back and forth and it made the same noise. There is about an inch of slop in the rear end which I know cannot be a good sign. What sucks is I just bought these gears with a rebuild kit, shim kit, axle seal, etc

Anyone remember the post about "I'm done - car for sale". It's about to be reborn.

------------------
Gunning for 12's!

Buy your parts here
ICQ# 42269241

Rick 91GT · 08-20-2001, 07:32 AM

Damn Kev you have the worst luck out of all of us. Sorry to hear your having rear issues now, take it apart and see if any damage was done if not your just out a couple hours to inspect everything, hopefully nothing major is wrong. Musmondo has a Alum drive shaft for sale..$100 I believe you may want to contact him. I got the Torque Box kit done, finishing up the directions and bolts and I'll ship them out this week

------------------
Check Out My Site 91GT,Holley SysteMAX II Kit-Heads 2.02" x 1.60" port matched to a 1262,Anderson N-61,24#,76mm C&L,Full MAC exhaust 1-5/8" Long tubes,2-1/2" O.R H-Pipe,2 1/2" cat back, No A/C or PS or emissions, 12" K&N Filter,RNH PERFORMANCE Ram Air,Ron Davis Radiator,Full Suspension, SPEC stage III clutch, Lakewood SFI bell, S&W 8pt "X" brace,JAZ seats,3:73's,Welds..etc,4:30's and 31 splines coming very soon! <B

2FastLX · 08-20-2001, 09:27 AM

I wish I could afford the driveshaft now. I have to save to fix the rear. What's bad is my wife's Neon (pile of sh!t for a car) is still having fuel pump problems ($250 fuel pump*2=$500) so my car has to be driven whether it's damaging the rear end or not. I don't have a way to jack the car up and pull the rear cover to see what's going on. Even if I did I probably wouldn't know for sure if I did see something wrong. I'd take it somewhere but between the problems both our cars have been having we're pretty much strapped. Maybe I can slam it into a tree or something before the rear end does go out

I did go buy some lube to fill the rear so maybe that will postpone the rear going out completely. I think I'm going to go buy a $300 car to drive until I can save up the money to get this car fixed. It's probably going to sit all winter anyway. I've been thinking of going with Auto Welds 9" conversion with Moser axles. Anyone know where I can get a good deal on third members for 9" rear ends?
------------------
Gunning for 12's!

Buy your parts here
ICQ# 42269241

[This message has been edited by 2FastLX (edited 08-20-2001).]

08-17-2001, 12:58 AM	#1
2FastLX The Photoshop Guru Join Date: Feb 2001 Location: Mecca, Indiana Posts: 1,419	Something bad is about to happen to my car - vibration from somewhere I noticed a couple days ago on the way to work my car was starting to get a slight vibration while driving down the highway. Tonight on the way home I noticed it's getting worse. The vibration stops completely when I depress the clutch pedal. Could a driveshaft cause this? It kinda feels like it's coming from the engine, but it could be from the back of the car, I'm not 100% sure. I didn't noticed any vibration coming from the engine when I popped the hood and revved it up a bit so I'm kinda stumped. Anyone ever experience a similar problem? If so please respond. Thanks. ------------------ Gunning for 12's! Buy your parts here ICQ# 42269241

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08-17-2001, 05:09 AM	#2
Fox Body Mustang Maniac Join Date: Sep 2000 Location: GA, U.S.A Posts: 2,266	YES, I have experience that b4 and it cause me not to get to work that morning. I'm the type of person who will find out what the problem is b4 it gets fatal instead of letting it blow up and finding out what happened afterrward. Turned out to be nothing in the engine or rear end, just BAD U-JOINTS, but it does feel like it'd be coming from the engine (I thought at first it was my harmonic balancer). I'd suggest removing your driveshaft. If you have ramps, then it should only take ~ 30 minutes (that's unless you have serious problems removing the 4 bolts that connect the driveshaft to the diff. Anyways, remove driveshaft and check front and rear joints. If they're bad, you can use it as an excuse to buy an Al driveshaft or just replace u-joints for about 15 bucks, an easy repair. ----------------------------------------- 351W-powered 1979 Ford Mustang notchback Stock 5.8L under 4" cowl, C4 w/ shift kit Holley 750 cfm, Edelbrock Performer RPM intake 1 5/8" MAC shorty headers, Al driveshaft 2.5" Off road H-pipe, 2-chamber Flowmasters Front: 225/60/15, Rear: 255/60/15 Eagle GT II Weld wheels (15x6;15x8), 8.8" Rear w/ 3.55s 14 x 4” K&N air filter (getting the Xtreme setup someday) "Red, thou art my companion. Hasten now your quickened metamorphosis to Green that I may conquer all who dare abide there beside me. May they be left thither behind burnt black." ---Fox Body [This message has been edited by Fox Body (edited 08-17-2001).]

08-17-2001, 11:34 AM	#3
2FastLX The Photoshop Guru Join Date: Feb 2001 Location: Mecca, Indiana Posts: 1,419	I was hoping someone would say it was my driveshaft since I have been wanting to order an aluminum one anyway. Thanks. ------------------ Gunning for 12's! Buy your parts here ICQ# 42269241

08-17-2001, 02:02 PM	#4
jimberg Registered Member Join Date: Oct 1998 Location: Rogers, MN Posts: 2,089	Do you hear a ticking, too? That's what I noticed when my U-Joints went bad. ------------------ 351W 89 Mustang GT Convertible

08-18-2001, 12:39 AM	#5
2FastLX The Photoshop Guru Join Date: Feb 2001 Location: Mecca, Indiana Posts: 1,419	Well, I found out some very bad news today. The axle seal on the driver side appears to have sprung a leak. I'm not sure what kind of damage has been done, but I assume it's severe. When you have the car jacked up and rotate the driveshaft slightly there is a distinct thump inside the rear end. The guy that looked at the car swears up and down the noise is coming from inside the driveshaft and said he thinks the center piece in the driveshaft broke loose and is flopping around. But, he held the driveshaft from moving while I rocked the wheel back and forth and it made the same noise. There is about an inch of slop in the rear end which I know cannot be a good sign. What sucks is I just bought these gears with a rebuild kit, shim kit, axle seal, etc Anyone remember the post about "I'm done - car for sale". It's about to be reborn. ------------------ Gunning for 12's! Buy your parts here ICQ# 42269241

08-20-2001, 07:32 AM	#6
Rick 91GT Procharged! Join Date: May 1999 Location: Hanover, PA Posts: 1,539	Damn Kev you have the worst luck out of all of us. Sorry to hear your having rear issues now, take it apart and see if any damage was done if not your just out a couple hours to inspect everything, hopefully nothing major is wrong. Musmondo has a Alum drive shaft for sale..$100 I believe you may want to contact him. I got the Torque Box kit done, finishing up the directions and bolts and I'll ship them out this week ------------------ Check Out My Site 91GT,Holley SysteMAX II Kit-Heads 2.02" x 1.60" port matched to a 1262,Anderson N-61,24#,76mm C&L,Full MAC exhaust 1-5/8" Long tubes,2-1/2" O.R H-Pipe,2 1/2" cat back, No A/C or PS or emissions, 12" K&N Filter,RNH PERFORMANCE Ram Air,Ron Davis Radiator,Full Suspension, SPEC stage III clutch, Lakewood SFI bell, S&W 8pt "X" brace,JAZ seats,3:73's,Welds..etc,4:30's and 31 splines coming very soon! <B

08-20-2001, 09:27 AM	#7
2FastLX The Photoshop Guru Join Date: Feb 2001 Location: Mecca, Indiana Posts: 1,419	I wish I could afford the driveshaft now. I have to save to fix the rear. What's bad is my wife's Neon (pile of sh!t for a car) is still having fuel pump problems ($250 fuel pump*2=$500) so my car has to be driven whether it's damaging the rear end or not. I don't have a way to jack the car up and pull the rear cover to see what's going on. Even if I did I probably wouldn't know for sure if I did see something wrong. I'd take it somewhere but between the problems both our cars have been having we're pretty much strapped. Maybe I can slam it into a tree or something before the rear end does go out I did go buy some lube to fill the rear so maybe that will postpone the rear going out completely. I think I'm going to go buy a $300 car to drive until I can save up the money to get this car fixed. It's probably going to sit all winter anyway. I've been thinking of going with Auto Welds 9" conversion with Moser axles. Anyone know where I can get a good deal on third members for 9" rear ends? ------------------ Gunning for 12's! Buy your parts here ICQ# 42269241 [This message has been edited by 2FastLX (edited 08-20-2001).]