GO FISHING, use SLABSAUCE Fishing Attractant
Page 1 of 2 12 LastLast
Results 1 to 10 of 13

Thread: Strange Vibration. not the shimmy please help me pinpoint

  1. #1
    Join Date
    Jan 2004
    Location
    NYC
    Posts
    479

    Default Strange Vibration. not the shimmy please help me pinpoint

    At 65-70 mph the car will occaisionally vibrate. It feels like if you were to accelerate from 20 mph in 4th gear, perhaps not as prounounced. It is not dependent on engine speed or gear. The guibo has been replaced and it doesnt feel like that vibration. I can't pinpoint it. It doesn't shimmy and its not coming from the front of the car though. Nothing changes when it happens, temp, fuel consumption etc all stay the same. I notice it when i cruise between 65-70 but it doesn't happen all of the time. If i coast down to 60 it goes away and operates very smoothly just like normal. If i speed back up it may or may not back. Tranny mounts are ok, flex disk and all suspension componets are ok, brakes are fine, the wheels are properly balanced. the only thing is i have a slow leak in my left rear tire, but i always check the pressure and make sure its full. The egine idles smoothly and pulls fine and makes no noises at any RPM even during the vibration. It feels like a drive train issue. Could it be an out of balance drive shaft? if so how would that happen? As usual, any thoughts are appreciated.
    Regards,
    J

  2. #2
    Join Date
    Dec 2003
    Location
    Eastern Tennessee USi
    Posts
    14,839

    Default

    typicar signature of an out of round tire...been there done that. when it goes away it's cause another tire that isnt round gets the proper phase and cancels the first offender.

    Have fun with it!
    95 E34 530I V2.37
    ===========
    Those who make peaceful revolution impossible will make violent revolution inevitable.

    John F. Kennedy

  3. #3
    Join Date
    Jan 2004
    Location
    West Palm Beach, South Florida
    Posts
    1,011

    Default

    First thing to try is to take it out of gear at 70 when its vibrating. If it stops, its a drivetrain issue, but I doubt that's it.

    When you say that its like accelerating at 20mph in 4th gear, are you saying that its a higher frequency vibration than a shimmy or out of balance wheel?
    93 525i / 01 330Ci / 98 Camry / 91 Volvo 240 / 99 Jeep GC

  4. #4
    Join Date
    Jan 2004
    Location
    NYC
    Posts
    479

    Default Yes, it is a higher frequency

    not at all like the shimmy. not like the guibo either. like a cell phone on vibrate but on a much larger scale of course.

  5. #5
    Join Date
    Dec 2003
    Location
    Eastern Tennessee USi
    Posts
    14,839

    Default

    did it start after you did the guibo? Check the half shafts and cv joints, something has to be visably wrong to cause that.
    95 E34 530I V2.37
    ===========
    Those who make peaceful revolution impossible will make violent revolution inevitable.

    John F. Kennedy

  6. #6
    Join Date
    Jan 2004
    Location
    NYC
    Posts
    479

    Default I always thought i tire would have a

    "thud thud thud thud thud" feel... i dont know, its a first for me

  7. #7
    Join Date
    Jan 2004
    Location
    NYC
    Posts
    479

    Default Nope, the guibo was done a while back

    This first reared its ugly head about a month ago and has come and gone. I'm leaning towards the tire now though. I haven't been paying attention as to whether it corresponds to its PSI which seems like the main variable im overlooking.

  8. #8
    Join Date
    Jan 2004
    Location
    West Palm Beach, South Florida
    Posts
    1,011

    Default

    if its a higher frequency than the angular velocity of the wheel, its either a driveshaft vibration or a self excited vibration (due to rubbing) of a wheel bearing or other moving component. Check to see if it goes away when you take it out of gear and go from there.
    93 525i / 01 330Ci / 98 Camry / 91 Volvo 240 / 99 Jeep GC

  9. #9
    Join Date
    Jan 2004
    Location
    NYC
    Posts
    479

    Default I'll give it a try on the way home. is there

    anything i can inspect that would show me rubbing?

  10. #10
    Join Date
    Jan 2004
    Posts
    4,150

    Default See what an education does for you, now you're starting to sound

    Like George... hope he's having fun wherever he is.. Anyway all the big words aside, a driveshaft vibration rarely rears its ugly head above the 30 to 50mph range..Its most likely a internally separated tire which would account for why you don't feel it all the time..I would run my hand around the tread surface of each tire and see if you feel a bulge anywhere...Frequently this type of separation feels worse when the tire is hot such as a warm day on the highway with blacktop at higher speeds. When its cold and the tire hasn't warmed up you don't notice it as much.. If this is the problem then that tire is going to come apart on you soon..



    Quote Originally Posted by DanDombrowski
    if its a higher frequency than the angular velocity of the wheel, its either a driveshaft vibration or a self excited vibration (due to rubbing) of a wheel bearing or other moving component. Check to see if it goes away when you take it out of gear and go from there.

Page 1 of 2 12 LastLast

Similar Threads

  1. Strange vibration
    By J.DeFeo in forum 5 Series BMW
    Replies: 26
    Last Post: 06-17-2008, 11:27 AM
  2. high speed shimmy/vibration?-check rear brakes
    By shogun in forum 5 Series BMW
    Replies: 0
    Last Post: 12-19-2006, 08:32 PM
  3. Strange Noise, vibration from clutch master
    By Island530i in forum 5 Series BMW
    Replies: 1
    Last Post: 04-03-2006, 07:00 AM
  4. 1995,525i Vibration/Shimmy
    By Larry Looney in forum 5 Series BMW
    Replies: 3
    Last Post: 11-16-2005, 07:57 AM
  5. strange shimmy at 167-170mph....advice?
    By bahnstormer in forum 5 Series BMW
    Replies: 4
    Last Post: 06-17-2004, 06:56 PM

Posting Permissions

  • You may not post new threads
  • You may not post replies
  • You may not post attachments
  • You may not edit your posts
  •