I just bought a 1988 10th Anniv. The car only has 60,000 miles on it, but the engine vibrates like mad. I just drove the car 3000 miles from Southern Cal. to Pennsylvania. It runs strong, and is very tight, but, the engine vibrates. It seems to do it at all RPM's and at all speeds from 0 to 70 MPH. I have no history on the car, and the previous owner has moved out of the country, so I don't know what hasbeen done to the car. I am looking for a starting place to track down the problem. Any suggestions would be appreciated!!!!

Drew

 

Perhaps the motor mounts are shot?

 

I thought about the motor mounts. I had a large friend try to hold the engine down while I revved the engine to about 2500. The vibration was still there. It almost feels like the harmonic balancer is out of whack.

 

does your shifte shake too?

 

Could be the timing improperly adjusted?
I dunno..

 

I would think mounts, but maybe timing? It could be a lot of things, but most likely mounts.

 

Does anyone know why an automatic car has 2 counterweights, and a stick only has 1?

 

take off all the belts and the stock fan and see if it's better. just don't let it run for more then a min like that.

 

sure its the engine? if the u-joints are bad, youll have vibes at all speeds. the driveline doesnt have serviceable, or replaceable, u-joints which will vibrate like mad when they go. Does it vibrate at idle or while stopped? Or do the vibrations occur only when its moving down thr road?

 

If you suspect the Engine Mounts are the reason to this erratic Idle you are experiencing, why don't you take them off to see?

Have all Wheels reinforced, jack up the Motor (to relieve the weight off the Mounts), than Unbolt them to verify. It doesn't take long to do. But I recommend you do one Mount at a time though.

This simple procedure Is what I did to confirm this. Both Mounts had to go.

 

It is definitely not the drivetrain. The vibration increases with rpm, not speed.

Silverrotor: Did you have the same vibration problem before replacing the motor mounts?

Has anyone experienced this problem?

 

I had a large friend try to hold the engine down while I revved the engine to about 2500.


Your large friend better be like Ray Louis on PCP. A really rough idle/vibration will look like the engine wants to leap out of the car good motor mounts or not. So I doubt a large friend short of being Whacked up NFL football star could hold it down.

 

Yes, the same problem. When I took them off (one by one) I was able to see the rubberized Mount barely holding on.