Vibration after few seconds when sitting at traffic lights

[aussieghostrider]

Ok I'm really starting to get this ****s with me car , I just had balancer replaced as was makingmetal clanging noise and mechanic was right was the balancer and I got the car back and idles like a dream and revs hard and drives wonderful anyhow few weeks later I noticed a vibration when Im stopped at traffic lights and if I put car in Neutral the vibration goes away but comes right back when I put back in drive.I have even had car running
with handbrake on and put in Drive and same vibration so not brake booster & the car goes fine when driving.


these are things it could be-->

1.balancer : just replaced and when cars running Ive checked it and not swaying in or out or anything

2.spark plugs & leads : I replaced all and vibration is not as bad

3.engine mounts : they seem fine no cracks or similar , when rev car with bonnet up engine does not move much

4.oxygen sensor : was replaced few years ago & fuel economy is good

5.coil pack or module : no cracks visible but both original from the factory in 1990

6.injectors may be stuffed ( but had them service like 2 years ago & I run nulon fuel system cleaner often

7.crank angle sensor : was replaced few years ago , i thought when they buggered car just stalls when hot and wont start till cold

8.balance shaft : if it's that then im not going to bother fixing

9.Torque converter : car is auto and on cold mornings wont go in reverse right away



If it's 8 or 9 i'm selling the car , this car has been in the family since rolled out factory always serviced etc but I do know it's 18 years old so things are going to go, also cars only got 220,000 on the odemeter, its stopped working few months ago so probably little more.

One thing I must mention , car starts first go and idles great and this vibration does not happen when cars cold and I'm in traffic ,it seems to get worse as car warms up.

Can anyone please help me with my problem?

[LowVp]

try coils, if you say they are still original then its sure to be

[88GreenVN]

If it was engine mounts the vibration would be all the time.

So it wont be that.

[vnv8driver]

the problem could be an electrical fault not allowing it to idle properly once warmed up, you put it in neutral, the revs climb a bit and it is steady... get the electrics tested, even if there new as they have a tendency to fail prematurely

Could be a trans or engine mount, the rear mount could be causing it to sway the back end vibrating right through the cabin. i would steer clear of the front mounts, usually in the commodores they are noticeable when you nail if off the mark and you feel the motor lifting up/jumping as you accelerate.

The transmission not shifting when cold is normal for its age, but the converter may still be the issue, blocked veins, loose bolts and/or cracked bolts/flywheel can and will cause major vibration at idle.


Too many possibilities, if there's anymore info let us know otherwise id get a few electrical tests first if your not sure. Also, the mounts may have looked to be in good condition but they may still have a big split in it, get a big bar and lever the motor up to inspect properly.

[aussieghostrider]

Ok thanks for the advice ...

I went for a good long drive down the coast to a mates & it's 100km one way and speed limits up to 110km/h so I gave it a bit and went little faster lol anyhow after arriving there I did not notice the vibration & next day when arrived home I could not feel any vibration so im thinking must have been injector , Im gonna throw a bottle of nulon total system cleaner and fill up on premium and change fuel filter.I will look at replacing the coil pack with a vp or vr coil pack eventually.

fingers crossed that it wont come back lol

[vnv8driver]

a better alternative to putting the cordial in the tank (cordial meaning there weak as ****) go buy a can of subaru upper engine cleaner, will do a much better job. If the injectors are blocked/sticky the cleaner (which is sprayed through the intake)usually clears it out, but the only way to do it properly is to have them removed and ultrasonically cleaned.

[immortality]

try giving the TB and IAC valve a clean. the engine rev's slightly higher when cold. also when you first come to a complete stop it takes a few seconds for the idle to complelty settle. the buick V6 doesn't ahve the smoothest idle to begin with. sounds like it's just idling a little low.

a good clean and re-setting the idle should help

with engine mounts, a good indicator is how high (or low) the bottom of the engine sump sits in relation to the cross member, if it hangs bellow the crossmember (K frame) the mounts are sagging and need replacement

[aussieghostrider]

thanks for the help ,

I checked where the sump and cross member sit and its even so sumps not lower.

I always fill up at same shell petrol station , they are cheaper than another shell station up the road so i'm thinking it could also be fuel related.The car runs like crap on ethanol blended fuel so I never get it so I think I may even have water in the tank as I always fill up on a tuesday and fuel level never gets below half.

I have used the holden brand upper engine cleaner before would it be the same as subaru upper engine cleaner?

[TVR-190]

maybe try running premium from another station. could be some dodgy fuel.

[immortality]

thanks for the help ,

I checked where the sump and cross member sit and its even so sumps not lower.

i'd suggest you mounts are starting to sag, normally the bottom of the sump should be above the lowest line of the K frame

[aussieghostrider]

Ok I went to work today in the usual pain in the ass traffic stop n start driving and the vibration has come back but it's really more of a miss/vibration sound that fluctuates but If I give the car a bit it seems to sort of go away, Im thinking I must have stuffed injectors & or really bad fuel as I ran the car down to the Red which I never do but it seems to have come back more so than before.

I think I must have crap in the tank which Im going to buy a new fuel filter as one on car has not been changed in like 6 months or more and when I remove it I will shake it and see what comes out.

Im also going to run some of that upper engine cleaner as someone recommended...& Will fill up at different service staion with premium and see how I go.

Now the injectors have been serviced like 3 times in 18 years & last time was like 18months ago and 2 injectors were replaced , when I place finger on each injector I can feel same pulse through them all but I know that the jets can be rooted , anyhow I was wondering how much a set of new injectors would cost to be replaced by mechanic and what ones should I have installed ??

Also when doing this Im going to have the coil and ignition module upgraded to VP unless I can do myself as Ive had look and does not seem difficult. I will ask him to clean the throttle body IAC and so on.

Im thinking of buying the gregs manual so I dont have to keep asking you guys lol..

thanks everyone for the help...

[vnv8driver]

No need to replace your injectors a full rebuild consists of pintle caps/valves, rings and a good cleanout and pressure test.

The upper cylinder cleaner will clean your throttle body and iac out, its much much better than throttle body cleaner which is simply fuel with a weaker cleaner added to it.

Gregories manuals aren't the best, go a haynes as there more of a tear down and rebuild more than a basic service manual.

[JD]

see if you exhaust is hitting in between the cat and the header

[aussieghostrider]

Ok Ive had a good look under the car and exhaust has plenty of room so not that..

Today when I got home from work I had look whilst engines running and with bonnet up and car was in gear with hand brake on and I looked really carefully at each pulley & I notice that the idler engine arms vibrating up and down but the actual wheel is fine & no noise , once i put in neutral it goes away.When cars off I try try move it but it wont budge.

I would have thought idler arm would still vibrate if was on it's way out in any gear.Im thinking this vibration is being brought on by a bad idle underload ?? so im still gonna put new fuel filter and upper engine cleaner on premium fuel to see if it helps. I have noticed the idle has got alot better since I put new plugs and leads and cleaned throttle body with cleaner so Im now suspecting it's still a idle problem thats causing the vibration after few seconds of being in D.The vibration seemed to have gone away after high speed driving but then eventually comes back after a bit of stop start driving.

Im gonna take car to mechanic tomorrow across road from work and see what he says ...

[vnv8driver]

Thats the spring in the tnesion pulley, the pwr steer pump has to come off to replace this as its more of a plate where it bolts to the block.

It wont be causing the problems your having though, maybe to an extent but would make driving the thing unpleasant. The annoying sound they make would be more the issue.

[aussieghostrider]

One question If mechanic was a moron and put a vp balancer instead a vn one then Ive heard that vibrations happen , but if that was the case wouldn't the vibration occur instantly & not 5-6 weeks later & it would also do it in P or N ???

If not then im sure it's the not so good idle and I have bought new fuel filter and upper cleaner stuff so will try that.The car does have a slight miss even when in neutral and cars warmed up as I said in the mornings I cant notice it at all until im pulling into work after 30mins driving and seems to take 15mins-20mins when driving home to occur.

Im still gonna take to mechanic across road from work even though he ripped me $400 to change old balancer with a new genuine one & get his opinion and take car elsewhere.

If car is on a hill and does not really do it then that would point to engine mounts , the engine sits pretty much on a straight line with the K frame which someone said means mounts are sagging.Tomorrow when Im stopped on same hill I will take a closer eye on it.

I need my car to get to work and cant take anymore days off just to get car fixed but once I know what problem is then I will get a mate to give me a lift to work for that day.

thanks everyone for the help .. I just dont want to fix the wrong thing and still have the problem this is why Im trying to narrow things down & your advice is a great help so thanks again mates..

[vnv8driver]

we can only do so much over the net, but yes go to a differant mechanic. A proper mechanic who knows a little about commodore buick motors will know the s1 vn harmonic wont work on the vn s2 onwards. they changed the grooves inside between series, in which the grooves are what informs the ecu/crank sensor exactly where the cranks is angle wise. not only will it not fit and hit the cas but it wont work, period.

[greenfoam]

My VN vibrated a bit better than stock when I got a new balancer for it back in the day. Wasn't bad but enough to notice. The aftermaket ones are probably just a bit different

[aussieghostrider]

Ok I have changed fuel filter and put in upper engine cleaner as a mechanic had look at car and said it does have a slight miss & told me to do change filter & andd upper cleaner as well & the cars idling a bit better but the slight vibration from the engine is still there, It seems not to do it if I give car a bit of a rev up when coming to a stop , as the idle reduces is when vibration starts.

The car has never had IAC valve removed or cleaned and the original coilpack has never been touched... and the cars been in the family since it was bought new in 1990 so Im gonna have IAC taken out and reset/cleaned & have the coilpack & ignition module replaced with a vp one ... Im lazy and Im going to get a mechanic to do it so how much would be a fare price to have both things done ?

the coil pack would come from a wreckers ? or do they sell them at holden or similar brand new as I would prefer new so I know once I have this work done I can relax for a while & worry about something else lol.

[Nevyn]

is it at all possible the engine vibration could be caused by a engine mount starting to sag?

[aussieghostrider]

I was told if was the mounts that it would vibrate all the time not just in drive...

But yes they probably do need replacing but I inspected them and they look good ..

the car has no oil leaks that could cause mounts to perish quicker .. but yes they are original so Im probably going to have to do eventually...

[Nevyn]

my engine causes a vibration I can feel through the car, but only when idling as well....once I take off its gone, till I pull up again. After checking everything I can think of, the engine mounts are the only things left.....Come to think of it, I think it does it in drive and park, as well as neutral.

[aussieghostrider]

yeah but the car only does it when warmed up and only when I have in drive or reverse..

Tonight I was sitting in drive thru and thru car in neutral then reved it up a bit then put back in drive and the vibration was not there but then slowly came back 4 seconds later..

im gonna get the IAC removed and cleaned & get the coil pack done as neither of these have been attended to since the car was baought new with 0k's on the clock ..

I was told if car has a misfire that can cause the vibration im getting as well , seems to only do it when cars warmed up so coil packs getting overheated.I even tried the cold water of CAS to see if that would help and didn't.

I will report back when I have this done..

[aussieghostrider]

Ok I went to mechanic who had a spare good coil pack and swapped it and car still has a miss and vibrations still there , next weekend I'm thinking of getting the throttle position sensor fixed/replaced & also the Idle Air control.I will also may get injectors serviced again.If i rev car in neutral and then put in drive the vibration/missfire comes back after a few seconds.

Another thing the crank angle sensor is 4 years old so I'm thinking that will be last thing I have replaced & if that dont fix it then I give up ...

[aussieghostrider]

Ok update ..

Car finally died in the ass backfire stall and got started again but then stalled again.

got towed and got the fuel pump replaced and new CAS and car seems fine now ..

so it was either the CAS , FuelPump or balancer was not on tight.

Fuel pump would not prime or make whine so new it was that anyhow got fixed drove up road then stalled again and would not start but fuel pump was priming and working , got CAS replaced all is well.