stevemersey Posted January 10, 2012 Share Posted January 10, 2012 Hi all, I have just bought a nice old 7, 92 vintage with 1800 Zetec and five speed box. I have been pleasantly surprised at how few rattles and gremlins this car has for its age, and it drives really well - but it does have one problem. In fifth at steady motorway speeds there is a drumming vibration like driving over a rough road surface, you feel it rater than hear it. It disappears if I change down. So it is not related to road speed. Similarly, there is no vibration at the same rpm in another gear. The car is sweet and smooth all the way through gears 1 to 4. Any thoughts on where I should start looking to sort this problem would be gratefully received. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stationary M25 Traveller Posted January 10, 2012 Share Posted January 10, 2012 Not about the TV show then 😬 Welcome to BlatChat Don't know where you are based. If you think the problem is in the box and can remove the gearbox, you could take it to a transmission specialist like Road and Race near Sevenoaks in Kent. Others are available round the country. Edited by - Stationary M25 Traveller on 10 Jan 2012 19:34:38 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stevemersey Posted January 10, 2012 Author Share Posted January 10, 2012 Thank you for the warm welcome I am rather hoping this is not a gearbox problem - my suspicion is of the prop shaft, though this is more based on optimism rather than facts. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stationary M25 Traveller Posted January 10, 2012 Share Posted January 10, 2012 Prop shaft would have been my first suggestion, but you said it wasn't related to road speed. Relatively cheap to get the prop refurbished with new bearings and balanced. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
John Hughes Posted January 10, 2012 Share Posted January 10, 2012 Hi Steve Bring it to MADS at the Ring O'Bells at Daresbury on the last Wednesday of the month and you will be able to get several differing opinions of what the possible cause could be 😬 Where are you in sunny Merseyside ? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stevemersey Posted January 10, 2012 Author Share Posted January 10, 2012 John, I am in South Liverpool, Grassendale, so the Ring of Bells is a short drive when the bridge is flowing. I will probably take you up on that offer, though I would like to hope I have it fixed by then. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
John Hughes Posted January 10, 2012 Share Posted January 10, 2012 The bridge is rarely a problem unless they have coned the lanes, though last year there was one occasion when coming home they were shutting it for 30 min then running convoys each way. I know Grassendale well, lived in St.Michaels-in-the-Hamlet when I was at Uni. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sheds Moderator Posted January 11, 2012 Share Posted January 11, 2012 My guess is propshaft but your tests are slightly contradictory. If it were a propshaft/driveshaft/UJ problem then it would be speed related, changing gear would have no effect. Equally if it were engine/box related it would be revs related and roadspeed independent. But it's neither, apparently. Propshaft troubles are usually obvious and the vibration comes and goes at various speeds. It's a very heavy vibration as you describe. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Leadership Team SLR No.77 Posted January 11, 2012 Leadership Team Share Posted January 11, 2012 Hi Steve, welcome to the fold As John says get along to the MADS meeting at the end of the month and we'll do some tyre kicking for you and give you at least 10 possible faults/cures that may fit the bill! No seriously, I'm sure someone will be able to identify what's wrong! We meet at the Ring'O'Bells in Daresbury village, just off the M56 - usually there's a few of us there from around 7.15pm to sample the pubs food as well as beer Also we have an email list running to circulate useful info and if you'd like to be included on it send me your details. Stu. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mav Posted January 11, 2012 Share Posted January 11, 2012 What Stu and John said, plus I'll offer tyres as the cause of the issue. 😬 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mav Posted January 11, 2012 Share Posted January 11, 2012 Oh, have you greased your nipples recently? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stevemersey Posted January 11, 2012 Author Share Posted January 11, 2012 Thanks for more constructive ideas. I am going to eliminate the easy ones. I will get the wheels balanced in the next couple of days and have another look at the tyres, and nipple greasing is always fun. I have a tiny cheap video camera that I thought I might be able to fix in the transmission tunnel to see if I can see anything obvious in the prop shaft, and if I can identify the frequency that should give me clue. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sheds Moderator Posted January 11, 2012 Share Posted January 11, 2012 While you are there you can have a look to see if any stickon balance weights have come off the prop. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chris Cardwell Posted January 11, 2012 Share Posted January 11, 2012 Also experienced vibration issues at aroun 70 mph which felt like unbalanced wheels but was fixed by replacing the engine mounts during other upgrades. Could be a cheap fix. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TomB Posted January 11, 2012 Share Posted January 11, 2012 Blimey, you havnt even met the bloke yet and you're asking about his nipples. As if meeting in a dark car park wasnt dodgy enough. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stevemersey Posted January 11, 2012 Author Share Posted January 11, 2012 Also experienced vibration issues at aroun 70 mph which felt like unbalanced wheels but was fixed by replacing the engine mounts during other upgrades. Could be a cheap fix. Found the nearside mount to be quite loose and the bracket to the engine the same, so I met yet have found the problem. Also one wheel bearing was a bit sloppy. I love this car already, so much play value. Just need the chance to road test. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
phil 01 Posted January 11, 2012 Share Posted January 11, 2012 Hello Steve, welcome to the club, I'm sure it will be helpful for your problems including those of your car Regards Phil Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stevemersey Posted January 11, 2012 Author Share Posted January 11, 2012 Hi Phil, see you are also in Liverpool. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stevemersey Posted January 17, 2012 Author Share Posted January 17, 2012 Just an update. During an overall examination of the car we found a slight misalignment of the gearbox and engine. After rectifying that and tightening some loose differential bolts, the vibration has been all but eliminated. I do not think I would notice it now if I was not looking for it. I suspect the barely perceptable residual vibration is due to uneven wear at the clutch caused by the misalignment, and it remains to see if this will get better or worse as everything settles in to it's correct alignment. Either way, the car is running beautifully and at worst might need a little clutch work at some time in the future. Let the farkling commence! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stationary M25 Traveller Posted January 17, 2012 Share Posted January 17, 2012 Misalignment between gearbox and engine, or misalignment of the whole assembly related to the centreline of the car ? If the latter, it wouldn't wear the clutch unevenly, just make the propshaft U/Js work for a living ? Anyway - glad you have found something positive Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stevemersey Posted January 17, 2012 Author Share Posted January 17, 2012 The former...the bellhousing was tight to the engine at the top but not quite snug at the bottom. Missing bolts being the cause. Fingers crossed there is no damage to bearings or gearbox as a result. All feels pretty good and quiet now it is tightened up, but if I do get any problems later on I know where to start looking. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stevemersey Posted January 24, 2012 Author Share Posted January 24, 2012 An update and request for more specific help. Quick recap. I have recently acquired a 1992 7 with Raceline Zetec 1800 and 5 speed box. It runs very nicely apart from a drumming vibration in fifth gear only at motorway speeds. I reduced this effect, but have not eliminated it, by tightening up differential and engine mountings and replacing missing bolts in the bell housing. I have now found what may be the cause. There is significant play where the propshaft enters the gearbox. Grabbing the U joint and wiggling results in visible movement and a knocking feeling suggesting the rear gearbox bearing is worn. I intend to take the gearbox out and replace the bearing as soon as possible, and replace or repair anything else worn in the drive train but cannot get onto this for a week or so. So my questions are. 1. Is this a common problem? I cannot seem to find a reference to it in search. 2. I have had motorcycle boxes apart before, but not a car. How tricky are they to rebuild yourself? 3. With the engine and gearbox out, will the prop shaft be removable with the diff in place? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stationary M25 Traveller Posted January 24, 2012 Share Posted January 24, 2012 To remove the propshaft, you have to remove either the engine and gearbox or the diff. So - yes, you can remove it with diff in place. Work getting the propshaft overhauled while it is out. Cheap to have done and balanced. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
irrotational Posted January 24, 2012 Share Posted January 24, 2012 If you are taking them ut it is probably worth asking for a more general list of things you should get done while theyre out...I dont know the list im afraid, but others on here will Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
charlie_pank Posted January 24, 2012 Share Posted January 24, 2012 In your original post you state that the drumming happens in 5th at motorway speeds but not in other gears. If this is the case then it MUST be the gearbox. The other bits and pieces that you have found and fixed might have amplified it, but if it's not roadspeed dependent it has to be upstream of the propshaft, if it is not engine-speed dependent then it must be downstream of the clutch. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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