chippychaps

Hi Everybody!
I'm new here and after reading through some of the threads here, it is clear that this place is an unparallelled source for information and diagnosis. Y'all know what yer tawkin 'bout!!!

So, with that said, here is my forst question. I'm Canadian, so forgive me for any metric references. My car is a '95 GXE Auto.

I can feel quite the rattle in my front end. In addition to hearing it, moreso, I can FEEL it in the bottom of my foot through the gas pedal and it don't feel too nice. It seems to be at it's worst after accelleration, then slowing down to two particular speeds. On the highway, after accellerating past 110 kmh (68 mph), then back down to 110, the rattling becomes most evident. It also becomes very evident in town, after accellerating past 50 kmh (31 mph), then back down to 50 kmh.

I can only describe the sound and feeling as feeling as if something is very loose. The car has new CV Joints (half-shafts...or whatever you want to call them), as well as new Stabilizer links.

My own suspicions are varied: Struts, Shocks, Alignment, Balancing....which really means I have no clue what it may be.

Can anyone offer any suspicions and, or, similar experiences?

Thanks in advance!
ChippyChaps a.k.a. John.

Str8ridin

eh!

Welcome! What sort of rattling noise is it? metal against metal or more of a softer sound. If it's metal against metal, my guess whould be the heat sheild on your exhaust is loose causing it to rattle under certain vibration/speed.

chippychaps

Str8ridin,

Thanks for the welcome and quick response.

I'll check the heat shield. Thanks.

Hmmm...how to describe. It doesn't really sound like metal on metal. Maybe "Shudder" is a better description. Just feels (I keep saying feel, because the feeling I get through the gas pedal is more evident than the actual "sound" of it.) like something is really loose, causing this shudder at certain speed and vibration.

Sorry I can't describe it more definitively......some times these things are difficult to attach a description to. Or maybe it's just me ;-)

Thanks again,
John

nick

iTrader: (10)

97SE Auto - when i'm at the stop light , car is in D , foot on the brake I feel vibration through gas pedal , also the RPM's tend to surge up and down - when I shift in N it stops completly - so it's the tranny for sure.
recently did a tranny flush , and it helped but only for a day or two.

I think I need to clean my IACV valve and TB, also I think my Y-pipe and straight through muffler adds some vibration too.

Nick

maxcross

Is it only when you are driving? If it is, is it also particular to weight distribution (i.e. car leaning to left or right around a turn, more in a gradual turn at high speeds)? If it is, and it's a fast vibration, have the hub bearing for that particular side checked out, cause that seems to be a big issue with this gen max. It could also be mounts, but more than likely, it's coming from one of the front wheels. If you feel it more when turning to the right, then it's the LF, if turning to the left, it's the RF. Check it out, though, cause I find it hard to believe that you are getting excess pedal feel from something to do with exhaust shields. Loose shields are a clanking noise, not really a vibration.

chippychaps

Thanks for the reply maxcross.

It really does not seem to have anything to do with weight distribution from side to side.

When you said mounts, did you mean the engine (motor) mounts? Could that cause this type of behaviour?

I will still check out my hub bearings, though.

Thanks again!
John

Str8ridin

Sorry to keep chiming in, but I've had a lot of vibrations/rattlings that I hated and fixed!

Nick,
I experienced the same vibration and symptoms that you explained AFTER I put in a Cattman Y-pipe. When it put it in Nuetral, the vibes lessened. The reason was because the pipe was touching the K-member under the frame and when the engine is put into drive, it shifts the pipe and vibrates against the frame. I had to have my muffler guy actually heat the pipe and bend it away from the frame. That might be your problem...

str8

maxcross

Just an update, my LF wheel just started acting up again, after the bearing had been replaced, so I have no idea what could be up now. Argh!!!! it's really ****ing me off now, cause I've replaced the bearing and the axle, and no definate resolution. Plus I had to replace the ABS sensor when the hub was coming out cause it was all rusted out. All told, ~$480 and it's not better yet. I feel bad for my poor car, cause it's trying to tell me whats wrong, but I can't understand it.

nizmo

iTrader: (1)

I know exactly what you are talking about. I just started getting this same vibration/shudder from the gas pedal 2 days ago. It started after I got my car lowered with the Sprint/AGX setup. I havent gotten the allignment done yet so I was hoping it was the tires although the car does not pull towards either side at all.
Along with that I also had the CV boots replaced and the ball joints replaced. You just had your half shafts replaced too so this is worrying me like maybe the shop messed up reinstalling the axel after they took it out. I am going back to the shop on monday and I will let you know what I find out.

chippychaps

Thanks Nizmo,

Let me know how you make out. My particular shudder was happening even before my half shafts and Stab links were replaced. I was hoping that those two repairs would solve the problem, to no avail.

Do you think something as simple as an alignment and balancing could cause/solve this?

I should inspect my ball joints as well.

Thanks again, and I'd really appreciate it if you could let me know how you make out after taking yours in on Monday.

Take care!
John