Xr6t Vibration At Idle. Can Anyone Offer Advice?

[new370]

If any of you can suggest what may cause this vibration, I would really appreciate your ideas.

Hi all,

I have an 03 xr6t auto which I bought from a mature one-owner about 12 months ago. The seller is a great bloke and even had the car serviced before I collected it. He said that the workshop told him it required new engine mounts and because there was insufficient time to instal them, he bought two and gave them to me with the car. There is a vibration at idle which is very noticeable under load (in drive or reverse). So I went to a mechanic to have the mounts installed. He did the passengers side but said he couldnt replace the drivers side one as it was too difficult to get to. Ive been told that it is normally the passengers side mount which fails but changing this didnt fix the problem.

Another mechanic mate suggested that the harmonic balancer may be loose (on its key and crank), so I had that tightened with a power bar. No luck.

The mechanic that tightened it suggested a throttle body clean, which he did on the car using injection cleaner on a compressor hose. No luck (other than an extra problem that the car now sticks on about 2800 rpm when driving and taking my foot off the throttle!) I will go back to ask about this.

If any of you can suggest what may cause this vibration, I would really appreciate your ideas.

Thanks heaps

[senna_T]

Where abouts are you located mate? We may be able to point you to a workshop that knows these things back to front. Not replacing an engine mount "cos its too hard to get too" is unacceptable in my opinion!

I'd also look at things like plugs and coils to see if the ingnition system is working properly.

[XR6TWolf]

A sticking throttle is pretty unlikely to be engine mount related unless it has actually broken completely.

I'd be pointing at the throttle body, disassemble and clean it properly, carb cleaner and compressed air may well have dislodged some grime which is now causing it to stick partially open.

Mine had vibrations and ran like a pig when I got it a few weeks ago. A simple boost solenoid clean, throttle body clean and tightening all the hoses transformed it into a completely different car. No surge, no vibration.

[stockxr]

hey dude have you hade the care tuned by any chance??. coz I have the exact problem, I first noticed it when I had my walbro pump instaled, it wasnt any thing like it is now but it was a little noticable.

I then took the car to my tuner and had cooler, pipping and injectors instaled, when I picked the car up it felt like a roket ship!! (not power). At a stop, in drive or reverse it shakes and vibrates like any thing. I told them and all they said was it was there before, I couldnt really argue coz it was, but not to the degree it is in now. I asked the question of what it could be but only got the engein mounts answer, could it have any thing to do with the tune???

Edited 09/07/09 02:39 AM by stockxr

[new370]

Where abouts are you located mate? We may be able to point you to a workshop that knows these things back to front. Not replacing an engine mount "cos its too hard to get too" is unacceptable in my opinion!

I'd also look at things like plugs and coils to see if the ingnition system is working properly.

thanks for replying senna. im near penrith nsw. yeah I was disappointed about them only changing one mount, but he said I would need to go to ford to get it done... the ford quote to instal drivers side mount was expensive if it isnt the problem.

another mechanic friend suggested that the harmonic balancer is loose on its shaft and key. when the engine is stopped, you can "rock" the belts and other pulleys back and forward and the harm balancer turns too. ...ie you can move the balancer which he is sure shouldnd happen if the key is intact and the balancer tightened properly. on his bf, the same test gives virtually no movement. he isnt fully convinced that this is the cause of vibration, but suggests a new key and correct tightening.

He also wanted me to find out if anyone knows if these engines are "internally" or "externally" balanced? ANYONE KNOW?

Thanks again for your help.

hey dude have you hade the care tuned by any chance??. coz I have the exact problem, I first noticed it when I had my walbro pump instaled, it wasnt any thing like it is now but it was a little noticable.

I then took the car to my tuner and had cooler, pipping and injectors instaled, when I picked the car up it felt like a roket ship!! (not power). At a stop, in drive or reverse it shakes and vibrates like any thing. I told them and all they said was it was there before, I couldnt really argue coz it was, but not to the degree it is in now. I asked the question of what it could be but only got the engein mounts answer, could it have any thing to do with the tune???

its had every service since new and now has about 180oook's. its immaculate condition and I have had it about a year. havent had it tuned. I dont wanna fix things that arent broken so trying to anylise the fault first.

FIXED THE ENGINE HIGH IDLE PROBLEM THANKS.... A VACUUM HOSE HAD BEEN LEFT OFF, BUT A CLUE I LEARNED WAS EVEN AFTER THAT WAS PUT BACK ON, THE CAR RAN AT ABOUT 1600 REVS WITHOUT FOOT ON THROTTLE WHEN DRIVING (need to slip into neutral to see this) THIS WAS RECTIFIED BY RESETTING THE COMPUTER... DISCONNECT BATTERY LEADS AND TOUCH THEM TOGETHER **THE LEADS-NOT THE BATTERY TERMINALS** COMPUTER RESET AND THAT HIGH REVING PROBLEM SOLVED...the mate who suggested that is a genius!

A sticking throttle is pretty unlikely to be engine mount related unless it has actually broken completely.

I'd be pointing at the throttle body, disassemble and clean it properly, carb cleaner and compressed air may well have dislodged some grime which is now causing it to stick partially open.

Mine had vibrations and ran like a pig when I got it a few weeks ago. A simple boost solenoid clean, throttle body clean and tightening all the hoses transformed it into a completely different car. No surge, no vibration.

Thanks.

mechanic did the throttle body, but not the solenoid. Its smooth and runs great when above about 1700 rpm, but below the whole car shakes and vibrates like the exhaust is bolted directly to the body.

Still not sure if it is a tuning problem (injectors was one persons opinion) but just feels more of a physical problem to me like mount or balancer

thanks for helping to those who have replied.....

[boostin4ltr]

I had a similar problem recently. and the throtle was jamming open . so I replaced plugs, took all the piping off the throtle cleaned it out and cleaned out the solanoid.. Problem fixed :)

[nickxr6T]

thanks for replying senna. im near penrith nsw. yeah I was disappointed about them only changing one mount, but he said I would need to go to ford to get it done... the ford quote to instal drivers side mount was expensive if it isnt the problem.

another mechanic friend suggested that the harmonic balancer is loose on its shaft and key. when the engine is stopped, you can "rock" the belts and other pulleys back and forward and the harm balancer turns too. ...ie you can move the balancer which he is sure shouldnd happen if the key is intact and the balancer tightened properly. on his bf, the same test gives virtually no movement. he isnt fully convinced that this is the cause of vibration, but suggests a new key and correct tightening.

He also wanted me to find out if anyone knows if these engines are "internally" or "externally" balanced? ANYONE KNOW?

Thanks again for your help.

its had every service since new and now has about 180oook's. its immaculate condition and I have had it about a year. havent had it tuned. I dont wanna fix things that arent broken so trying to anylise the fault first.

FIXED THE ENGINE HIGH IDLE PROBLEM THANKS.... A VACUUM HOSE HAD BEEN LEFT OFF, BUT A CLUE I LEARNED WAS EVEN AFTER THAT WAS PUT BACK ON, THE CAR RAN AT ABOUT 1600 REVS WITHOUT FOOT ON THROTTLE WHEN DRIVING (need to slip into neutral to see this) THIS WAS RECTIFIED BY RESETTING THE COMPUTER... DISCONNECT BATTERY LEADS AND TOUCH THEM TOGETHER **THE LEADS-NOT THE BATTERY TERMINALS** COMPUTER RESET AND THAT HIGH REVING PROBLEM SOLVED...the mate who suggested that is a genius!

Thanks.

mechanic did the throttle body, but not the solenoid. Its smooth and runs great when above about 1700 rpm, but below the whole car shakes and vibrates like the exhaust is bolted directly to the body.

Still not sure if it is a tuning problem (injectors was one persons opinion) but just feels more of a physical problem to me like mount or balancer

thanks for helping to those who have replied.....

Drivers side (reverse) engine mount is the problem, this mount breaks because of heat as it is a hair away from the turbo, also to get to this mount you need to take the turbo off. the way to check is to stall the car up in reverse (foot on the break and throtal on sharply) get a mate to stand infront of the car to see if the engine moves, car will also dip to one side. if it does that's your problem. its also a known fact that the only vibration causing things on these cars are the mounts, most mechanics would know this harmonic balancer would cause a much much more serious problem. also for anyone doing a "solenoid service" as they call it... do it at your own risk as there should be NO FLUID INSIDE VACUUME HOSES, whoever started this myth is some maniac that wants people to stuff their cars... ofcourse your car will have more boost when you fill the vac line with WD40 and partially block it but when that WD40 dry's up its back to normal and your solenoid may be stuffed because you filled it with crap. contact pierburg the group that makes them and ask for your self.

good luck fixing the engine mount cause that's your problem, my car does the same thing havent changed it because of lack of time and I aint paying fraud or some other dodgy mechanic $400+ for an engine mount.

[Adam]

Vibrations are one thing and a miss or sh*tty idle is another...

Is it just vibrating or is the idle actually terrible?

[nickxr6T]

he said vibration in drive or reverse.... Im not trying to say his mate is an idiot but they dont call em anti-vibration mounts for nothing... any vibration that isnt caused by eg. low idle(below 500rpm) or fouled plugs (which would cause surging and/or splatter under load) or blocked fuel system and/or injectors (which would also cause surging under load). any internal problem will cause surging and/or missfire and/or splatter under load.

Edited 17/07/09 05:36 AM by nickxr6T

[new370]

sorry ive been offline.... thanks for these latest answers. I had my mate have a close look and apply some logical navel gazing to the problem last week. He said he believes it is the engine mount drivers side, so it is great to read nickxr6t thouht s....thanks nick. he also mentioned the heat possibly causing failure. thanks also adam-it seems to idle ok, and at higher revs no problem. still think there is movement in the harmonic balance....apparently this is not uncommon and may be worth other owners checking theirs coz leaving it can result in damage to the crankshaft keyway. thanks to all who replied.... I have a new mount...just need to find someone to instal it for a reasonable price.... in west sydney