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Drive Vintage
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Driveline vibrations can be tricky to diagnose, because you can't get under the car and see what is going on while it is driving down the road at 60 MPH. If you have read my Part One article, you have a pretty good way of narrowing down the list of possibilities based on if the vibration is engine speed related, vehicle speed related, or engine load related. Here are some other considerations to keep in mind when diagnosing a classic car vibration.
The first thing to consider is the overall current situation. If this is a new build that has never been run before, then everything is suspect. You may have total faith in your engine builder, but could one of his tools be out of calibration? Is the engine supposed to be externally balanced, and you ordered the correct flywheel but actually received one for an internally balanced engine? Are your driveshaft angles out of spec? Could you possibly have a defective pinion or axle bearing, a bent axle, a warped wheel, or a tire out of balance? Is your exhaust touching the body or another component at any point? Are all the suspension bolts, body to frame bolts, and steering linkage nuts/bolts tight?
If this is a modified car, there are so many more things to think about. If you have 1968 Camaro (my favorite year!) with a Total Cost Involved front end, a late model LS3 engine with home-made engine mount towers, a Keisler transmission, a Currie 9" rear end, and a Detroit Speed rear spring and shock package, there are a number of different opportunities for incompatibility, not to mention the fact that the car is almost 40 years old and the production tolerances back then were considerably "looser" than they are now. Aftermarket companies usually design their parts to fit a completely stock car, and their parts will usually fit an otherwise unmodified car very well. When you start to combine aftermarket parts from different manufacturers, you sometimes run into problems. The aftermarket front end may be designed to improve cornering ability which changes some geometry that the aftermarket transmission system also changes due to tunnel interference with the transmission, and then the rear end company also takes a few liberties with their design to make the rear end fit several different cars, and the rear suspension company modifies the geometry for maximum traction when drag racing. Each part by itself works perfectly with an otherwise stock car, but when all are combined you can end up with a car where the transmission touches the car body and the driveshaft angles are unacceptable. This of course isn't always the case, but if you run into a vibration problem on a heavily modified car you need to take this possibility into account.
If it is a recent restoration that was vibration-free before, then first look at anything that was changed, and the relationship all those components have with other systems on the car. If you just swapped a Ford 9" rear end into your Chevy, the rear end itself may be fine, but you could have altered the driveshaft angles. An angle that was barely acceptable before might be slightly beyond the limit now, creating a vibration.
Sometimes you have to "think outside the box". I once corrected a "vibration" in a two year old, 25,000 mile Buick Lesabre that had a vibration complaint since day one. It had been to three different dealerships, where they had rebalanced and replaced the tires and wheels several times, had multiple wheel alignments, and even had the shocks and struts replaced. I noticed on a test drive that the vibration was only in the steering wheel. I could not feel it in the seats, the armrests or the dash, or see it in the mirrors. I took it back to the shop and ran over some speed bumps at about 10 MPH to see what happened, and the steering wheel moved about three inches up and down! I was a service writer at the time, and all of the technicians refused to believe that the steering column could be loose from the factory, so none of them would work on it. I dug into the dash and found that two of the four bolts that secure the steering column to the dash were about three turns shy of being even finger tight! It had come that way from the factory, and none of the previous technicians had taken the time to pay attention to what was actually happening with the car. I tightened the loose bolts, and I had a customer for life! Sometimes you have to open your mind a little, and throw all assumptions out the window.
The bottom line is to take your time and consider all the possibilities. Assess the overall situation, drive the car, and think about what is happening. Don't make any assumptions, and realize that aftermarket parts from different reputable companies aren't always designed to work with each other. Have an open mind, and with patience any vibration problem can be diagnosed and corrected.
Keith Farren is an ASE Certified Master Technician with a BS in Business Administration, an Associate degree in Automotive Technology, and over twenty years experience in the automotive industry. He also operates two websites dedicated to classic cars, Classic Car Financing and Loans and Classic Car Prices Today.
Vintage Cars
Vintage cars are usually cars that were manufactured for use between 1919 and 1930. The features and qualities of the vintage cars can be explained using the history and development of the vintage cars .The horseless carriage was the earliest type of the vintage cars ever made .It had parts that were commonly hand crafted and its mobility was made possible by a steam powered engine. They had low horse power, poor mechanicals and were considered to be inefficient later on. Advancements in automobiles saw a major transformation of the horseless carriage to make it better in its mechanical and horse power together with a better and efficient performance. In addition the technology allowed for comfort for the passengers and their driver and also boosted safety measures.
During the vintage period, electric self starters were introduced on automobiles to do away with the hand cranks that were very dangerous. From the use of kerosene lanterns that were used to light when one was driving in the night or whenever there was an unclear vision of the road ,electric lighting was incorporated on the automobiles to provide better and clear illumination during night driving situations. The vintage cars became more stylish with their enclosed bodies which add adjustable windows that could be lowered or raised if one wanted to. The enclosed bodies also came in handy when there rose a need block off elements from the people within the car.
The vintage automobiles were at this time becoming cheaper and many people could afford them. Moreover its new features made it become more durable. Automobile manufacturers like Chrysler, Chevrolet, Oldsmobile, Dodge, Plymouth, Ford, Studebaker and Buick were now able to produce vintage cars in mass assemble lines making it easier for people to travel easily and cheaply. The building of car components also began at this time bringing a rise in sustainability and growth in the automotive industry. The engines of the vintage cars were characterized either by steam or electrical powering to facilitate its mobility. However this situation was gradually overtaken by the combustion engines which were internally placed on the cars. These configurations of engines made the cars faster than the steam or electrical powered vintage cars and they included v-8’s, v-12, v-8’s, and v-16’s.
The latest versions of the vintage cars became more comfortable, practical and comfortable. It included more luxurious features such as the car radio and an in–built car heating system. In addition the antifreeze feature was introduced in the vintage cars to give room to the cars that were water cooled to be used throughout the year. Another characteristic of the vintage cars then was the four wheel braking and brakes that were actuated to replace the foot pedal feature . This made driving become easier. The cars also had a power steered system and later on there was the introduction of fuel octane rating which not only made it possible for the cars to use fuel but also allowed for the distinguishing of the fuels.
About the Author
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I need a simplified engine electrical schematic in order to wire my rebuilt 409 in my vintage v-drive boat!!!?
Check with the manufacturer.
Vintage cars roll out on the streets of Delhi
New Delhi, Feb 28 : Sparkling vintage beauties from bygone era rolled out on the streets of New Delhi on Sunday in the 44th Statesman Vintage and Classic Car Rally.
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