Where do you feel the vibration, floor or steering wheel?

 

Well thats a good question. I would hav to say mostly steering wheel. U can see it slightly if u really look. Cant say I really notice in floor w my feet. Id have to pay more attention to that. But it starting to vib my dash some prob just due to age/time. Not necessarily worse.

I guess one question i have about balance shafts is that is it likely that it smooths out as soon as i press gas pedal or have any rpms over 1000? Seems if those were off it wouldnt get better suddenly w that but i dont know much about those.

 

I've never had incorrect balance shaft/s to know what type of vibration and whether it gets worse w/ increased rpm, however you would think vibration would get worse.

It may help to adjust base idle speed towards high end of setting (700 +/- 50 rpm). Does your idle speed dip when load (AC) is applied?

good luck

 

I do feel it through the whole car. Floor seat etc but its def the most noticeable in the wheel. Hav to see this spring too if it smooths out some w warmer weather. It typically does which makes me question balance shafts as well. U think that would b more consistent. Just wish a motor mount was falling off the car or something more obvious. Lol

 

Oh and the rpms increase w AC activated. But when alt cycles it really boosts the vibration as well w the load.

 

What do you mean when alternator "cycles"?

Have you watched the external drive belts? Look for bent pulleys? Loading up the alternator & AC compressor can make a small vibration into something worse.

 

I have looked for bent pulleys. Actually replaced dampener crank pulley cause it had a slight wobble to it. That really didnt do anything. I guess Im not really sure what I mean w the alterntr. W AC off something still comes on and off creating a load. Fig mayb it was something w altrntr that I never noticed before w any vehicle but I dont really know.

 

Nevermind about the alternator. I'm an idiot that had a total lapse in brain function for a brief moment. It just hit me that thats the fan kicking on and off. Duh. But regardless, it is very noticeable as I have never noticed a fan loading the motor enough to make that much of a noticeable difference in vibration.

 

Can the ignition system be ruled out? Cap/rotor/wires/spark plugs in good shape? Valves adjusted correctly? Compression OK? Any of these could cause a slight miss at idle.

 

If you have the ventilation set to defrost or up/down mix, it will switch on the AC. So maybe it's actually the AC loading up? The fans cycle along with the AC compressor, but if you watch the compressor you can see the hub of the pulley spin when that clutch engages.

The drag of the compressor is a lot more noticeable than "just" the fan.

For 1998 you CAN switch off the AC after you direct the air to defrost, but each time it'll switch it back on. Or you can just be aware that it IS switching on.