Transmission Vibration: Mount, or Serious

[Maritimer]

I'm having it checked out on Tuesday, but in the mean time I'm just educating myself and calming any worry.

What happens is that I get a vibration that I can feel in the gas pedal a bit, in the steering wheel ever so slightly, in the 4WD shifter a lot, and around the floor near the center console quite a bit. It's worse on acceleration and sounds pretty awful as well (though not too loud). The shop thinks it's a bad mount, but we can't get time to lift it up and take a close look until then.

If I'm under the truck the transmission mount looks quite good (which doesn't mean much if the rubber is old and stale), although I suppose the front left engine mount looks a bit sketchy (once again, nothing terrible looking). I can definitely feel the engine and the transmission vibrating if I touch them solidly, and it's of the same type of vibration as when I'm driving.

I'm basically hoping it's just mounts, but I was wondering if this type of vibration could be an early sign of something more catastrophic? What does a bad mount usually act like?

 

[LittleCaesar]

Check all the bolts around the bellhousing (between the transmission and the motor) for they may be loose. Also check the flywheel to see if there is any deflection.

If the shop has to drop the transmission, and if you have the money and want to keep the 4runner for some time, look into replacing the rear main seal as preventative maintenance.

Keep us informed.

 

[Maritimer]

Thanks for the tips. I hope this is the final thing to deal with before winter. I hate having minor things pop up every month. Although I hate what salt does, I sure love driving in the snow and ice.

 

[Maritimer]

Had the transmission mount replaced, and it didn't do a thing. I actually feel it most when I put my hand right on top of the engine--and that's the same frequency of vibration that I feel when I'm in the cabin touching the shifter or gas pedal. So, the engine is somehow putting a vibration through the truck. Not sure if the two engine mounts are letting it jiggle, or if it's an actual engine problem.

 

[t4r4life]

best way it to take it to a toyota sound diagnose specialist they are trained to feel whats wrong

 

[Maritimer]

Probably going to bite the bullet and take it to Toyota tomorrow. Well, I'm going to take a better look at the engine mounts up front today, first. Other than that, it's way beyond me this time, and I don't feel like throwing random money at it. I'm sure Toyota will have a pretty good throw money recommendation, though.

 

[Maritimer]

I waited until after dark and was checking things out with a light. I find it easier to see things when I can pinpoint things with a flashlight. Anyway, there's a bolt broken out right around top of the oil filter. I guess it's the exhaust bolt-on, letting exhaust leak there. That's the vibration and throaty exhaust sound, I assume. Maybe, just maybe it's an engine mount bolt and I have a bad manifold gasket to boot. Not sure exactly. Anyway, I'm sure that the new exhaust system I've been wanting and maybe an engine mount will set everything perfect. Awesome.

Any exhaust suggestions?

 

[BrianSD_42]

I guess it's the exhaust bolt-on, letting exhaust leak ther

Based on the amount of vibration you described it sounds like something else besides the exhaust bolt.

 

[Maritimer]

Yeah, I'm going to bet on the engine mount bolt being the broken piece, and the exhaust leaking being a secondary in the same area. This sounds a little $$$.

 

[Maritimer]

Apparently the hole was an old casting area.

Anyway, at Toyota, everything checks out fine. The engine mounts are good and so is the manifold. No exhaust leaking, and the system still has some life in it. They didn't find the vibration to be abnormal. I guess I had a touch of the sensitive over-analyzer. So I'll just continue to observe the situation.

Now, if they smell new "exhaust system" and "replace mounts" on the sales horizon, I'm sure they could've convinced me.

 

[Maritimer]

OK, so I've been feeling this out for the past week, and it's still doing it, and it's not normal because it didn't used to do this. I guess just because something is not broken or immediately obvious to the mechanic doesn't mean it's alright.

I've really been paying attention, and I think it does it mainly when it's being given some gas. I'm starting to think it may be the drive shaft or something since it seems to not do it in N even when the engine is being revved. It's kind of hard to drive and test this out at the same time though, and obviously I can't do it when the truck is parked. Ugh.

Anyone ever have vibration because of the drive shaft? What did it feel like exactly?

 

[LittleCaesar]

How about rolling down a hill (small) in N? Any vibration then?

 

[Maritimer]

OK, I may have finally got this figured out. It sounds too obvious, but after having one garage insist on transmission mount with no luck upon replacing it, and having Toyota insist twice that nothing is wrong only to blame it on tire feathering, which only hit the target a touch, I can't be blamed for not solving it sooner myself.

There is a touch of feathering on my Firestones, it seems (after only 8000 miles), and this may give the bit of vibration that I tend to feel when rolling down hills in neutral. It is nothing serious, but it is there nonetheless. It isn't the main vibration, though. May go with LT designation next time, as these tires are probably going to get replaced well before their 50,000 mile warranty.

The main vibration, which I confirmed by having my wife rev while I cold touched the exhaust piping, is coming from the exhaust. :flamethrwoer2:

This is good, I guess, because I want to replace it this spring or summer anyway. I hope it's the muffler and general crap condition of a ten-year-old system and not something from the engine manifesting itself there.

I'll update further when I get it replaced just to confirm it worked.

 

[clys]

Make sure to check your driveshaft u joints. I'm hoping the tech's at Toytoa would have done this already, though.

 

[Gerdo]

How about old worn out spark plugs and plug wires. It sounds like you are describing a rough running engine.

 

[Her4Runner]

What clys said <u joints.> Just had a similar vibe on our 2000, really came out of nowwhere. 17" FJ wheels/tires were in fair state of balance as evident by fairly smooth ride previously. (Wife unit swore she didn't hit or run over anything.) Engine revved clean in neutral. Yada, yada.

Cliffs: Isolated it to be driveline, but everything "looked" good. U joints even "felt" tight yanking on the D/S. Suspected trans mount as rubber was hard, but couldn't find one local. Shifting back & forth between P-R-D numerous times w/ foot on brake revealed the slightest tick coming from the rear once or twice. You guessed it...

Replaced the rear joint on the D/S & no more vibration! Truck actually rides & drives smoother than it ever has. 180K+ on the clock & the old u joint looked like it could've been one of the OEM non-zirked ones that come on the 2WD models; grease in it was minimal & hard. I suspect it may have been going out for awhile & I was just chalking up to the bigger wheels & tires.

A/Z sold ones w/ lifetime warranty, but they too were zirkless. No sir, I don't like it. I replaced it w/ one w/ a zirk (3 yr. warranty) so I can lube it every few oil changes.

HTH,

 

[Her4Runner]

Edit: Don't know what's going on w/ the underlining - please forgive.

 

[Maritimer]

Glad it worked out. :bluejump:



I'm stuck again.

I have a new and much needed exhaust system, so no problem was there.

I had a full engine tune-up yesterday, with K&N filter, cleaning the MAF, the throttle body, a Seafoam type cleaning, new plugs and wires, a full diagnostics on misfiring, etc, etc., and the front O2 sensor replaced (all this was needed so it wasn't throwing money at a vibration), so there's no problem in there.

It may actually be body mounts at this point. The engine's normal vibration is carried right up through the floor into my feet and hands. The vibration is present at rest as well as when moving.

 

[Maritimer]

As a continuing update, this may be the result of stiff shocks (can't remember if the problem arose just after I got the shocks, though, damn selective memory).

The engine vibrates, and I feel this same vibration through the floor and the 4x4 shifter. However, the engine had a full tuneup with new plugs and such, and no one thinks it's abnormally vibratory. With new body mounts I feel the vibration worse, and the mounts are poly and quite stiff.

Assuming the engine i sin good working order, the only things to focus on now would be further engine tuning to make things softer. I've stopped worrying about this, though, as it seems to be fine in the end. Luckily all my "fixes" were separate and necessary.

 

[Maritimer]

It's an engine mount. The stealership said they were fine last fall, and that any vibration was normal. Not like I enjoy their pricing, but they don't even have useful expertise at this place.

Luckily I hadn't thrown any money at this issue specifically, and was fixing possible causes due to other problems.

:infidel: