Vibration

[ghr]

Hello, need help with vibration problem. Engine runs fine aound town 0 ~ 40 mph. On motorway or dual carriageway downhill vibration not there or small in amplitude. Climbing a hill and the whole of the front of the car vibrates and shakes making the car barely drivable as you would think something is going to fall apart or fall off any minute. This is variable. Starts off okay but the long steep climbs soon starts it shaking big time. Grateful for any ideas.

[alan_131]

Hi. Can't help with your question but if you could add some details of your Galaxy (year,fuel/engine variant/bhp, trim, manual/auto) then that might help others ....

[ghr]

Sorry 1.9Tdi 2002 Mk 2

[gregers]

roll restrictor maybe???

[ghr]

???Got me on that one; what's one of them? is it easy to replace/fix?

[MrT]

Hi, it sounds like your CV joint on the driveshaft has gone. This happened to me. It is worse on long mototway uphill inclines about 55-65mph and when accelerating in this speed range. It also gets worse with distance as the CV joint heats up. On may car it felt like the rear end was wagging or a bit like a speedboat in choppy water.

[ghr]

Hi, it sounds like your CV joint on the driveshaft has gone. This happened to me. It is worse on long mototway uphill inclines about 55-65mph and when accelerating in this speed range. It also gets worse with distance as the CV joint heats up. On may car it felt like the rear end was wagging or a bit like a speedboat in choppy water.

 

Spot on. Mr. T. On holiday and the local French F/dealer said 'all the drives' are kaput both ends and both sides. Can't do it myself here (not sure it would be within my gift anyway) so have to pay £600 all in.

 

Thanks for your help. At least it confirms what Michel the Mechanic said.

[gregers]

wouldve been cheaper if it was the roll restrictor. :P

do a search on the subject for future reference.

[ghr]

wouldve been cheaper if it was the roll restrictor. :P

do a search on the subject for future reference.

 

Not half gregers. Trouble is I'm in France and to be honest they could've said it was anything. I've looked on here and £600 seems within the realms of possibility for both driveshafts etc at a dealer. Doing it myself isn't an option for me here and from what I read here the cost of the parts varies so much from the cheap throw away after a year if you're lucky jobs to the dealer's type. Having replaced the drop links within a year of fitting new ones I found it's worth the extra getting decent ones. But I think £250 per side though is a bit steep.

 

 

 

Still I will have a at look at the roll restrictor tomorrow. Just one thing ; can I see it with the under engine tray in place? From the top?

 

 

 

Thanks again

[gregers]

with engine off open bonnet and grab hold of engine if it rocks easily then it could be the restrictor.

as said do a search on the subject so you know what your looking out for.

 

as your away from home m8,whatever your grabed by your short and curlies so if you think its a good deal then thats the main thing.

[chrispb123456]

You will only visually see roll restrictor from underneath with the cover off, but you can test for movement as Greg has mentioned.

[ghr]

gregers: " if you think its a good deal then thats the main thing"

 

Nah, just the short and curlies.:)))

 

 

 

Thanks Chris, I'll have a look see. If the roll restrictor is gone wouldn't the engine tend to roll at a standstill just revving up?

[alan_131]

Under car this morning, took a snap of the roll restrictor while I was there. The most common problem is with the bolt (yellow arrow). My bolt fatigue failed - easy fix, longest part of job is getting the undertray off. I took the restrictor off expecting it to be difficult to remove the remains of the bolt but it came out very easily probably due to all the oil and maybe thread had a bit of a pounding before it went completely. For anybody reading this later, if you find this bolt is loose, I'd replace it with a new one - only a couple of quid from dealer.

 

When it goes like this, you know - the car is horrible to drive right from standstill as the engine is constrained mainly by the pipework. In neutral, using the check which gregers/chrispb123456 describe is easy to do, I think the engine pretty much dangles from the upper mounts.

Edited August 8, 2012 by alan_131

[ghr]

That's really kind of you Alan. Done the check and the engine is solid. Doesn't shift at all. Looks like it is the driveshafts then. I've now got the dilemma of forking out £299 less tolls and diesel for a single ferry journey to save driving 6 hours of driving via the tunnel.

 

The car drives well enough for the local travel while we are here so this is an option and I can do the work at home for the cost of the parts.

 

French Guy next to us suggested a busy local mechanic. I'll see what he charges.

 

Again, thanks.

[gregers]

dunno if you have it,i have no experiance over this at all.

 

but what about european breakdown cover,would they not bring you back home piggy back styley?

then look round for a garage near where you live to do the work???

 

just an idea m8.

[ghr]

Suspect they would try the car an deem it fit to limp home in. Anyway I paid the Ford dealer and it came out as £570 on yesterdays exchange rate. The mechanic showed me the problem and the new ones he was about to fit. Took it for a long drive on the motorway and it seems to have sorted it. The drive home will be a bit tense but I'll let you know what happened.

 

Thanks for all your help. It's very much appreciated.

[ghr]

Probably they woiuld it deem drivable. Got the work done today and cost £570 all in at yesterday's exchange rate. The mechanic showed me the problem and the new parts they were going to put on. Drove up and down the motorway and it seems to have done the trick. The long drive back will tell.

 

Thanks for your all help and taking the time to reply. Much appreciated.