'98 V70 D5252T engine vibrations

[Galaxie390]

Hi Folks,

My '98 V70 TDi auto is a great car, esp when cruising on motorways etc. But, and it's a BIG but, when you're stopped in traffic, in gear with your foot on the brake the engine vibrations you can feel in the cabin are genuinely very disturbing, and bizarrely are causing my legs and back to ache! They literally shake the car.

I'd posted about this before up the V70 forum, and got some great feedback. As a result, I found the gearbox was resting on the small rubber 'bumpstop' on top of the chassis. So I replaced both front & rear engine mounts (the big round hydraulic doughnuts with volvo parts), which lifted the gearbox up off the mount by 1.5cm or so. I think it may have reduced the vibration a bit, but that could just be wishful thinking as it was murderous job! Is it possible I somehow got the front rear mounts mixed up? They look identical, but have diff volvo part numbers.

I fitted a new top steady bush (engine end of the arm), but this made little difference. Although, i did notice the bush seems forced towards the bulkhead rather than sitting in a 'relaxed' position. Is this a clue that the engine isn't sitting right?

Crank pulley damper and the pulley-end engine mount looks fine and hasn't bottomed out, and the under-strap looks fine.

While visiting family in the Midlands I got CP motors to fit a full timing & pump belt kit, with water pump and all the bits (inc a crank seal). They thought the car was fine, but I'm really struggling with the idea an 'executive' car like this was this coarse when new....or was it??!
The car starts & runs fine, but strangely the mpg dropped dramatically after the belt swap?? .

Any ideas what could be wrong to cause this intense vibration at idle? Once the revs rise beyond 1000-1200 it all smooths out, and at speed it's a wonderful car.

Sort of at the end of my tether with this one, I love driving the car but this vibration is literally starting to hurt.

Any ideas??

cheers,

Rich

PS; could a ropey injector cause somthing like this or would that throw up a fault code, but then I suppose you's feel it all through the revs.

[mickeyboy2007]

Only when in gear with foot on brake....

Does it still do it if your in neutral or park and put your foot hard on the brake?

[Galaxie390]

Hi,

The vibration is def at its worst, in gear with your foot on the brake. It lessens slightly when you drop into neutral or park or raise the revs by 100 rpm or so.

I've been looking at the Audi forums to see if anyone mentions this over there, but nothing as yet.

Any pointers would be gratefully received!


Cheers,

Rich

[mickeyboy2007]

Assuming your gearbox is ok, engine mounts ok, subframe all bolted up ok, I'd basically say that we want to get your engine running smoother then, and a drop in mpg also inditactes something is not as it should be. Parts can clog up but still work, hence no warning light or error code. I personally would do this:

Replace fuel and air filter
Clean MAF sensor and area around it. (Maf sensor is on top of the air filter box inside the start or the pipe)
Check turbo air pipes are not full of oil (turbo leaking oil/ turbo core worn out but you should notice strange noises from the turbo if this was the case and a loss in engine oil level)

Check breather pipes and little pipes to pressure sensors etc are not clogged
Replace CO2 sensor
Use a fuel system/injector additive in the fuel

If that cures it, should help your engine run smoother and give it more tork to prevent the vibration / engine struggle

[mickeyboy2007]

How about the top of the front struts, is it all good there?

[Galaxie390]

Hi Mickeyboy,

Ta for the info.

In a funny way, you've sort of hit the nail on the head. The engine seems harsh and a bit rough, now I don't have any experience of these engines so I can't honestly say mine is any different from other TDIs. But it certainly is harsher than other diesels of simillar age, maybe this roughness is inherant in the 5 cyl design.
Were they known for being smooth engines when new?

So I think I need to compare it to another V70 as soon as poss, at least I'll have a comparison then.

I'll check out those things you suggest...

Assuming your gearbox is ok - slightly clunky, as you'd expect it to be a 190K. Fresh ATF 2000 miles back.

engine mounts ok,- They 'appear' ok, how would you confirm? Crank pulley-end mount moves, but hasn't bottomed out and the rubber looks in good nick

subframe all bolted up ok, - are these the large round sandwich type mounts at each 'corner'? If so, not fantastic, some cracking on surface

I'd basically say that we want to get your engine running smoother then, and a drop in mpg also inditactes something is not as it should be. - engine felt the same before the cam belt change

Parts can clog up but still work, hence no warning light or error code. I personally would do this:

Replace fuel and air filter - replaced approx 2500 miles ago

Clean MAF sensor and area around it. (Maf sensor is on top of the air filter box inside the start or the pipe) - woudl suggest I take it off and wash through with carb cleaner?

Check turbo air pipes are not full of oil (turbo leaking oil/ turbo core worn out but you should notice strange noises from the turbo if this was the case and a loss in engine oil level) - other than being 'wet', no oil in aire pipes. Turbo sounds ok, no oil loss

Check breather pipes and little pipes to pressure sensors etc are not clogged - ok, will check.


Replace CO2 sensor - do you mean the oxygen sensor on the exhaust?

Use a fuel system/injector additive in the fuel - have tried a few tanks of such stuff, wiht no difference. Maybe I should carry on?


Would worn injectors add to this 'rough' running?


Thanks again,

Rich

[EVOLVOLUTION]

Originally Posted by Galaxie390

The car starts & runs fine, but strangely the mpg dropped dramatically after the belt swap?? .

Just been reading this one-----maybe you've answered your own question----------only a thought---------COL...........

[Galaxie390]

Hi Evolvolution,

I wish it was a straightforward as the can belt, but the vibration was there before I had the belts done.

In my head I was hoping the belt change and re-time would sort it out...no luck!


Thanks for chipping in though, any others ideas?????????


Ta,

Rich

[mickeyboy2007]

Any luck yet? I tried a little experiment with mine to try and simulate what your experiencing... As mine is a manual, I applied the handbrake and put it in first, raised the clutch until my engine vibrates/ shaking, it went down to near 500 rpm and then was literally shaking the car as it was struggling to run. What's your engine idle speed when it vibrates badly?

I have seen a post elsewhere that mentions replacing the sensor on the injector.

Vadis calls for the car to be plugged in upon changing the cam belt to compare timing against engine tempture tolerance.

Has previous work that has been carried out disturbed one of the many wires and connections to various sensors? I just changed the thermostat on mine, and in doing so broke a small wire near the alternator, producing no error light but the engine is limping at about 50% power it should have, one little wire makes all that difference it seems.

One other thing that could effect the running at idle is a leak in the manifold...

[Galaxie390]

Hi Guys,

Knowing the company that did the belt change I would definately thought they would have used the correct procedures.

Another thing cam up the other day though. I met up with 95RN850VOLVO to get a couple of 15" steel rims off him (Thanks!!) for winter tyres. We got talking about this vibration, and he sat in the car and agreed it was far worse than the 850 tdi he used to have.

So, we got looking a little closer, 95RN850VOLVO felt the engine was sitting at the wrong angle. Either the back (bulkhead side) was too high or the front was too low. Gut feeling was the back being too high.

I'm wondering if I somehow fitted the 2 new hydraulic engine mounts in the wrong position. Although they looked identical externally, I wonder if the they had 2 diff part numbers for a reason?

I did notice the wire strap around the front (radiator side) mount was loose enough to slide my finger between it and the body of the mount.

Is anyone else with tdi able to confirm this? If this wire is too loose then it does point the the front mount collapsing (hope not as it was a €100 volvo part that was hell to fit!). This would also explain the gearbox resting back down on the 'bumpstop' under the gearbox again.

Thanks for listening!


Rich