Date:         Sun, 4 Oct 1998 23:30:19 -0700
Reply-To:     Randolph Feuerriegel <RFeuerriegel@BC.SYMPATICO.CA>
Sender:       Vanagon Mailing List <Vanagon@vanagon.com>
From:         Randolph Feuerriegel <RFeuerriegel@BC.SYMPATICO.CA>
Subject:      Todd Hill: Syncro under load vibration
Comments: To: Vanagon@VANAGON.COM
Content-Type: text/plain; charset=us-ascii

Greetings Todd. Thanks for the response.

> Had the tires rotated lately?  They are all machine spun
> balanced?  All in good condition??

Running Yoko 370 and rotated every 5000KM and balance at same time. Only
20K on these tires.

> Tie rods in good condition?  VC not going south on you??

It really feels as if the vibration starts in the rear and travels to
the front. Had the tie rods checked recently and they are fine.

> Motor/trans mounts all good and not soft?   From your description
> of what and when it happens I don't think that this
> vibration is transaxle related but somewhere in the
> driveline/suspension.

I have had the motor mounts looked at, and every technician has said
they are fine. Is there a way you can tell thru a visual inspection when
the the van is on the ground?
I also recently had the front diff & rear diff drained of fluid to check
for metal particles on the magnets. Clean as a whistle.
Normally I would have suspected the driveshaft right away, but it is
recently rebuilt, new u-joints. I have had this same vibration with the
shaft out, so I am not suspecting the shaft. Also, a slow acceleration
is vibration free. As well, when I accelerate out of a corner, then
shift up thru the gears, there is no vibration. Only when I straight
line accelerate with more throttle or deccelerate does the vibration
start. Above 3000 rpm it is usually very smooth. At 120 Kph the van is
very smooth.
I had the clutch and throwout replaced last year. I asked if the inner
CV's were ok, and was told yes. However, I have not looked at the
outers. Can a bad CV be intermittent or only misbehave at certain rpm's?
Thanks.

R.Feuerriegel
88 syncro
Victoria BC