PerceptionProblem

Allllrighty.

I sorted out the clunking noise I was having when I would hit the brakes, but now I'm noticing a really bad vibration sound. Sounds like metal on metal, and I'm not sure if it's exhaust rattle or worse.

I'm not 100% sure (I ran out of time tonight trying to do it myself) if my balance shafts are still lined up, as we've recently done belts and the shafts have skipped a tooth or two before.

My main question is how badly would I have hurt my engine driving from LA to the Bay with the balance shafts out of whack?

Editor's note: throughout all of this, the timing belt (which was also replaced) has been dead on TDC and hasn't given me any problems whatsoever. The drive down to LA was smooth as silk at 90mph. Felt like the engine wasn't even straining. Now it does.

I'm more than happy to walk through troubleshooting steps with everyone, I just need to get this thing working asap, as it's gotta get back to being my DD, as my DD is due for an engine rebuild.

Thanks everyone!!

Van

How are your engine mounts? Could be the exhaust hitting somewhere?

Der Treiber

Balance shaft belts can skip a tooth now and then...it happened to me once, when my foot slipped off the clutch pedal while stationary, in gear w/ both brakes on. Oops. I wouldn't get too shook up about engine damage from a skipped BS tooth...especially if you address it quickly. The symptom is just an overall vibration in the engine that gets pretty harsh sounding between 3.5-4k. Clark's has details around how to set that straight, but the cliff notes are to use openings in the bell, clutch and cam housings to align engine to TDC, then check the reference marks on the BS sprockets. Those reference marks aren't always perfect though, but anything over 1/2 tooth off is suspect.

PerceptionProblem

Van: engine mounts are freshly replaced. There were alot of WYIT jobs done this summer. lol.

Treiber: I took a look this morning before work, and the BS belt is REAL loose. I'll know more tonight as to how far out of alignment the shafts are and report back.

william_b_noble

balance shaft will not hurt car but it can make it vibrate - so can a disconnected vaccum line or a vacuum leak, etc - look carefully at the car and see what you can see -

Gawernator

I'm pretty sure something has been wrong with my Balance shaft setup in some way for two years, LOL you're fine Kyle

PerceptionProblem

So I was almost 180 out of sync on my BS belts. It had just gotten super loose and randomly skipped teeth on one on the pullys.

Lined everything up and tightened it down real well. Noise and vibration is totally gone, and with the upgraded castor blocks and the control arm brace, thing handles like crazy!

...now onto body work.