vibration

[AZMoparboy]

Hi Guys out there in Charger land,

I've been chasing a vibration that feels like it is coming from the front end of my '73 Charger. Front end has all new everything- tires, wheels, driveshaft and u-joints- new and balanced as an assembly, motor mounts are new as well as the tranny mount, also the tranny tail shaft housing has a new bushing in it as well. The car is smooth till around 55 miles an hour, then a light buzz that oscillates in and out. The faster I go the more intense it becomes. Car shifts well, and with the engine in neutral, I've raised the rpm of the engine, there is no vibration coming from the engine. I've also taken the car up to 65 MPH and then put the tranny in neutral and the vibration is present until the car comes back to 55 MPH and it then disappears. Can the pinion angle give me this vibration. Is there any other ideas that anyone may have as to what is could be? Will I have to drive 55mph forever? This is not in my plan.

Thanks for your help,
Steve

[chargd72]

Check your drive train well.  Same thing happened to me (not in a charger) where I could swear something was wrong with the front end.  After $800 in parts in labor smoothing out the front end, turned out to be a loose differential.   

[moparstuart]

  I had one like that , that was the torq converter ,  also had another car with a bad pinion bearing in my dana that acted the same way  . 

[Sublime/Sixpack]

Front end vibrations are mostly felt in the steering wheel. Driveline vibrations are felt in the floor board or butt. I suggest you jack up the rear of the car and place jack stands under the rear end housing tubes, then get in and with the trans in drive run it up over 55 mph on your speedo. If you get the same vibration then you know its not in your front end. At which point you can start looking at your power train. Could be incorrect driveline phasing, out of balance drive shaft, bent, twisted, or out of round drive shaft, defective u-joints, etc.

[AZMoparboy]

Hi Guys,

I've  changing the pinion angle, and yes it was off, it was at +1 degree and now its at -3 degree. There is less vibration than before, but still I have this  same arithmetic vibration that comes and goes across the front of the car from side to side. It can't be felt in the steering wheel, but you can feel it in the floor of the car. I have not given up on this problem yet. I'm going to look closer at the rearend and the wheels and tires as well. I'll try and keep you posted.

Steve

[elacruze]

http://www.dodgecharger.com/forum/index.php/topic,63413.0.html

lots of discussion, surprising resolution.

[AZMoparboy]

Hi again,

I need to tell you some more info on the origin of my engine I have and what I've discovered. I have a  mid year 1973 440, cast crankshaft engine. It came out of a ton Chassis camper. Along with the engine came a tranny and torque converter as well. I have not been into this engine at all, just resealed with new seals from front to back. I changed the oil pan and discovered that the carbon in the pan was so very little, that I think this engine was a replacement engine and the odometer read about 50,000 miles. The other thing that makes me think this engine is very low miles is that the intire engine is Chrysler blue, nothing had been changed on this engine, this is why I bought this engine. I have driven the car over 1300 miles now and I uses no oil.

Now I know most of you don't know me, but I'm a green horn when it comes to all of this car stuff. This is my very first ever car that I've restored. I'm constantly leaning. I read from this website and all kinds of books to help.

So, this is what I think is causing my vibration. One of you had said to check the torq converter, and that got me to thinking of a book I have called Big Block Mopar Engines. It tells you everything you need to know about a 440 engine as well as the torq converter.

Now this is were I assumed that the torq converter was the correct one and that It did work, because it was in the camper I just thought it was correct.

There are two types of torq converters, one for the forged crankshaft and one for the cast crankshaft. According to that book I have , I have the forged crankshaft torq converter, so what do you Guys think, Is this my vibration problem?

Steve

[68coronetGLwannabe]

I hope its not those BFG tire I sold you!

I had the same problem and here is some info on torque converters.

http://www.dodgecharger.com/forum/index.php/topic,67235.0.html

[AZMoparboy]

Hi 68coronetGLwannabe,

Nice to hear from you, the tires are great.

I have come to a conclusion that when the engine was swapped out, who ever did it, didn't know about the weights that were necessary for the external balanced engine. So now it looks like, only my torque converter needs the weights installed on it. I've been shopping around and found different vendors that sell the weights and a template that is used for the location and the install of the weights.

Here is my next question, can the weights be installed with the torque converter install in the car, or does it have to be removed and oil drained out of it to install these weights. I've looked at the torque converter from under the car though the transmission cover and can see just where they will be installed, I'm just thinking about the safety factor, or damage to anything, at this point I don't want to go backwards .  I would have no problem in taking the torque converter out of the car if this is the only way that the weights can be installed, I just want this vibration to stop.

I will keep you posted,
Steve

[68coronetGLwannabe]

Your car looks good. Maybe I will see you at a local cruise when the weather cools down .I dont know if you can add the weights while the torque converter is in the car. I do know that my T/Q was all beat up after just a few hundred miles. I repalced the flexplate and T/Q for a reasonable price. I had it done at a local trans. shop (Mopar Guy) For less than $300 out the door. From what I was told if its not fixed it will eat up the bottom end of the motor. If you want The # of the guy that did mine shot me a PM. I might have the right flexplate you need laying in the garage, I will check. If I do you can have it if you want to drive to East Mesa.

[flyinlow]

If you have an engine/converter balance problem it will vibratate a the same rpm in differrent gears. Try driving in second at 55-65 mph or the rpm range that you where getting in third but with the trans in second. (45mph?)


Also check the trans to engine bolts for proper torque.

[AZMoparboy]

Hi 68coronetGLwannabe,

I just ordered the torque converter and it will be here in a day or two. It will take a hole weekend to do the job and swap out the flex plate and TC. I might take you up on the flex plate that you said you might have, it does need to be the old style plate for a externally balanced engine, not an after market one.

Thanks again for all of the advise that all of you great Mopar guys have given me, it has really helped. When I get the TC in, I will make a post to tell you all how it went.

Steve

[FLG]

They sell a neutral balance flex plate for when you want to use a non weighted converter in a externally balanced engine. TCI sells em.

[68coronetGLwannabe]

PM sent.

[AZMoparboy]

Hi everyone,

Just took the Charger out for a test ride and good news. Vibration is gone and all is well. I removed and replaced the old T/C with a weighted 11" torque converter and flexplate to fit it. This was a lesson that I could have done without, but hopfully this will help someone in the future. Thanks again for all of the help that you guys gave me.

Steve