Okay okay, you can attack me for the title with smack, but the high end car geeks, I can use a hand. I blew my trans in third gear under full throttle after putting in my new SPEC 3+ clutch in with about 80 miles on the clutch. When the trans blew, there was a terrible vibration. Pulled trans at buddies shop and the input gear was toasted. I bought a trans outright from RPM transmission and installed it. Started car, and the terrible vibration was still there (let's say a 5 on a 1-5). Went 300 feet down the road, lost all clutch, drove back to friend's shop since he has a lift. Pulled trans after seeking brake fluid pouring from front of trans as slave cyl got toasted too. Checked clutch and the disk was rattling around as the center portion was dicked and loose where it rides on the input shaft. Called SPEC and they said, "how many miles?" I replied that it was between 70 and 90 miles and they said "send it back". I sent it back and they fixed it for free (excellent service!). So now I have a new trans, clutch redone and a new slave cyl.
Here is where it gets weird. I ordered a complete set of mounts from Woodhouse to replace my stock ones as I am going to be climbing up the HP ladder and wanted to keep it tied to the car. I changed the mounts, changed the halfshafts to Unitrax's best ones at the same time and added safety loops. Start car and now there is still a vibration at idle over and above the norm. Okay, let's again say after blowing trans it was a 5 on a 1-5, and now it is a 3 on a 1-5, where before I had a 1. You could quickly say "idiot, those vibrations you will feel going away from the comfy mounts an utilizing Urethane" Well, let me quantify how bad the vibration is-at idle sitting there watching my car, the headlight aimers are wiggling and they never did that before. I called Mark at Woodhouse in service and he knows his stuff and says that they will be a bit stiffer, but this did not sound normal. He thought maybe I should check the flywheel that it might e out of balance now. When the trans was out last time, we did check and replace the pilot bearing, although it looked fine. One note, is when the mounts were installed they are a hair taller than factory height and the motor was jacked up and there is now a slight exhaust leak, and yes it is a hair noisier as expected, but I can't equate that to a vibration as the car is idling. I wasn't even going to address that as I have a all new exhaust system ready to bolt on from headers to tailpipes. If you guys think I should check into that, that is okay too as my car is running a bit weird (no codes thrown) for the little 60 miles I drove it thus far, seemingly a bit hot and a mild misfire at lower speed.
I have about $6,000 in HP upgrades to add but I do not want to do dick before I get this resolved. I know the car will run a bit different with a mild exhaust leak, and that explains why the car makes more noise and all that common sense things, but I need to address the vibration. I have the stock mounts which were all fine to reinstall, but that will just mask the problem, if in fact one exists. I wish one of you guys were here with mounts like mine so I can compare, but I will just STFU and listen. You can bash me for not realizing how the reciprocating assembly oscillates into the car and why didn't I know that and such, but I am there with you. These are great cars, but I am thinking that:
A) my new trans might have a problem
B) I'm an idiot and it will make that kind of vibration even though Woodhouse says it sounds unusual
C) Flywheel is out of balance now (Fidenza is on my car)
D) exhaust leak is in door sill and can really cause car to vibrate so bad even at idle (REALLY doubt it, but thinking out loud)
E) Sell Viper, get a Yugo as I don't have enough neurons to resolve a simpleton issue such as this
Thanks for the insight regarding this. I didn't even drive it as yet as I want to make sure there isn't anything wrong before I do rockers, full exhaust, bigger TB's, VEC2 programming, et cetera and get totally confused troubleshooting. It is times like these that I am glad I have another kewl car (I am too poor to have a stable of Lambos, FGT's and such as yet). TY!
Gary
PS: Very happy with SPEC, RPM and Woodhouse this might just be something independent like lack of cerebral power on my end
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Now that the prices of virtually everything are going up and up and now that thousands of people are losing their jobs everyday as the US goverment still hands out 10,000+ checks to those people just getting off the boat, I think I will take a boat ride and get in line, I sure could use the money to pay for the gas in my Viper and GTO!
Just exhaust after putting on the mounts-lol. It isn't massive, but it is def louder. I'm almost like rip the old 2.5" exhaust and put all my new 3" stuff on. I just redid the VEC 2 software in case I go that route.
After thinking it over, there is nothing that could cause such a vibration, given the circumstances, except the flywheel. That's gotta be the main cause of your problems.
You loaded your new transmission into the damaged clutch. There is a small chance the trans got damaged by the clutch. Did you forget a dowel pin? They love to stay in the bellhousing. Check your old one. If you put the trans in with a missing dowel pin, you'll have a vibration for sure. A way to tell if the vibration is trans/clutch/misalignment related is to see if it subsides when you push in the clutch. If it does, it's in the clutch/trans. If it doesn't, it's more engine/flywheel related.
A way to tell if the vibration is trans/clutch/misalignment related is to see if it subsides when you push in the clutch. If it does, it's in the clutch/trans. If it doesn't, it's more engine/flywheel
I have the same Woodhouse mounts and yes the vibes are different than the stockers but not bad at all. If after doing some of the above trouble shooting, if still not found yank the trans and start it up. Still vibrating, remove clutch. Still vibrating then if you still have the stock flywheel swap it out and try again.
Was just thinking(scary!) any chance a plug wire may be switched ?
Gary, the thing is. You put the new trans in with a fucked up clutch possibly damaging the new trans. you are not terribly far from Tator. He is the only one within 150 miles from you I would toss my keys to.
talked to RPM, they said with 100% certainty that it is not the trans and they even read the entire thread. GREAY service again to them, but they said if it was there when driving only or went away after I pushed the clutch in that would be different. I appreciate the advice and will check and see if maybe it is hitting inside the trans tunnel or the exhaust got tweaked and is rubbing. I hate to crawl under the Viper with the clearance and can't wait to move and get a lift in my house-lol. The trans mount might be shifted to one side a hair, I do remember it being a hair off in alignment and that aluminum bar at the back of the trans where the mount goes being drilled for bigger bolts instead of the factory one. The new mount was also thicker and might just be too high. Thanks for all the posts and I will let you guys know soon. Gary
talked to RPM, they said with 100% certainty that it is not the trans and they even read the entire thread. GREAY service again to them, but they said if it was there when driving only or went away after I pushed the clutch in that would be different. I appreciate the advice and will check and see if maybe it is hitting inside the trans tunnel or the exhaust got tweaked and is rubbing. I hate to crawl under the Viper with the clearance and can't wait to move and get a lift in my house-lol. The trans mount might be shifted to one side a hair, I do remember it being a hair off in alignment and that aluminum bar at the back of the trans where the mount goes being drilled for bigger bolts instead of the factory one. The new mount was also thicker and might just be too high. Thanks for all the posts and I will let you guys know soon. Gary
So does it go away with the clutch pushed in? Or does it stay the same?
It stays the same my friend with clutch in our out. I am going to check it out as soon as folks' laptops and desktops stop breaking so I can get a minute-lol.
How does a flywheel go "out of balance"? You would have to add ro remove weight on one side of it, or bend it. Doubtful.
Since the engine went into neutral under power it may have over revved. I would look for a bent exhaust valve. What does an engine with a (or two or three) dead hole(s) do? It vibrates.
Do a leakdown.
Last edited by Greg Good Cylinder Heads : August 9th, 2007 at 11:11 PM.
Vibration after blowing....
