Vibration coming from the stick shift
Thread Starter
2nd Gear
Joined: Aug 2012
Posts: 2
Likes: 0
Vibration coming from the stick shift
Last week I purchased my first Vette. It is a 79 4 spd L82. It is a blast to drive but when I hit about 60 only in 4th gear the gear shifter starts vibrating. If I hold the shifter down & to the right the vibrating stops while I have my hand on the shifter. Could this be the transmission mounts? How can I fix it?
Drifting
Joined: Apr 2006
Posts: 1,911
Likes: 2
From: gold coast queensland
I will bet it's not your transmission at all. Go find a nice safe vacant straight away where you can get up to speed. Take your engine belts off and get up to 60. You can afford to do this a few times before your temps rise and you will then be able to rule out alternator , power steering, water pump and ac if you have it. I'm a betting man and I will take a punt on your power steer. It's amazing how a vibration can work it's way to the shifter from there.
Racer
Joined: Nov 2011
Posts: 261
Likes: 1
From: Montgomery TX
Any noise in fourth when cruising?
Bad Trans mount the shifter would be jumping around all the time.
Could be a bearing if you have a whine.
Put it in neutral rev engine to the same RPM you see at 60 in Forth. If it vibrates it could be your harmonic balancer. Moving the shifter over may isolate the linkage enough to keep the vibration from carrying through to the lever.
Bad Trans mount the shifter would be jumping around all the time.
Could be a bearing if you have a whine.
Put it in neutral rev engine to the same RPM you see at 60 in Forth. If it vibrates it could be your harmonic balancer. Moving the shifter over may isolate the linkage enough to keep the vibration from carrying through to the lever.
Racer
Joined: Nov 2011
Posts: 261
Likes: 1
From: Montgomery TX
I will bet it's not your transmission at all. Go find a nice safe vacant straight away where you can get up to speed. Take your engine belts off and get up to 60. You can afford to do this a few times before your temps rise and you will then be able to rule out alternator , power steering, water pump and ac if you have it. I'm a betting man and I will take a punt on your power steer. It's amazing how a vibration can work it's way to the shifter from there.
Good thought. a bad bearing in an accessory can carry right through the drivetrain.
Race Director
Joined: May 2003
Posts: 10,956
Likes: 409
From: California
the old transmission alignment thing.... i have a 79, and it once had the stock 4speed.... so went through this... 60mph... gear shifter vibration..... transmission alignment is my guess.... i was able to get about 90% gone with proper alignment, but 100% gone when i put in the TKO600
Instructor
Joined: Jul 2012
Posts: 198
Likes: 2
From: St. Catharines Ontario
I have the same problem in my '78 4 spd. I agree that I think it may be transmission alignment because it got slightly worse after replacing the clutch about a month ago and haven't had the time to get it looked at yet...
Burning Brakes
Joined: Oct 2002
Posts: 1,196
Likes: 47
From: Scarborough Maine Fredericksburg VA
Ok I am not trying to be a smart **** here- I really want to understand how a stock transmission can be out of alignment. The front shaft fits into a bearing and the trans bolts right to the bellhousing and onto a factory mount so how do you align it? I understand the pilot bearing could be bad or a bellhousing be off but how is the transmission not aligned?
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Racer
Joined: Nov 2011
Posts: 261
Likes: 1
From: Montgomery TX
Ok I am not trying to be a smart **** here- I really want to understand how a stock transmission can be out of alignment. The front shaft fits into a bearing and the trans bolts right to the bellhousing and onto a factory mount so how do you align it? I understand the pilot bearing could be bad or a bellhousing be off but how is the transmission not aligned?
Melting Slicks
Joined: Mar 2007
Posts: 2,100
Likes: 12
From: Frederick Maryland
Not to be contrary, but is it a vibration or a rattle you're hearing? My '69 has a rattle from the shifter when you pass 60-65mph and in my case it's the reverse lockout key inside the shifter itself. When I rest my hand on in 4th gear the rattle stops.
The rattle could be eliminated by removing the lockout key but I won't do that as it's a safety feature.
The rattle could be eliminated by removing the lockout key but I won't do that as it's a safety feature.
Race Director
Joined: May 2003
Posts: 10,956
Likes: 409
From: California
Ok I am not trying to be a smart **** here- I really want to understand how a stock transmission can be out of alignment. The front shaft fits into a bearing and the trans bolts right to the bellhousing and onto a factory mount so how do you align it? I understand the pilot bearing could be bad or a bellhousing be off but how is the transmission not aligned?
http://forums.corvetteforum.com/c3-t...lso-still.html
Not to be contrary, but is it a vibration or a rattle you're hearing? My '69 has a rattle from the shifter when you pass 60-65mph and in my case it's the reverse lockout key inside the shifter itself. When I rest my hand on in 4th gear the rattle stops.
The rattle could be eliminated by removing the lockout key but I won't do that as it's a safety feature.
The rattle could be eliminated by removing the lockout key but I won't do that as it's a safety feature.
Burning Brakes
Joined: Oct 2002
Posts: 1,196
Likes: 47
From: Scarborough Maine Fredericksburg VA
pauldana, I read the entire thread and I do see how you fixed an issue with a replacement transmission and several other non stock parts. I also read that a similar problem had occurred before you changed the parts but there is no way of knowing if it were the same issue or something totally different.
What I am questioning is how a stock transmission that bolts to a stock bell-housing and then to a stock mounting bracket in a fixed position can come out of alignment and/or how one would put it back into alignment. I completely understand that if you change from the stock equipment it may not line up as GM intended and modifications would be needed. I also see how some parts may wear like the transmission bracket or the bearing in the back of the engine and even the transmission itself causing them to need replacement but not a realignment of the transmission.
I just don't get how a stock set-up in good repair suddenly comes out of alignment unless it was hit or really really torqued.
What I am questioning is how a stock transmission that bolts to a stock bell-housing and then to a stock mounting bracket in a fixed position can come out of alignment and/or how one would put it back into alignment. I completely understand that if you change from the stock equipment it may not line up as GM intended and modifications would be needed. I also see how some parts may wear like the transmission bracket or the bearing in the back of the engine and even the transmission itself causing them to need replacement but not a realignment of the transmission.
I just don't get how a stock set-up in good repair suddenly comes out of alignment unless it was hit or really really torqued.
Race Director
Joined: May 2003
Posts: 10,956
Likes: 409
From: California
pauldana, I read the entire thread and I do see how you fixed an issue with a replacement transmission and several other non stock parts. I also read that a similar problem had occurred before you changed the parts but there is no way of knowing if it were the same issue or something totally different.
What I am questioning is how a stock transmission that bolts to a stock bell-housing and then to a stock mounting bracket in a fixed position can come out of alignment and/or how one would put it back into alignment. I completely understand that if you change from the stock equipment it may not line up as GM intended and modifications would be needed. I also see how some parts may wear like the transmission bracket or the bearing in the back of the engine and even the transmission itself causing them to need replacement but not a realignment of the transmission.
I just don't get how a stock set-up in good repair suddenly comes out of alignment unless it was hit or really really torqued.
What I am questioning is how a stock transmission that bolts to a stock bell-housing and then to a stock mounting bracket in a fixed position can come out of alignment and/or how one would put it back into alignment. I completely understand that if you change from the stock equipment it may not line up as GM intended and modifications would be needed. I also see how some parts may wear like the transmission bracket or the bearing in the back of the engine and even the transmission itself causing them to need replacement but not a realignment of the transmission.
I just don't get how a stock set-up in good repair suddenly comes out of alignment unless it was hit or really really torqued.
Burning Brakes
Joined: Nov 2004
Posts: 1,193
Likes: 176
From: Hillsborough NC
Don't know what to tell you other than that is what happens.... even if you are putting in another clutch many advise to do a bell housing alingment. as in the write, if you are not on a Z axis you will have vibration.... if you have a V axis its more like a jump rope with the weight all on one side... we are talking a 1/4" out of alingment will cause horbal vibration. fought this for years.... i know.
Race Director
Joined: May 2003
Posts: 10,956
Likes: 409
From: California
And you can get that from the slop in the bolt holes
Burning Brakes
Joined: Oct 2002
Posts: 1,196
Likes: 47
From: Scarborough Maine Fredericksburg VA
I wonder how they set this up at the factory when the cars were new? I can't imagine they spent a lot of time on this going down the line and would have thought the bolt holes were built within tolerances.
I have done a few of these - two in the garage to do now - and I have never had any issue just bolting them back up. How do you know when they are good and when they are not - I don't want to go through what you did!
I have done a few of these - two in the garage to do now - and I have never had any issue just bolting them back up. How do you know when they are good and when they are not - I don't want to go through what you did!
Race Director
Joined: May 2003
Posts: 10,956
Likes: 409
From: California
I wonder how they set this up at the factory when the cars were new? I can't imagine they spent a lot of time on this going down the line and would have thought the bolt holes were built within tolerances.
I have done a few of these - two in the garage to do now - and I have never had any issue just bolting them back up. How do you know when they are good and when they are not - I don't want to go through what you did!
I have done a few of these - two in the garage to do now - and I have never had any issue just bolting them back up. How do you know when they are good and when they are not - I don't want to go through what you did!
And for another example of being out of proper alignment...... Some report when on the gas no vib, but when off gas they have vib.... That is the up down axis, and uasly means a bad/old rear end ?snub? Bushing or loose bolt.... So the rear end is not properly aligned up and down, when you put on the gas the alignment changes and eather gives or takes away the vib. Make sure your engine/trans points to the right and your pinion points to the left(or visa versa... I forget)
Think of it this way, if they both point eather to the left or right you have like a jump rope, and not a balanced system, the weight always pulls to the outside and with the harmonics you get e vibration comming in around 60+.... Just a commen problem
At the factory???? I don't know.... Maybe after 30-40 years our bolt holes may have lost a little tolarence?????? Or maybe they made sure in some other way. ?jig? That it went in proper.... I don't know... But, if everything else is good and correct, meaning everything else is put in correctly and balanced, this will fix 90%+ of your vibration. Getting a tko600 will get rid of it all!!!!!!!!!!!!
but the tko shifts like crap
Last edited by pauldana; Aug 15, 2012 at 06:31 PM.
Le Mans Master
Joined: Oct 2005
Posts: 6,247
Likes: 471
From: Glen Allen, VA
To the OP, you just bought your first Vette and you haven't put up pictures, and it's a 79 L-82 4spd. That's blasphemy here!
I too have a 79 L-82 4 spd, and shifter rattles like crazy at highway speeds, but I wouldn't call it a vibration, but it's a Hurst shifter, not stock and I've been told that's just what they do.
I too have a 79 L-82 4 spd, and shifter rattles like crazy at highway speeds, but I wouldn't call it a vibration, but it's a Hurst shifter, not stock and I've been told that's just what they do.
Race Director
Joined: May 2003
Posts: 10,956
Likes: 409
From: California
To the OP, you just bought your first Vette and you haven't put up pictures, and it's a 79 L-82 4spd. That's blasphemy here! I too have a 79 L-82 4 spd, and shifter rattles like crazy at highway speeds, but I wouldn't call it a vibration, but it's a Hurst shifter, not stock and I've been told that's just what they do.
I too have a 79 L-82 4 spd, and shifter rattles like crazy at highway speeds, but I wouldn't call it a vibration, but it's a Hurst shifter, not stock and I've been told that's just what they do.79 L-82 4-speed rule!!!!!!
:cheer s: