is it normal engine behaviour when idling
Thread Starter
Intermediate
Joined: Apr 2005
Posts: 27
Likes: 0
From: Jersey City NJ
is it normal engine behaviour when idling
when I idle engine on my '03 convertible, anniv. edition I can occasionally feel a gentle shake and slight change of rythm of the engine noise. it barely lasts 1 second and returns to even work. it would repeat itself but I didn't check if it happens in regular intervals. being a freshly "baked" owner of my first vette I am perhaps a little paranoid so please excuse it this is a dumb question. car has 9,400 miles.
Intermediate
Joined: Mar 2005
Posts: 49
Likes: 0
Not sure if what you are talking about is the same--but when I first got my 03 Z, and also still does it, I'm sitting idle and will fill a slight shake for just a split second, and it happens intermittently. Just a shake and had me very worried but dealer says normal. I still don't like it and don't know why it does it. I was checking my plugs and indexing them last week and tech called me to say I had a bad plug wire. Don't have the car back yet so I don't know if it will still do it. But the car does run normal. I guess we should sit in another Z06 and see if it does it likewise.
Instructor
Joined: Nov 2002
Posts: 204
Likes: 0
From: Crowley TX
My 99 does it too and it got worse after my first LS1 edit tune. Took my car to another shop and had it tuned again after someone told me bad things about the first tuner. Second tune is much better and the engine shutter is barely noticable now but I have read on this forum before that this is commmon.
Burning Brakes
Joined: Feb 2001
Posts: 892
Likes: 1
From: Houston Texas
The shaking is due to the cam profile. The engine shakes from side to side due to the cam which shakes the car as well. Obviously the engine is smaller so it shakes a little more, but every so often the side to side shake between the car and engine get in sync with each other and you feel it more. The bigger the cam, the more you will notice it.
Pro
Joined: Mar 2002
Posts: 632
Likes: 0
From: Enterprise AL
Originally Posted by Av8ter
The shaking is due to the cam profile. The engine shakes from side to side due to the cam which shakes the car as well. Obviously the engine is smaller so it shakes a little more, but every so often the side to side shake between the car and engine get in sync with each other and you feel it more. The bigger the cam, the more you will notice it.
zo6vettepilot
Corvette Stories
The Best of Corvette for Corvette Enthusiasts
8 Coolest Corvette Pace Cars (and Replicas) of All Time
Verdad Gallardo
Top 10 Corvette Engines RANKED by Peak Torque (70+ Years of Muscle!)
Joe Kucinski
Corvette ZR1X Will Be Pacing the Indy 500, And Could Probably Race, Too!
Verdad Gallardo
Top 10 Corvettes Coming to Mecum Indy 2026!
Brett Foote
Top 10 C9 Corvette MUST-HAVES to Fix These C8 Generation Flaws!
Michael S. Palmer
10 Revolutionary 'Corvette Firsts' Most People Don't Know
Joe Kucinski
5 Reasons to Upgrade to an LS6-Powered Corvette; 5 Reasons to Stay LT2
Michael S. Palmer
2027 Corvette vs The World: Every C8 vs Its Closest Competitor
Joe Kucinski
10 Most Common Corvette Problems of the Last 20 Years!
Joe Kucinski
Instructor
Joined: Jun 2000
Posts: 110
Likes: 0
From: San Jose CA
I get the occasional shake as well, but once after installing new wires I got the "shake" at irregular intervals. I got the wires check and found it was bad spark plug wire. Don't want to worry you but if it gets worse you may want to check them.