Section : General

Vibrations/Spitfire living on borrowed time!

Posted By : Michael Bird, 18-Jul-2003, 01:35pm

• Vibrations/Spitfire living on borrowed time!

  Posted By : Josh Bowler, 18-Jul-2003, 01:50pm

  sometimes if people dont reassemble the rear bearing bits properly the hub can be on a bit wonky.
  i had this once, i put the back end on 2 axle stands and switched on the engine and put it in gear, low and behold the wheel appeared buckled except it wasnt the wheel it was the hub

  • Vibrations/Spitfire living on borrowed time!

    Posted By : Michael Bird, 18-Jul-2003, 02:33pm

    Good thought, but the vibration hasn't changed since moving from short MKIV shafts and hubs to beefy long GT6 shafts and hubs. It's possible I've been unlucky and got the same problem with both setups, but hopefully unlikely! Thanks for the suggestion though I may yet end up re-visiting it!
    Michael.

• Vibrations/Spitfire living on borrowed time!

  Posted By : Nigel Gibbins, 18-Jul-2003, 03:24pm

  If you hadn't listed everythin that you've already done I would have pointed you directly at the Propshaft - thats the 55mph bit - but you can usually drive through that.
  
  Apart from Josh's advice I'd also looka t teh rear wheel balance - many places only recommend balancing the fronts. But a rear imbalance will show itself as a vibration that doesn't go away.
  
  If the hubs aren't 'buckled' then try swapping a few things around to see if anything changes.
  
  NiG
  http://www.niginthecar.net

• Vibrations/Spitfire living on borrowed time!

  Posted By : Paul Jenkins, 18-Jul-2003, 03:37pm

  Hi Michael,
  
  Have you tried checking the wheel bearings?. I had a Renault 19 (16v - it was my boy racer days). Which seemed fine until you hit 33mph, then grumbled and moaned until 36mph, and was fine up until 68mph....Then it started making a helava noise...........
  
  Just a thought...
  
  Paul.
  

  • Vibrations/Spitfire living on borrowed time!

    Posted By : Michael Bird, 18-Jul-2003, 04:44pm

    Hi Paul, wheel bearings have all been renewed I'm afraid! I may try swapping the wheels around as per Nigels note - but I am on my third set of wheels anyway and the vibration just doesn't go away! It is possible that the car is possesed and needs a priest rather than a mechanic but I'm not going to give up just yet!

• Vibrations/Spitfire living on borrowed time!

  Posted By : William Davies, 19-Jul-2003, 09:04pm

  Hi Michael,
  From what you say in your later post I presume the car in question is an early MkIV. I can't claim to be an expert on later Spitfires, so can you tell me which type of propshaft this has? The reason I ask is that around 10% or less of Herald production was fitted with a sliding spline propshaft, standard production being a solid propshaft on early cars, with the abysmal strap drive device on later cars. Conversation with ex-emplyees at Canley suggests that the splined propshafts were fitted as a desperate measure when some cars on the production lines simply wouldn't balance with the standard propshaft. If your car has a solid or strap propshaft, it could simply be one of those problem cars. Sliding spline propshafts can be bought new though they're not cheap, and of course there's no
  The other component which comes to mind is the overdrive (if fitted) as the rear bearing can cause strange vibrations.
  Finally, was the propshaft your original one having been rebuilt or was it an outright replacement?
  Cheers,
  Bill.
  

  • Vibrations/Spitfire living on borrowed time!

    Posted By : Michael Bird, 21-Jul-2003, 08:22am

    Hi Bill,
    You are right, it is an early MKIV. I replaced the propshaft with a recon one rather than getting my own re-conditioned. Both propshafts are the solid type. I know the strap type you mean, 'cause I used to have a 13/60 and the straps disentegrated one sunny evening on a drive home! (I still have the broken one I think). I have been driving round all weekend with a passenger, (less than happy fiance!), trying to establish where the problem is and also have a nagging doubt about the propshaft still. Only thing is, I thought you could drive through propshaft vibration - where as with this it never goes away? Perhaps I should see if I can get my old 13/60 propshaft reconditioned and fit that as the cheapest current possible solution. If it isn't that - then I think the Diff. might be the only other thing it could be now, (it's the only secondhand/non re-con bit fitted). Thanks for all the constructive advice.
    Michael.

    • Vibrations/Spitfire living on borrowed time!

      Posted By : Adrian Walker, 21-Jul-2003, 02:41pm

      I too have this very same problem at 55+. however this did not occur until I had the diff out to change the oil seal.
      
      I have tried rotating the propshaft 180 degs to no avail. I have not touched the half shaft orientation as I am pretty sure these are exactly the same as before the diff cam out.
      
      Also all other things like wheel bearings etc... have not been touched.
      
      I believe I have damaged the Diff as I was quite heavy handed tring to remove the old oil seal as it was the steel variety and stuck fast.
      
      Thinking it was the diff I adjusted the main nut a quarter of a turn tighter onto the collapsable spacer. This temporarily fixed the vibration or rather pushed it up to a 'live withable' 70mph. Unfortunately this has buggered the preload and I now get 'rattling' on engine braking. The vibration has since crept back down to 55, and is really bad.
      
      
      Does the above make sense...??
      
      My next step is to replace the diff so if anyone has a non/OD MKIV diff known to be good please let me know.
      
      Thanks
      
      Ade.
      

      • Vibrations/Spitfire living on borrowed time! -

        Posted By : Michael Bird, 21-Jul-2003, 03:31pm

        Hi Adrian, sorry to hear you have the same problem! The differential on my car is the only part that was fitted second hand, so I would not be at all surprised to find that is where my problem is too. I would change the Diff. on mine again, but it will have to be a recon. one this time and at £300 + paying someone to make sure it is fitted properly, I am really reluctant to throw any more money at this car! When I put the car into neutral, or just push the clutch in, above 55mph, the vibration remains. Is this the same on your Spit? I have a 1500 diff. (condition unknown), which is no use to me and you are more than welcome to try in your own car if you want to experiment and are confident to fit it yourself. You will find the acceleration a bit ‘lazy’ if you use it longer term, but it might tell you if that’s where the problem is.
        Michael.
        

      • Vibrations/Spitfire living on borrowed time!

        Posted By : Michael Bird, 21-Jul-2003, 03:43pm

        Hi Adrian, sorry to hear you have the same problem! The differential on my car is the only part that was fitted second hand, so I would not be at all surprised to find that is where my problem is too. I would change the Diff. on mine again, but it will have to be a recon. one this time and at £300 + paying someone to make sure it is fitted properly, I am really reluctant to throw any more money at this car! When I put the car into neutral, or just push the clutch in, above 55mph, the vibration remains. Is this the same on your Spit? I have a 1500 diff. (condition unknown), which is no use to me and you are more than welcome to try in your own car if you want to experiment and are confident to fit it yourself. You will find the acceleration a bit 'lazy' if you use it longer term, but it might tell you if that's where the problem is.
        Michael.
        

        • Vibrations/Spitfire living on borrowed time!

          Posted By : Adrian Walker, 21-Jul-2003, 04:44pm

          Yes the same on mine.
          
          However I can aggrevate the vibes by deccelerating. And it eases on acceleration.
          
          I can get a diff in and out pretty quick now, so gonna do it myself. I am planning a resto over the winter so don't want to spend too much money on her at the mo, just keep her running through the summer to enjoy the sun.

• Vibrations/Spitfire living on borrowed time! JY Classics Save The Day!

  Posted By : Michael Bird, 02-Dec-2003, 07:32pm

  Well, over a year since this problem became apparent and several hundred pounds and frayed nerves later, my mystery vibration is no longer a mystery and is in fact a thing of the past!
  For all those who offered advice some months ago, I thought this update might be useful:
  I was on the verge of selling the car on for peanuts, when John at JY Classics stepped in on a mission to cure it once and for all! To cut a long story short, the second hand differential was the cause of the problem. Just bad luck that I replaced one problem differential with another, when I first had the vibration, (and this was a serious vibration believe me!). The weird thing with this vibration was that it was ‘everywhere’ you really couldn’t tell if it was front, back or middle. John has spent the last two days substituting components to be sure that the diff. was to blame. (That’s dedication!). The best bit from my point of view is that he has only charged me for the diff. swap and not 16 hours labour! Thanks John!
  The moral here is probably not to buy a second hand diff. unless it is either very cheap, or you know the car itÂ’s come off was good. I now have a small collection of suspect diffs. if anyone needs one as a door stop!
  Michael.
  

  • Vibrations/Spitfire living on borrowed time! JY Classics Save The Day!

    Posted By : Alan Fulbrook, 02-Dec-2003, 10:30pm

    Hello Michael
    I Have a similar problem, I have swapped the diff for a second hand one, but with no improvement.
    One week later I bought a reconditioned diff better but still not happy. Have a look at the photo and see if you can tell whats wrong. I will post the after picture next.

  • Vibrations/Spitfire living on borrowed time! JY Classics Save The Day!

    Posted By : Alan Fulbrook, 02-Dec-2003, 10:57pm

    Differential Before

    
    
    Vibrations/Spitfire living on borrowed time! JY Classics Save The Day!

    • Vibrations/Spitfire living on borrowed time! JY Classics Save The Day!

      Posted By : Alan Fulbrook, 02-Dec-2003, 11:04pm

      Yes I know Its a propshaft. before any one tells me.
      But no straps on a strap drive propshaft.
      I can not fit it untill the weekend but it should make a big difference being balanced and made correctly!

      
      
      Vibrations/Spitfire living on borrowed time! JY Classics Save The Day!

      • Vibrations/Spitfire living on borrowed time! JY Classics Save The Day!

        Posted By : Michael Bird, 03-Dec-2003, 01:07am

        Well Good Luck!
        If that doesn't work, I have a spare non strap type propshaft (non overdrive) that you can try, (one of many parts changed in desperation over the last year!).
        
        Michael.

      • Vibrations/Spitfire living on borrowed time! JY Classics Save The Day!

        Posted By : William Davies, 03-Dec-2003, 08:53am

        Hi Alan,
        Taking out all of the straps when they start to break is a common practice, usually without problems. Your vibration may well be caused by the propshaft, but it's more a matter of balance rather than the lack of straps.
        Cheers,
        Bill.