wobbly gearknob

[rustjunkie]

Hi i am to the forum and the club so be gentle with me!
I have a 2000 estate as a daily car that's best described as a rolling resto and am having problems with
vibration ,have changed the prop for a new chris wittor one, changed the engine mounts, gearbox mount OK as are diff mounts.Subframe arm mounts are a bit worn have new ones to fit, but its still got vibration more noticeable in direct top than overdrive . Also having changed the above, when going around tight corners or accelerating hard the gear leaver moves from side to side more than might be expected any ideas gratefully received. rustjunkie / Ed

[englishbull]

You say gearbox mount is ok?.

But from those symptoms I would put my money on the gearbox mount.

Or what wheels have you got on the car?.


Ps welcome to the Forum

[johnconradlee]

Side to side movement is mostly controlled by the engine mounts. The engine mounts on 2000s always seem especially soft to me and the gear knob bobbing from side to side as the engine bounces on the gearbox mounts at idle is perfectly normal, however if it's moving a lot around corners I'd be suspicious that a rubber mount had broken somewhere (also look out for the fan attacking the fins on the back of the radiator during heavy breaking as the engine tries to escape!).
I've got a similar problem at the moment with vibration which at speed which gets dramatically worse at over 70 mph. I've yet to investigate fully but I suspect it's the gearbox mount and/or propshaft UJ [again!], as it's recently started making the diagnostic knackered propshaft UJ noise when I pull away. I replaced both 1200 ish miles ago so one or the other has quality issues methinks.....

[Alec]

Hello Rustjunkie,

driveshaft universal joints are one source of vibration and of course, so is wheel balance.

Alec

[JimB]

Howdy

I had the same problem on my PI - turned out to be the gearbox mount.

[rustjunkie]

thanks for all the info .Its got 2500s wheels on just had new tyres and balance will check gbox mount again ,forgot to mention the wobble started after prop change and spacers where incorrect on engine mounts 1 each side as a posed to two on carb side. Its got 2.5 engine in and correct cross member fitted now with the spacers in right place ,the sliding splined part of new prop was stiff to move so was greased would that cause problems if it was binding up?also will have a look at drive shaft ujs going to be weekend before I get round to it.

[Mike Stevens]

Hi Rustjunkie,

Welcome to the forum.

You say it has a 2.5 engine, but I wonder what the car was originally, and the year? Some of the mountings changed slightly during production and this can have an effect on the gearbox/overdrive to diff alignment. Although they can be out of line with each other, it's important that the gearbox and diff flanges are parallel with each other, otherwise the UJs have a harder job to do and can cause vibration.

The gearlever shouldn't move too far. I'd suspect the gearbox mount too. Some of the aftermarket parts don't last very long. I had a new gearbox mount on the 2000 that lasted just a few months! If you can find one, it's worth paying the extra for an original.

Cheers,
Mike.

[Clifford Pope]

Do you mean the whole gearbox wobbles, or just the lever?
Perhaps the locating pins in the ball at the bottom of the lever need adjusting?

[rustjunkie]

No its the whole gearbox .Still not got round to checking it out but think the mount is suspect no1 going to try to have a look tomorrow weather ,children ,wife and decorating permitting.

[rustjunkie]

Right .got to look at car last night gearbox mount looked OK but when removed had de laminated replaced with better one not new but no splits .Now not as wobbly but vibration seems worse esp on overrun also checked diff mounts all OK as are trailing arm bushes any suggestions as to where next !