My car...at my wit's end! Any thoughts?

[captorquewrench]

That's what we thought until we compared how much we were spending to keep our old truck running compared to a car note on a newer model used truck. Turned out that the car note was less. So I went from an '87 4WD truck to a 2009 4WD truck.

Since I've owned the car:
Routine maintenance
One clutch/throwout bearing kit replacement
One valve cover
One fuel pump
Two alternators (and second was under warranty)
One steering column lock cylinder replacement

And only just now this issue.

it is abundantly clear that the math for replacement doesn't add up at this point.

I have no car note and haven't in over 6 years. I do not have to pay for physical damage/COLL/OTC coverage on the car.

I was also out of work for a few years until this fall and am still paying for school.

Please, NO ONE, else suggest replacement, in jest or otherwise. You are NOT being helpful.

IT IS NOT AN OPTION AND DOES NOT MAKE FINANCIAL SENSE.

 

[hsmith9491]

A lot of posts say it's a saturn what do you expect. Well 207,000 miles is pretty good for any car.

 

[Frank46]

I'm going with the gentleman who suggested rotating the tires. If it is a bum tire/rim in the front and it lessens when the tire is in the back that's the problem. I've done work on my own vehicles for years until I got too darn old to crawl under them. Just a quick question, were the tires first quality or blemished ones. Sometimes they develop bubbles indicating belt separation or tread problems. Frank

 

[jdh]

Raise the front of the car and securely block it so the tires are off the ground and the suspension is not in a bind. Start it, put it in drive, and slowly bring it up to speed. If the vibration is still there it is not sway bars, ball joints, shocks, or other suspension components. If the vibration is gone or greatly lessened it is probably not something out of balance in the drive train. The prime suspect then would be an out of round or other wise defective tire. New tires can be defective. Also have someone in a safe position to observe the tires and wheels as they spin for any obvious signs of being bent or such.

It is not a sure fire method to find the problem but may help to rule out some things.

 

[Linejudgemick]

Don't assume it's a front end problem. How about those brake calipers? Have they been replaced or cut?

Warped brake calipers caused by over heating are a common overlooked problem with vibration that is speed related and are difficult to see.

 

[captorquewrench]

put it in drive

What is this "put it in drive" business of which you speak?

I don't remember the last time I put a car in "drive"



Thanks to all for your suggestions. As soon as Mr. is feeling better we'll start with a new list of what to check thanks to you all.

 

[jdh]

What is this "put it in drive" business of which you speak?

I don't remember the last time I put a car in "drive"



Thanks to all for your suggestions. As soon as Mr. is feeling better we'll start with a new list of what to check thanks to you all.

Well doodoo. Then just skip straight to 4th an let the third pedal out smoothly and slowly depress the one on the right.


I'm getting lazy I guess. The only manwel I still have is in the race car and that one only 'cuz the rules require it.

 

[Old TexMex]

Youtube has a good tutorial on Saturn SC1 vibration over 50 mph.

 

[ridgerunner609]

Check out the brakes, with what you're describing and with it being on the original brakes I would be willing to bet on a warped rotor.

 

[805moparkid]

those have riveted ball joints... have to cut the rivets and the new BJ's have bolts... thats where my money is if the tires and tie rods check out...

 

[cussedemgun]

I would bet 10 to 1 your problem is a broken belt in one of your tires. When a belt starts to let go, they are not offset enough to be readily noticable but will cause a sideways wobble in the tracking of the tire. The longer you drive on it, the more obvious it will be.

Plan A put the spare on the car & test drive, If you get lucky & pick the bad tire first time, GREAT. Otherwise put the removed tire on the next wheel till you have eliminated tires completely (or hopefully found the problem)

Plan B continue to drive as is till the problem gets severe enough to be really obvious.

 

[carpriver]

Are the wheels a Mag type wheel? I had a cracked mag wheel on my truck and it bumped and thumped at hi-way speeds. tried everything it wasn't until someone saw the crack on the back side of the rim that the problem was solved, and a belt was broken on the tire.

 

[captorquewrench]

Not a mag wheel. The only options on the car were floor mats and air conditioning. I don't even have power locks.

 

[Pete99004]

On the bright side, you're probably getting much better fuel economy now that you are keeping the speed down below 50!


Pete

PS - I'm betting you have a belt on a front tire that is defective or a strut that's bad.

 

[sar4937]

All the mentioned ailments can be checked and ruled out pretty quickly. Most tire stores are not the best places to find comprehensive diagnosis and repair. I became a master technician in 1979 and it only recently expired due to retirement. I owned a repair business for 25 years in a good sized city, and not all certified techs are not created equal. Simply being certifiied does not guarantee total competance in the repair field. It has become a marketing tool to insure customer confidence in a trade that has had image problems. Most techs don't get paid unless they sell something. And you don't make money roadtesting cars and throwing out guesses. This is going to be a tire or a mechanical problem, the simpliest diagnosis generally. There are computer/ electrical issues that stump you for weeks on end, but someone is simply overlooking something in this case.