Shaking Engine!??! HELP!!!!

[amsgator]

Well I've had this problem for about a week now, it seems to have started after the header installation.... I can't figure out what it is for the life of me. I checked for exhaust leaks and found one at the 2nd o2 sensor but fixed it. The engine shakes pretty badly (see video 1 below) and it causes the shifter to shake pretty badly as well...hope it doesn't eventually shake the nut out of the shift linkage

I checked the intake and it's on fine so it's not that. I thought it may have been torn mounts but some people are telling me that the factory mounts are "marshmallow" mounts (wth?) and it's normal for them to be how they are right now (see attached pictures).

The muffler shakes as well but i've been told that's normal b/c the harness that held the exhaust by the downpipe is not there anymore w/ the RB cat-back. May look into getting the kartboy hangers.

It idles at the 2nd tach once it is completely warmed up. Not sure if that is low as well. If I raise the rpms up to around 600 or 700 the shaking stops.... It most likely isn't the egr because it doesn't really dip and rise much, though it does occasionally, it just continuously idles at the 2nd tach.

So all and all i cant figure out why it's shaking and if it's really shaking all that bad or if it's just me. Anyone have any ideas? Sorry for the long-winded explanation.

Shaking Engine- hard to tell in this video, watch the wires and coil packs- more apparent in person
http://s39.photobucket.com/albums/e159/sockerdood/Car Pics/?action=view&current=MOV01093.flv

Shaking Muffler/Exhaust
http://s39.photobucket.com/albums/e159/sockerdood/Car Pics/?action=view&current=MOV01095.flv


I just remembered...i think i drilled out both non foulers so that may be the problem, going to check that today. But aMaff said that the o2 wouldn't make these kinds of problems even if there is a problem w/ the non-foulers and sensor

 

[ChopstickHero]

you said it started after the header installation, so it's probably safe to say that your header has something to do with the vibration/shaking. do you have a flex pipe anywhere in your exhaust (after the header)? if you don't, then that is probably the cause of the excess shaking.

 

[amsgator]

you said it started after the header installation, so it's probably safe to say that your header has something to do with the vibration/shaking. do you have a flex pipe anywhere in your exhaust (after the header)? if you don't, then that is probably the cause of the excess shaking.

no flex pipe.... just the header on. nothing else. why would that be the cause? i've had other people tell me theirs didn't cause it they said the muffler shook but not the engine and not the cabin either (not too much inside)
the shifter shakes quite a bit too.

 

[ChopstickHero]

there you go. no flex pipe. the flex pipe literally does just that. it flexs to take some of the movement/stress coming from the engine. you don't have that, so when the engine moves, the entire exhaust moves. think of it as one solid piece. i would put in a quality flex pipe to alleviate some stress. your manifold may crack or manifold bolts will get loose soon without proper stress relief. your shifter is shaking because your tranny is attached to your engine block and the vibrations are working its way up the shifter linkage.

 

[amsgator]

but why is the engine shaking so much and the idle so low? thats what i want to know i cant figure it out

where would i go to get a flex pipe. i googled it and this is all that came up

http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/01-2...Flex-Pipe_W0QQitemZ190033706847QQcmdZViewItem

i doubt it high quality if its ebay

 

[aMaff]

I think it's shaking because of the idle, not because of the flex pipe. I don't have a flex pipe, the spring bolts are there to deal with most of that flex.

 

[ChopstickHero]

At all RPMs, your engine emits vibrations. An all stock car is tuned by engineers so that vibration feedback is minimal. the engine mounts on your car do a pretty good job of dampening vibration (performance of them is another issue). The stock header, exhaust, intake, etc. all have some "play" to them where some movement is allowed. This also dampens any vibrations.

So what you have basically done is remove that "play" and now you have increased the rigidity of your exhaust system.... yielding more vibrations at all RPMs.

That flex pipe is not what you are looking for. you probably need something like this built into your midpipe.

the flex pipe in lower left hand corner

 

[aMaff]

So you're telling me that my miata engine that had an idle problem was vibrating like crazy at 250 RPM not because of the low idle, but because it doesn't have a flex pipe?

 

[amsgator]

yea it's the idle because if i raise the RPMs up even by 100-200 the vibration stops....

idling at the 2nd tach is too low i believe...and if i raise it to the 3rd or 4th the vibration stops, or stops enough that it's not noticeable. so basically i need to figure out why the idle is so low.

 

[ChopstickHero]

did you reset your ecu after installing?

 

[amsgator]

did you reset your ecu after installing?

yes but since, i have drive like 500 miles and its still doing it

 

[Kooldino]

Your engine is generally going to vibrate more at idle than at any running speed. It's moving slower, it's less smooth, etc.

My advice: get a flex pipe installed.

Next time be sure to get tried and true quality parts. You'll be happier and save more in the long run.

 

[amsgator]

aMaff doesn't have a flex pipe on his and he isnt having the problem...the idle is causing the problems i just need to find out why it's idling so low.

 

[amsgator]

I think it's shaking because of the idle, not because of the flex pipe. I don't have a flex pipe, the spring bolts are there to deal with most of that flex.

could i have tightened them too much? the spring bolts^

 

[WRCprotege]

it isnt the flex pipe!!! nothing is flexing here.. the car idles way to low!!! 750-800 rpm is the norm at idle.. so first thing is the EGR pipe, this had to be removed to put on the header, check it for leaks.. check and double check all intake hose clampes and fitment of pipes after the AIRFLOW sensor check to be sure the temp sensor is in as well, even if you didnt remove these items, working over top them sometimes you can move stuff around unknownly.. also, if the did any kind of CEL eliminator, check and redo those wires if you can, though if its something like that, than a CEL is on for O2 sensor... check the eazy stuff first, anything you removed, a leak on the intake side etc, all sensors are pluged in ALL THE WAY..ETC

 

[Kooldino]

aMaff doesn't have a flex pipe on his and he isnt having the problem...the idle is causing the problems i just need to find out why it's idling so low.

Not all ebay headers are created equal.

Turn up the idle.

 

[Kooldino]

it isnt the flex pipe!!! nothing is flexing here.. the car idles way to low!!! 750-800 rpm is the norm at idle.. so first thing is the EGR pipe, this had to be removed to put on the header, check it for leaks.. check and doulbe check all intake hose clampes and fitment of pipes after the AIRFLOW sensor check to be sure the temp sensor is in as well, even if you didnt remove these items, working over top them sometimes you can move stuff around no knownly.. also, if the did any kind of CEL eliminator, check and redo those wires if you can, though if its somthing like that than a CEL is on for O2... cheack the eazy stuff first, anything you removed that and cause a leak on the intake side etc, just redo it...

Good stuff to check as well.

 

[amsgator]

it isnt the flex pipe!!! nothing is flexing here.. the car idles way to low!!! 750-800 rpm is the norm at idle.. so first thing is the EGR pipe, this had to be removed to put on the header, check it for leaks.. check and double check all intake hose clampes and fitment of pipes after the AIRFLOW sensor check to be sure the temp sensor is in as well, even if you didnt remove these items, working over top them sometimes you can move stuff around unknownly.. also, if the did any kind of CEL eliminator, check and redo those wires if you can, though if its something like that, than a CEL is on for O2 sensor... check the eazy stuff first, anything you removed, a leak on the intake side etc, all sensors are pluged in ALL THE WAY..ETC

i checked for leaks by seafoaming it and watching for fumes coming out and the only one i found was at the 2nd o2 sensor so i tighted it down some more. the egr pipe has no leak, nothing came out of it and no soot around it either. i took the intake off and put it back on and its on right. the cel eliminator i did was just the non-foulers so there wasnt any rewiring done i am gonna check over everything again today and see how things go. thanks for all the tips. i appreciate it. what tach line should it be at at idle? the 2nd b4 1000?

 

[amsgator]

Not all ebay headers are created equal.

Turn up the idle.

it is an obx, i just bought it off ebay. the site i was going to buy it off had an ebay store too and it was cheaper that way.

you can't turn up the idle, it's all done automatically

 

[Blake]

you can turn it up...but the pcm will change it back.