Recently my car has started to rumble pretty bad at idle. It isn't jumping around, just feels like the engine is struggling.
Any help is appreciated.

 

Try shaking the throttle position sensor the next time it happens. If you notice that rumble changing while you do this, it's time to replace it.

 

The TPS is hard mounted to the TB. how in the world would you "shake it"?????

First off, what is the IDLE RPM when the idle is "normal", and what is the idle rpms when it "rumbles"? Does it do this only when hot? Only when cold? We need more info to help you.

Can you identify the direction of the "rumble"? It could just be some loose part vibrating, or someting could be wrong.

 

The idle is just below 1k...I'd say about 9 to 9.5k
The rumbling is constant while at idle. Doesn't matter if it's hot or cold. I'm not sure what you mean by direction of the rumble? But everything vibrates, the doors, dash, steering wheel. You name it.
It's not very bad, but it's annoying cause it feels like the engine's gonna stall if I don't give it some gas.

[ November 04, 2002, 01:59 AM: Message edited by: AzNxSandMan ]

 

If the vibration is that bad, either your motor mounts are shot, or there is something horribly wrong with your engine...or both.

When the RPM's increase, does it get worse, or smooth out? Is it Harmonic?(does it come back at certian RPM's as they increase)

Your idle is rather high, it should be 800 RPM plus or minus 100 rpm...if you are at 950 to 1000, you're idling high. Unless of course you installed gauge faces, in which case your tach needle might be a tad off.

 

mine kinda started shaking too just recently. it only happens when I sitting at a light with the brakes on. If I turn the car on and sit with no brakes, it's cool. I thought it was the motor mounts...but they're ok. I thought it was the brakes...had them and the rotors changed.....but it's still doing it. It's not quite a 'low-idle' shaking....just kinda a general engine vibration. *shrug* I dunno.

 

I had the same problem a this past spring. At Idle the Steering wheel vibrated, when I reved it up, or was driving at like 2k up on the revs, it'd be fine.
J@WS01 and I were REALLY stumped. Replaced the TPS, adjusted the idle, checked and tripled checked it with the scantool. Idle was fine.

J@WS01, finally figured it out. What it ended up to be was the motor mounts. They weren't shot but just needed to be loosen, keeping the engine on. And then letting the engine settle back. And then tightened the motor mounts back up.

Hopefully you won't have to replace the mounts.
smile.gif

 

It only happens at idle. Doesn't matter if I'm on the brakes or not. Once I rev the engine it goes away. But as soon as the rmps drop back to idle it starts vibrating again.
No I haven't installed any face gauges.

If it is the motor mounts, will the warantee cover it?

As for the high idle. Maybe it's bad perception on my part cause it's been around the same range for as long as I can remember.

 

I know exactly what you mean. My car does the same. It started to do it after my accident, so I'm assuming the motor mounts may be the culprits.

 

If the motor mount are not tighten in a neutral rest position then vibrations can occur. When its tighten more to one side, more load is placed on mount than it should