Vibration removal tips and tricks. Have any?

Steering and running gear tight? Wishbone ball secure? Front end aligned, toe in, good bearings? Body hold down bolts tightened?
 
Gary WA said:
why not use the original style clamp?
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For the same reason no modern car has it's exhaust system bolted directly to the frame. It only makes sense that it will transmit noise and vibration from the engine to the rest of the car.

Before I installed this engine, I had FAMs and a insulated tail pipe hanger, put them back to stock and can't imagine why anyone would want it that way. Admittedly my car isn't "back to spec" 100% and maybe that has something to do with it.
 
1955cj5 said:
Just my experience but I replaced the distributor with a rebuilt unit and that helped it run smoother.

I finally tested my coil for the "hot blue spark" and what I got was an anemic pale yellow spark....replaced the coil and now the spark is hot and blue...this too made it run better...

FAM's front and rear and after much fiddling and adjusting they too helped.

Let us know if the flywheel/pressure plate balancing helps...I'm gonna do that if I ever have another reason to pull the engine...

I also replace the rear exhaust pipe mount with an insulated one...exhaust rattle is gone...
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The engine is running great, just don't want the "magic fingers" treatment while I'm driving around.:)

I'm going to try "clocking" the flywheel and pressure-plate to see if I can make it manageable before taking them to a machine shop.
 
I'm NOT EVEN gonna' talk about quieting your car or FAMS or ANYTHING!!!
Every time I do, it ends in a HUBUB-------SO, THERE!!
Bill Shhhhh
 
Art Newland said:
The engine is running great, just don't want the "magic fingers" treatment while I'm driving around.:)

I'm going to try "clocking" the flywheel and pressure-plate to see if I can make it manageable before taking them to a machine shop.
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It's pretty easy to add extra weight to one of the clutch bolts using an extra long bolt with an added nut under the head, just move it around and mark the flywheel and keep a record of better or worse results then add or subtract weight till it is smooth.

Some times it works better when you find the spot,,,, is to spread the weight out over several bolts. It takes a bit of time but it can be done.

I have perfectly balanced engines with a piston missing with this method,
and built 3 piece drive lines that are smooth as silk. The trick is that often the extra weight has to be spread out,,,not applied in one spot.

Use grade 8 bolts.
 
Art Newland said:
Come-on Bill, tell me all your secrets. We could be one big happy FAM-ily.:)
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Art,
I've laboriously tiped my quieting details, in GREAT detail, MANY times & some still just want to ARGUE, so, BLEAAAU!!!---:mad:
If some don't want to read my stuff, just BLOCK my posts!!!--BLEAAAU!
Bill Tired
 
I did seem to make some headway by clocking the pressure-plate. 30 Tudor, I like your idea of the long bolt-extra nut for a counter-weight. Bill W., I have read the posts you've made about FAMs over the last year or so that I've been hanging around the Barn. Not quite sure while so many folks are dead-set against them, maybe they clash with their over-drives, alternators, or Weber down draft carbs.:eek:
 
I just spent an hour adding a weighted bolt to each position in the pressure plate eith no discernable improvement.
 
Art Newland said:
I just spent an hour adding a weighted bolt to each position in the pressure plate eith no discernable improvement.
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When does it vibrate, fast ,, slow, how wide is the range of vibration?

You could be overweighting it so it is out everywhere that you place the weight.

Maybe an extra washer at one or two bolts at a time will show better results.

Does the rpm of the vibration change or does it remain constant?
 
Something like a long piece of small steel tubing permanently positioned to lie on the greatest area of vibration will tell you if there is any change by listening to the rattling of it.
It is better than trying to just feel it or hear it. The vibration will change the rpm that it occurs at, it may feel as strong but the time that it occurs will move.
How much weight you add is critical, and weight in two places always work better for me than one.

This is a rather delicate operation and not as easy as it seems.

I have started by placing two straps opposite each other bolted to the crank pulley bolt.
They have bolts welded to them so weight can be added or subtracted easily. they are placed opposite each other in balance to start, then the slightest movement starts adding weigh as they are moved one at a time, like the hands on a clock,,, it soon becomes evident when something starts to happen. Then more weight is added or taken away and a pattern develops.
No it's not easy in fact it can be a real pain.

I'm not saying for you to put the straps on the front pulley,,, it's just for you to see the idea. I do that when some internal pieces are missing.
 
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Art Newland said:
I just spent an hour adding a weighted bolt to each position in the pressure plate eith no discernable improvement.
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I read 30Tudors theory too,its sound..Hell I was interested till I realized its a 63 pound flywheel,it would take a bit more than a heavy bolt to alter that kinetic energy..given ford used such a heavy flywheel to dampen impulse runout is critical. Im going to rig a dial indicator on mine to check it,its a fairly common procedure on heavy duty diesel engines,you dont want that much mass 'wobbling'.
 
If you figure the radius of 5.2 inches for the placement of the flywheel bolts,
at this radius,,,,
@ 1000 rpm
1 gram weighs .32 lb
6.6 grams weighs 2.14 lb (6.6 grams = 3/8 nut)
20 grams = 8.59 lbs

@ 2000 rpm
1 gram = 1.3 lbs
6.6 grams = 8.59
20 grams = 26 lbs

And the tiny little itty bitty insignificant 1/4" lock washer weighs in at 1.8 grams
1.8 grams @ 1000 rpm = .58 lbs
1.8 grams @ 2000 rpm = 2.34 lbs

The engine is probably not this far off balance,
probably should try small amounts of weight.

This isn't a theory, it can and has been done, it doesn't always take much.

The best way is when the engine is being built,, however the piston and rod assembly's were 20 grams apart when I got them back from the re builder so it doesn't always work out. I tossed them and started over!
 
I think you have a greater problem. My car hasnt had any magic treatment. standard mounts standard ex clamp. and its not too shakey. light vibration if you put your hand on the fender. nothing that could be described as magic fingers.
 
30 Tudor said:
When does it vibrate, fast ,, slow, how wide is the range of vibration?

You could be overweighting it so it is out everywhere that you place the weight.

Maybe an extra washer at one or two bolts at a time will show better results.

Does the rpm of the vibration change or does it remain constant?
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What I was noticing to begin with was a pretty pronounced vib at what I would call a "fast idle" position, like when first starting the car. Lots of vibration on de-acceleration. Lots of increasing vibs with engine speed. At 35 and 43 mph it ran pretty smooth. The way it is right now is a big improvement, I still have a vib at a much higher rpm, but it has a very narrow rpm range and as the engine accelerates the vibs are much less and stay pretty constant well up into what sounds like 2000 rpm.
 
mike657894 said:
I think you have a greater problem. My car hasnt had any magic treatment. standard mounts standard ex clamp. and its not too shakey. light vibration if you put your hand on the fender. nothing that could be described as magic fingers.
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Well, I know I have a problem... that's why I'm trying all this stuff.:D

I've had the opportunity to drive a number of A's over the last year. They all have vibrated to some extent. After this engine install it's much worse than my old engine. I also switched to stock mounts from FAMs at the same time.

One thing for sure is that it doesn't take much of a chance to make a significant change in the vibration level.
 
Art, do you have a way to measure weights. If and when I tear mine down I'm going to weigh everything small parts. I have a couple triple beams but they are too slow. About 7 years ago I bought a scale on ebay weighs up to 70 lbs. for shipping ebay sales. I'd never put anything on it that heavy but It would indicate a change with less than a quarter page of paper. I was impressed. And it was cheap.
 
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