TheSamba.com :: View topic - Syncro help! Shuddering at 10-20mph

Tue Oct 06, 2009 2:10 pm

I searched the forums and couldn’t find any problems that sounded like what is going on with my Syncro. As I accelerate or decelerate, at around 10-20mph the van shudders and it feels like I am driving on a washboard. It happens even when I pull it out of gear. The engine is not sputtering or varying rpms when this is happening which makes me think it is not the engine. Could this be transmission, cv joints, viscous coupling, etc? Thanks for any help!

Tue Oct 06, 2009 2:50 pm

Could be your driveshaft.Maybe bad universals.

Tue Oct 06, 2009 3:04 pm

Could be the driveshaft needs adjustment/rebuild or replacement. But could also be suspension related. How's the alignment ? Any tire bulges or something stuck in there (inspect) ?

Tue Oct 06, 2009 3:20 pm

thedavidson wrote: I searched the forums and couldn’t find any problems that sounded like what is going on with my Syncro. As I accelerate or decelerate, at around 10-20mph the van shudders and it feels like I am driving on a washboard. It happens even when I pull it out of gear. The engine is not sputtering or varying rpms when this is happening which makes me think it is not the engine. Could this be transmission, cv joints, viscous coupling, etc? Thanks for any help!

mine does that occasionally and its a 2wd :?

Tue Oct 06, 2009 5:10 pm

The last time I saw a syncro do something like that the trans nose got riped off from the bad vibes.

Tue Oct 06, 2009 5:27 pm

Could be the driveshaft, but could also be one of the eight CV joints as well. A loose or worn out CV can cause odd vibrations to move back through the system.

Tue Oct 06, 2009 10:25 pm

The front outer CV joints vibrate something fierce when they go dry and are shot. It also makes a lot of noise. Turn slightly back and forth while driving at the speed where it is loudest. If the noise gets louder when you are turning the wheel it is probably the outer CV. I have a bad one on my syncro right now. I am up in the Alaskan bush, so 20 mph is about my average speed on dirt roads. I can't wait for my Lobro axles to get here. The noise is driving me nuts!

Tue Oct 06, 2009 10:46 pm

Had a similar problem on my 87 syncro years back, replaced the U-joints and the problem went away.

Wed Oct 07, 2009 1:58 pm

Sounds like the place to start would be to pull the drive shaft. I will give it a try and report back. Thanks again.

Mon Oct 12, 2009 11:56 am

Pulled and replaced the drive shaft yesterday. The front U-joint was nearly frozen in one direction. The problem seems to be fixed for now. Thanks again for the advice!

Mon Oct 12, 2009 12:37 pm

thedavidson wrote: Pulled and replaced the drive shaft yesterday. The front U-joint was nearly frozen in one direction. The problem seems to be fixed for now. Thanks again for the advice!

did you rebuild your existing shaft or buy a new one?