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thedavidson
Samba Member
Joined: September 27, 2009
Posts: 12
Location: Berkeley, CA
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 Posted: Tue Oct 06, 2009 2:10 pm Post subject: Syncro help! Shuddering at 10-20mph |
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| 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! |
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jpwerks 
Samba Member
Joined: July 16, 2009
Posts: 56
Location: Pacific Grove,Ca
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| Posted: Tue Oct 06, 2009 2:50 pm Post subject: |
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Could be your driveshaft.Maybe bad universals.
_________________
81' single cab 1.8T Syncro (converted)
85 Vanagon 1.8T
55 chevy
2008 330i BMW
2000 jetta 1.8T
2004 Golf 2.0 |
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WestyBob
Samba Member
Joined: June 11, 2004
Posts: 2346
Location: Portland, Oregon
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| Posted: Tue Oct 06, 2009 3:04 pm Post subject: Re: Syncro help! Shuddering at 10-20mph |
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| 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) ? |
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blakeck2
Samba Member
Joined: April 10, 2009
Posts: 939
Location: Los Osos, CA
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| Posted: Tue Oct 06, 2009 3:20 pm Post subject: Re: Syncro help! Shuddering at 10-20mph |
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| 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  |
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Alaric.H
Samba Member
Joined: March 28, 2009
Posts: 2529
Location: Sandy Springs GA
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| Posted: Tue Oct 06, 2009 5:10 pm Post subject: |
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| The last time I saw a syncro do something like that the trans nose got riped off from the bad vibes. |
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Dogpilot
Samba Member
Joined: October 03, 2005
Posts: 4205
Location: Flagstaff, AZ
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| Posted: Tue Oct 06, 2009 5:27 pm Post subject: |
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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.
_________________
Geology with a Syncro rocks!
86 Syncro Westy AKA "The Bughunter"
98 Disco I
08 Range Rover SC
08 VW Rabbit S
1951 O-1G |
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Grizzly_black
Samba Member
Joined: October 24, 2006
Posts: 225
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| Posted: Tue Oct 06, 2009 10:25 pm Post subject: |
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| 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! |
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Sir Sam
Samba Member
Joined: July 19, 2009
Posts: 1724
Location: Fort Collins Colorado!
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| Posted: Tue Oct 06, 2009 10:46 pm Post subject: |
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Had a similar problem on my 87 syncro years back, replaced the U-joints and the problem went away.
_________________
'91 Carat Westy
87' Syncro + '87 Westy conversion coming soon |
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thedavidson
Samba Member
Joined: September 27, 2009
Posts: 12
Location: Berkeley, CA
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| Posted: Wed Oct 07, 2009 1:58 pm Post subject: |
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Sounds like the place to start would be to pull the drive shaft. I will give it a try and report back. Thanks again.
_________________
'86 Syncro |
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thedavidson
Samba Member
Joined: September 27, 2009
Posts: 12
Location: Berkeley, CA
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| Posted: Mon Oct 12, 2009 11:56 am Post subject: |
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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!
_________________
'86 Syncro |
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candyman
Samba Trout Slayer
Joined: December 20, 2003
Posts: 2717
Location: Missoula MT
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| Posted: Mon Oct 12, 2009 12:37 pm Post subject: |
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| 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? |
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