Massive engine vibration after swap.

DeanWinchester

Registered User
Well, I got the 95 engine swapped in just fine on my 92, but I have a problem. I am getting massive amounts of engine vibration from 1500RPM on. Enough to shake the entire car. Motor mounts are good, so I thought it was the harmonic balancer. Swapped the old 92 one on and it was still doing it. This isn't a misfire, it's a full blown, rattle the change in the ashtray vibration. Never felt anything like it before. I used the flywheel that came on the engine, but I am starting to wonder if it's shot.

Weird thing is that if I hold my hand over the engine, I don't really feel much vibration, but I sure as hell feel it in the body.
 
Well, I got the 95 engine swapped in just fine on my 92, but I have a problem. I am getting massive amounts of engine vibration from 1500RPM on. Enough to shake the entire car. Motor mounts are good, so I thought it was the harmonic balancer. Swapped the old 92 one on and it was still doing it. This isn't a misfire, it's a full blown, rattle the change in the ashtray vibration. Never felt anything like it before. I used the flywheel that came on the engine, but I am starting to wonder if it's shot.

Weird thing is that if I hold my hand over the engine, I don't really feel much vibration, but I sure as hell feel it in the body.

Sounds like something in the flywheel, clutch or pressure plate area.

David
 
Balancers are different but they are both 0 balanced.

The flywheels should both be 0 balanced also.

I had repaired a 95 SC where another mechanic put an 89 counterweighted flywhel on and it had a nice vibration right around 1500 RPM's .. fixed that by 0 balancing the flywheel.

Could also be driveline related .. was the driveshaft installed in the original position at the differential ?


- Dan
 
Yeah, I thought the 95 balancer is different too, but it's identical to my old 92. So this "95 motor" might be an older short block with all of the new stuff on top. It definitely has 95 heads, intake, blower, blue top fuel injectors, and accessories.

Not driveline related since it does it with the car sitting still. It has to be something wrong internally or the flywheel. I am done with the car, I am either going to part it out, or sell it dirt cheap. 3 engine pulls is my limit.
 
Yeah, I thought the 95 balancer is different too, but it's identical to my old 92. So this "95 motor" might be an older short block with all of the new stuff on top. It definitely has 95 heads, intake, blower, blue top fuel injectors, and accessories.

Not driveline related since it does it with the car sitting still. It has to be something wrong internally or the flywheel. I am done with the car, I am either going to part it out, or sell it dirt cheap. 3 engine pulls is my limit.

well then pull the tranny and changed the suggested fly wheel clutch and pressure plate:eek::p
 
Nope. I am done. If I pull one more part off from this car, it's going to be for parting it out. 3 engine pulls is my limit for any car.

There is an old saw about if you don't do it right you get to do it over, so don't blame the car......just saying
 
It sounds like somebody probably installed the wrong flywheel. But I don't know where you got the 95 engine, so I don't know if that is even possible.

I would suggest that you double-check the plug wire order at the coil pack, to rule out the really simple stuff.
 
Yeah, I thought the 95 balancer is different too, but it's identical to my old 92. So this "95 motor" might be an older short block with all of the new stuff on top. It definitely has 95 heads, intake, blower, blue top fuel injectors, and accessories.

Not driveline related since it does it with the car sitting still. It has to be something wrong internally or the flywheel. I am done with the car, I am either going to part it out, or sell it dirt cheap. 3 engine pulls is my limit.

Hmmm .. are you using the late model fuel injectors on a 1992 ??? Or did you put your original injectors on ?


- Dan
 
Your car wouldnt run wit the 95 balancer on it so whatever motor you have it was either in an earlier car in which stuff was swapped already or not a 95 engine. WhHat injectors are you using now?..Should be your 30lb red ones
 
There is an old saw about if you don't do it right you get to do it over, so don't blame the car......just saying

I am not a weekender mechanic, I did everything right on this car. First rebuild was done with a remanufactured crank, good rods, ARP hardware, and fel pro gaskets. All torque specs were followed, all clearances were fine. Second rebuild, I tore everything down, found nothing wrong, against my better judgement, I put in all new bearings and rebuilt it, only to have it start with a 2500RPM rod rattle. Then I went and heard the new engine run and it was in a 95 body car, I installed it and this BS happens. Tell me how I could have done anything differently.

Where are you located?
Kaufman, Tx.

It sounds like somebody probably installed the wrong flywheel. But I don't know where you got the 95 engine, so I don't know if that is even possible.

I would suggest that you double-check the plug wire order at the coil pack, to rule out the really simple stuff.

My guess as well, really the only thing that it can be. I have already double checked everything, just to be safe. I know the difference between an engine misfire and a vibration. Had a honda civic with a welded harmonic balancer and it acted just like this.

Hmmm .. are you using the late model fuel injectors on a 1992 ??? Or did you put your original injectors on ?


- Dan

They are the Dark Blue 36lbs injectors that came with the engine.

Your car wouldnt run wit the 95 balancer on it so whatever motor you have it was either in an earlier car in which stuff was swapped already or not a 95 engine. WhHat injectors are you using now?..Should be your 30lb red ones

I know. My working theory is that the owner of this 95 car had a bottom end failure and got an 89 short block that is supposed to have the weighted flywheel, but they reused their 95 flywheel.

Injectors are the ones that came with the motor, dark blue 36lbs injectors.
 
There you have it.

"I know. My working theory is that the owner of this 95 car had a bottom end failure and got an 89 short block that is supposed to have the weighted flywheel, but they reused their 95 flywheel. "

Don't pull the motor. Pull the Tranny and try the flywheel. But first chech the sizing on the pilot bearing. It could either by the wrong one. I forget but I think I remember SC's have needle bearing type not a bushing. What if the needles are gone. Since you got a cobbled together motor it could be anything.

Don't blame the car. JUST CAREFULLY RECHECK YOUR WORK, put on mechanics clothes, and take off that butcher apron you didn't know you got with that "95 motor". I always live by if I want something done right, I have to do it myself. Conversely if I did it and it's still need right, I just got a chance to learn something.
 
Did the early and late cars have a different tooth count on the crank? I think the early ones had a window system and the late ones had fingers. Totally different if that is the case. If so, fix that and it will run when you put the #30s back in...Oh...and put the #30s back in if your car is still running an untuned early PCM.

SWS
 
"I know. My working theory is that the owner of this 95 car had a bottom end failure and got an 89 short block that is supposed to have the weighted flywheel, but they reused their 95 flywheel. "

Don't pull the motor. Pull the Tranny and try the flywheel. But first chech the sizing on the pilot bearing. It could either by the wrong one. I forget but I think I remember SC's have needle bearing type not a bushing. What if the needles are gone. Since you got a cobbled together motor it could be anything.

Don't blame the car. JUST CAREFULLY RECHECK YOUR WORK, put on mechanics clothes, and take off that butcher apron you didn't know you got with that "95 motor". I always live by if I want something done right, I have to do it myself. Conversely if I did it and it's still need right, I just got a chance to learn something.

I don't feel like dropping the gas tank and pulling the transmission, especially on a theory that is unconfirmed. It's a needle style bearing and it was fine. Besides, if it was a pilot bearing issue, when the clutch is pressed it and the input shaft isn't spinning anymore, it would stop vibrating. Not the case here.

I will toss the original injectors back on and see if it helps., hell, I may just swap the original blower back on while I am at it and sell the new one.
 
I know. My working theory is that the owner of this 95 car had a bottom end failure and got an 89 short block that is supposed to have the weighted flywheel, but they reused their 95 flywheel.

I don't think the flywheel differs between those years of the SC. The only difference I can think of is that the very first run of 1989 cars had a different, "Duracast", crankshaft. That had its own harmonic balancer, and possibly flywheel as well. However, all of those should be gone, because Ford recalled them due to crankshaft failure. So I don't think that's likely.

The harmonic balancer is different between 89-93 and 94-95, but I doubt it would even get a crankshaft sensor signal to run if that was mismatched.

You could install a weighted flywheel from the non-SC Thunderbird of any year. But if so, how did it not show up when you looked at the engine?
 
I had a transmission shop do a clutch swap for me years ago. I supplied all the parts for this swap, along with the wrong flywheel. Car had a vibration once the job was done. Turns out the flywheel I had supplied was for a 5.0. Anyway, my best guess is that you may have been supplied with the wrong flywheel. Both the 3.5 & 5.0 flywheels will bolt up to your motor, but the 5.0 has been balanced differently than the 3.8's.

Not following you guys on how the injectors would be related to a vibration issue.:confused:

Hope you get this worked out soon.
 
I had a transmission shop do a clutch swap for me years ago. I supplied all the parts for this swap, along with the wrong flywheel. Car had a vibration once the job was done. Turns out the flywheel I had supplied was for a 5.0. Anyway, my best guess is that you may have been supplied with the wrong flywheel. Both the 3.5 & 5.0 flywheels will bolt up to your motor, but the 5.0 has been balanced differently than the 3.8's.

Not following you guys on how the injectors would be related to a vibration issue.:confused:

Hope you get this worked out soon.

They are thinking that if there is excess fuel, it could be misfiring. I don't think it will make much difference TBH, I too am thinking flywheel.
 
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