97' ST215 GT-T Auto Vibration in Wet

[DravidDavid]

Hey guys,

We've been suffering from this issue for a while. It usually happens when fuel is low, or it is quite wet on the road. It is particularly bad this morning and she sent me a video with what happens. Every time I try and reproduce the issue, I never can!

She describes a violent vibration as if the wheels were unbalanced, but goes away and comes back. The video sounds as if she is water plaining, but it sounds quite harsh almost like an intermittent grinding/meshing noise. The mechanic can't see or hear anything wrong with the wheel bearings. He suggested it could be the diff binding up or a CV joint.

As per this thread (viewtopic.php?f=3&t=18750&hilit=caldina+wet#p169604) it seems to be a common problem. This was posted years and years ago though, so was wondering if anyone had come up with a definitive answer?

Someone on another Caldina forum suggested that the sway bar was not secured properly when the springs were replaced. It was previously on king super low springs and is now on custom made cobra springs and suspension which sit at similar height, but allow for more travel. Apart from that, it's as stock as any GT-T comes.

Not sure if it's related, but on right hand turns and upon acceleration, we hear a clicking noise. It gets worse when you turn around a corner. What is interesting, is if I coast down the hill and turn late in to the right hand bend, putting as much force on the car as possible with momentum built up before hand, no clicking. When I take it out of neutral and put it in D and turn in to the corner normally, but this time while accelerating, the noise comes back!

The noise appears at low speed and follows the revs of the engine and then after about 50 or 60 KMPH or so, it disappears completely unless cornering. At the top of our drive, when the vehicle is on a steep angle, there is a slight dip in the road which sometimes leads to a loud THUD or CLICK as if we are popping a metal joint back in to place or something as we go over the verge. It sounds as if it's coming from the front. This has also been pinned on the sway bars, but I want everyone elses input.

Cheers,
David

[Crucible]

Intermittent driveline/suspension noises can be a challenge to find. Worn swaybar link joints generally make light knocking noises, you can check them with a prybar or remove them completely to take the sway bar out of the picture and see if the noise continues. The noise youre hearing on tight corners will most probably be a worn cv joint from what you've described.

Do you get any vibration through the steering wheel when it occurs? you also say it follows rpm, does it increase with vehicle speed?

[DravidDavid]

Intermittent driveline/suspension noises can be a challenge to find. Worn swaybar link joints generally make light knocking noises, you can check them with a prybar or remove them completely to take the sway bar out of the picture and see if the noise continues. The noise youre hearing on tight corners will most probably be a worn cv joint from what you've described.

Do you get any vibration through the steering wheel when it occurs? you also say it follows rpm, does it increase with vehicle speed?

Thanks Crucible.

It sure is a challenge to find this one! Will see about removing the sway bars all together. Is there a significant safety risk to this? I've been told the sway bar could be the culprit before. It's common for them not to be installed properly after a spring change, so will be getting that looked at next week.

I've been told it might be a CV joint, but I have no idea which one. I've read stories here of people replacing joints and the noise continues.

It's interesting you mention the RPM/vehcile speed thing. I tried it before, listened to the tick-tick-tick it makes when increasing in speed and then threw it in the neutral gear while accelerating. The noise disappeared, which suggests it could be something else.

[Crucible]

Generally a worn cvj will only click when on turns and accelerating. I have heard them click on a straight line but Im talking about a joint that has had a split boot, lost all the grease and been run dry for a long time.

Do any of the two have split boots?

Best way to diagnose which side is get a passenger in the car wind both windows down and drive around in circles, left and right. Find a quiet car park somewhere (countdown) etc. It helps if you half apply the handbrake aswell, sort of loads the joint up.

As far as swaybar removal and safety goes it wont matter much just to diagnose but of course refit it once done.

[DravidDavid]

So now it clicks when not accelerating and more frequently in a straight line.

I can also emulate the click by rocking the car side to side by hanging on to the roof racks. As far as I know, it shouldn't be clicking at all

[cat007]

My first thought when you mentioned it happening in the wet is the problem the st215's have with the water cooling one side of the exhaust and it causing it to flex and scrape on the drive shaft.

[DravidDavid]

Just an update.

It stopped happening in the wet and is now just doing it all the time. It's also gotten 100% worse. It feels like you're in a washing machine that only goes side to side and it makes a violent glug sound that shakes you half to death.

I'm getting the front left CV joint and bearing replaced...$650.00 later. It better freakin' fix it!

EDIT mechanic disassembled everything and found there was zero grease and high points the bearing was slamming in to which was causing the issue.

Apparently it's a very common problem and hard to diagnose because the CV boot itself looks fine, but is actually split. We were told our boots were perfectly fine until they weren't!

[DravidDavid]

Thought I'd update this thread with the actual problem.

Turns out left wheel bearing and CV join were totally stuffed. There were high points and the boot split which meant all the grease was gone and when the joint heated up, what was left separated and it was running dry and crunching.

We had to replace the whole drive-shaft, which ended up being cheaper. Our mechanic reconditioned it and re-packed it with new grease and installed it. It runs like a champ now, but through the whole process I've discovered all my bearings a rough.

Apparently this is a very common Caldina problem. All up it was 1200 to fix.

The click as I went over bumps was indeed the sway bar. Thank you for the suggestions! I suggested to my mechanic that it may be the case and dismissed the theory and condemned "forum mechanics".

I think I need to start learning how to do this stuff myself!

I think through changing everything the alignment was put out, as I get a small high speed vibration. Will get it aligned at some point and go from there.

Thanks all!