discoBizz
Member Since: 20 Sep 2008
Location: Manchester
Posts: 1416
  
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| Light steering wheel vibration - help diagnosing |
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Hi all,
been off-roading a couple of weeks ago, mud & grass mostly with a little dip in a very muddy pond... All ok so far, came back, good wash, pressure washed everything underneath and all mud I could see...
Ever since, I have noticed a very slight vibration from the steering wheel, more like a "humming" noise feeding through the column, as if dirt was caught between the break pad and disc. Re-washed all four breaks,symptom still there. It's very slight, so much so Mrs Biz thinks I'm loosing my marbles  But of course, I know its there 
Upon more careful listening/feeling, it seems to happen more under acceleration rather than free rolling or breaking. And I think there is a different roar from the engine when it does.... 
Have checked what I could by visual inspection (pads, calipers, steering rack ends etc) but could not see anything out of place or standing out.
I would rather not take it "blindly" to the local dealer as they are most likely to keep the car there for a week or two (without replacement vehicle of course!), only to tell me they can't find anything wrong and leave me with the frustration of having to live with it 
Any thoughts what I could look at or point them to?
Thanks 
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 25th Jan 2010 3:50 pm |
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SPOTTER
Member Since: 06 Dec 2006
Location: Adrift........
Posts: 3095
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wheels/tyres slightly out of balance due to mud/bits missing maybe?
....even after a good clean it is amazingly how many kilos of mud still exist under the vehicle. This could possibly affect dynamics of wishbones etc. (i.e. harmonics?) end of an era ....... maybe a Defender when it appears.......
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| 25th Jan 2010 4:35 pm |
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discoBizz
Member Since: 20 Sep 2008
Location: Manchester
Posts: 1416
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Thanks Spotter
Admittedly I did not have the car on a ramp, just as far as I could see with having it on off-road height. Will give it another all-round underneath and re-balance the front wheels (I have checked the pressures several times ).
What's troubling me though is the fact it's more pronounced when accelerating. I would have thought if one of the causes you describe was the culprit, it would happen equally at any rolling state 
Last edited by discoBizz on 29th Jan 2010 8:40 pm. Edited 1 time in total
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| 25th Jan 2010 5:33 pm |
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SPOTTER
Member Since: 06 Dec 2006
Location: Adrift........
Posts: 3095
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mine is certainly much rougher after it has been in the mud. Acceleration tends to accentuate things that vibrate and wobble.
I don't think you have done anything that would "knock" anything major. Maybe the bushes have settled a bit? How often does it go off road? end of an era ....... maybe a Defender when it appears.......
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| 25th Jan 2010 5:46 pm |
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discoBizz
Member Since: 20 Sep 2008
Location: Manchester
Posts: 1416
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Well, in fifteen months it's seriously been off road 5 times 
Would've liked to have time for more....
Don't think so either, though did get stuck in that pond (still on P0s), and lots of R to 3rd on Mud/Ruts eventually rocked me out. Initially, mud got caught between the rim and the front left tyre just behind one of the balancing weights which resulted in some loss of pressure in that tyre (I understand it has to do with the tyre wall heating up due to spinning, letting potential debris getting caught there ), but a thorough clean sorted that out.
Thanks for the confirmation on acceleration, I think only viable next steps are another clean of the front end and a rebalancing... and fingers crossed that will sort it out...
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| 25th Jan 2010 6:08 pm |
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SPOTTER
Member Since: 06 Dec 2006
Location: Adrift........
Posts: 3095
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it should be used to it by now then..................
Another thought....have you actually torn any balance weights off, that is easy to do from experience...........
and another possibility is that are you more sensitive to it after gettinga bit stuck......might be worth driving another vehicle.
I can imagine alsorts of horrible things happening to mine sometimes but usually it is my imagination.
 end of an era ....... maybe a Defender when it appears.......
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| 25th Jan 2010 6:55 pm |
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discoBizz
Member Since: 20 Sep 2008
Location: Manchester
Posts: 1416
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Might be... will try to have a drive around in a mates' 05 HSE though he has the 4.4 petrol and it's bound to feel different I guess...
Off to the tyre man tomorrow after another good wash first thing (although at 2.5C at the mo don't quite fancy the idea of an freeze in the morning  )
Cheers
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| 25th Jan 2010 7:34 pm |
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discoBizz
Member Since: 20 Sep 2008
Location: Manchester
Posts: 1416
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Well, got the wheels re-balanced (only 5grams off on the driver's side, 20grams on the passenger side though) and had front of the car re-washed...
The slight vibration is still there though and I do think it's engine/revs related now...
Any ideas?
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| 29th Jan 2010 12:21 pm |
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PaulP
Member Since: 04 May 2007
Location: Barcelona
Posts: 4317
 
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Does it go away if you turn the climate control OFF? 2006 Discovery 3 TDV6 SE Auto Buckingham Blue
2007 Golf GT DSG
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| 29th Jan 2010 12:54 pm |
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discoBizz
Member Since: 20 Sep 2008
Location: Manchester
Posts: 1416
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Nope, no change either on or off
Also tried to clarify whether it's mostly when the engine is cold or normal temp, seems to be more pronounced when cold (but exists in any conditions).
Could it be related to belts/pulleys? ridgeback_moor recently posted a great post on how to change, but his symptoms were very different to mine?
Thanks
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| 29th Jan 2010 1:16 pm |
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SPOTTER
Member Since: 06 Dec 2006
Location: Adrift........
Posts: 3095
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oh
and other than that the car runs fine? end of an era ....... maybe a Defender when it appears.......
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| 29th Jan 2010 5:05 pm |
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discoBizz
Member Since: 20 Sep 2008
Location: Manchester
Posts: 1416
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Yep, no warning lights, errors, bongs, bings... nothing Revving up normally, going normally (and straight)
On my way back from work tonight I confirmed it's engine related: it's present at neutral while stationary and if I were to describe it its like the car having a "hoarse throat" moment, deeper at low revs, higher "pitched" at higher revs... kinda like SWMBO when entering into an argument 
Joking aside, I think its actually getting worse, though I have been known to be overly sensitive when something is not quite right. The fact is that it's there and TBH I doubt the local LR service centre will have a clue where to start looking to find the cause...
Any further thoughts where I could point them at??? (or better I could look myself?)
Thanks for pointers so far
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| 29th Jan 2010 8:15 pm |
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discoBizz
Member Since: 20 Sep 2008
Location: Manchester
Posts: 1416
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Quick question: are diesel engines susceptible to pinking (knocking)? I thought this was only a symptom petrol engines could develop as diesels don't have spark plugs?
I think amidst the symptoms I can hear something that sounds like pinking, at the lower (throatier) rev range...
Symptoms are still there, will have to resort to the dealer, though I would have preferred to point them where to investigate as I suspect their reaction... 
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| 1st Feb 2010 4:08 pm |
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PaulP
Member Since: 04 May 2007
Location: Barcelona
Posts: 4317
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Yep - only petrol engines can suffer from pinking or knocking if the ignition is too far advanced.
I think I've always heard what you describe on my TDV6, but just put it down to the usual "clackerty" * noise that common-rail diesels tend to make.
* yes I did just invent this word  2006 Discovery 3 TDV6 SE Auto Buckingham Blue
2007 Golf GT DSG
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| 1st Feb 2010 5:41 pm |
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discoBizz
Member Since: 20 Sep 2008
Location: Manchester
Posts: 1416
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Cheers Paul, I may indeed be loosing my marbles but I'll try to take it for a plugging into the IDS at the local dealer while still under warranty just to make sure that I am (not)
Will juice my (and the forum's) brain a little more tonight trying to figure it out though... 
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| 1st Feb 2010 5:51 pm |
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