just finished dropping in my ls-vtec motor this weekend, the motor feels pretty strong but i have this shaking problem. here’s the facts of the case:
car: 1990 DA
engine: LS-VTEC
tranny: b16a (rebuilt by me to accept ls 5th gear)
mounts: energy suspension
axles:
driver side is my stock ls that i never had a problem with
intermediate is my stock as well
passenger is a b16a axle that replaced my ls one with when i did the swap…the dynamic dampener on the b16a one looked to be in a different position compared to my ls one…also, it looked a bit longer than the ls one
symptoms:
the shakes are happening near the passenger side axle/tire (the side with the b16a axle)
the shakes occur when:
doing sweeping left-hand turns
going straight coasting while in gear (if i shift into neutral the shaking stops)
the shaking also stops if i’m going straight under any type of acceleration
is my b16a passenger axle to blame? the dampener? is it my alignment? balljoints? did i mess up my tranny when i opened it? does anyone know if b16a axles are the same as the ls ones? i’m going to rebuild my ls one but i was hoping to use it as a spare…
It would be my guess that if the B16 axel came from an Integra then it would be ok. It could be different if it came from some other model. I say jack the car up on the pass. side and see if the axel nut is in contact with the spindle. It may be the the shaft is longer and will allow the nut to tighten yet not be tight against the spindle. Also if the B16 came from an automatic car then you should search for a set of GSR or better cams. The auto b16 cams are the weakest. I would like to know that since you installed a ls 5th gear into that b16 tranny, was it hard, did you replace the syncros, and at 60 mph in 5th gear what rpm are you turning?
First thing I suggest you do is make sure ALL of your mounts are secure. This sounds much like an engine mount problem. If you are missing a bolt or a bolt is loose, that could cause a lot of shaking. The axle could be to blame, but I doubt it. The vibration dampner on the axle is not necessary. Most rebuilt axles don’t even come with them. Are you sure the B16A axles came from an XSI Teg? If they came from the JDM EFs then it isn’t the right length. Also, make sure you put your spindle nut on the axle and that the lug nuts on your wheel are tight. These are all the things I can think of for now. I doubt it’s an internal tranny problem. What all did you do to your tranny? Is it making any noise? Best of luck.
Here is a simple answer. Check your lug nuts. That sounds exaclty like what would happen if your lug nuts were loose. Seriously, I know its simple, but just check it out.
i would also suggest u to check the lug nuts…after i did my suspension, i forgot to put it on tightly…wheel came off at 25mph and it literally ripped my fender apart…simple stuff with big consequences
no i torqued my lugnuts down with a torque wrench…i’m not that careless :p…i’ll check on the car on later this week when i have more time & report back…i have a feeling it’s the axle but i will check my mounts as well.
yeah dan i don’t think it’s the tranny either; it’s not making any noise, but just wanted to mention most everything that was changed.
slacker, swapping gears isn’t too hard & you don’t need to change syncros. but you do have to know how to open up a tranny & have access to a gear puller.
finally got around to putting new boots on my old axle & taking the one b16 one out. i opened up the inner boot to check on a hunch of mine, & it turns out i was right…i had an axle from an auto tranny teg. put my old axle back & the shakes dissapeared
