Problems problems problems

[T!mmy]

Ight I have a 98 Civic EX coupe

When idling (with a/c off, does it with a/c on btu I was just clarifying it wasn't the a/c compressor causing the problem) the shifter shakes, and it shakes bad enough that I can see the knob shaking without touching it. What would cause this?

Also when I turn my a/c on the whole car start to shake and rattle.

All of my belts are tight. the only one I didn't check is the timing belt which is what I think the problem is.

Any thoughts?

Please help because this is getting really frustrating

 

[true]

my shifter always shakes.. if im not resting my hand on it..

as for the whole car shaking when you turn on the a/c? it only shakes for awhile while idling right? not while driving.. everything sounds normal to me.

 

[T!mmy]

no it shakes the whole time the a/c is on

 

[true]

hmm.. ok that doesnt sound normal. you said you think it might be the timing belt... how many miles do you have?

 

[T!mmy]

64,000 miles

 

[true]

hmm.. i don't think the timing belt would go out that early... i mean.. it does happen.. but i dont think that would cause that kind of shaking...

does the car shake at all while the a/c is off? have you ever replaced the CV joints? or had them inspected? sometimes bad CV's can cause severe shaking while accelerating.. idle.. motor.. steering wheel.. and shifter...

 

[ocbasbalburg]

the shifter will always shake. honda's have shift linkage... not cable shifting like most cars. as for the whole car?????? sorry

 

[anekin007]

hmmm...could be a motor mount...

 

[true]

hmmm...could be a motor mount...

that i dont think it is.. unless hes broken like 2 of them.. but i see that as highly unlikely to destroy two of them without more jerking when it shifts gears... once it shifts the car drives quite normal actually if its jus one motor mount...

we probably need more history on the car.. what was done to it.. im assuming you already tried having the car idle, turn on the A/C and pop open the hood to find the source? I know you checked the belts.. but try check the cooling system in general.. like make sure the radiator is on good... bolts.. clamps.. hoses... i dont think that could cause the whole car to shake... but its worth takin a look at..

 

[T!mmy]

well to look at the timing belt I'd have to take the valve cover off...

 

[T!mmy]

It's hard to tell where the sound is coming from btw because when it starts doing this my converter starts to rattle against the car

 

[T!mmy]

Another thing I forget to tell you is it only does it when the car is warmed up. after the temperature has stabilized and whatnot it'll start doing it then. Before that it's perfectly fine.

 

[true]

but the shakes are ONLY when the a/c is on right? when its off everything is perfectly fine as well?

 

[T!mmy]

yea something I should add....

I got an exhaust put on

Before I had the exhaust it was just a faint whine and some shaking...now it's a loud metal vibrating metal sound with extreme shaking.

Yea only when a/c is on

 

[anekin007]

there your problem, your exhaust.

 

[true]

ok.. a/c does cause slight shaking.. i've definitely had that in other cars before... much like the shift knob shaking... what it sounds like to me is that your exhaust system is not bolted on tight enough... it sounds simple... but it sounds like that to me.. because 1) you said your cat was rattling which means either the core is destroyed (if it was your exhaust would smell like s**t), and 2) because you only had the extreme shaking when the exhaust was installed...

so yea.. did you install the exhaust yourself? if its a cat-back.. i dont see why the cat would have even been touched... unless you or someone else yanked it out previously for a test pipe... either have someone check your exhaust installation, or your exhaust in general.. if could be the weld breaking near the resonator... if could be something is *in* the resonator... or it could simply be a loose bolt causing the exhaust to shake below...

one more question.. while driving... on the highway.. letsay 60+mph, with A/C.. does the car still shake?

 

[T!mmy]

no car wouldn't shake then. ANd I bought a muffler and had mandrel bent pipe ran from cat ( same as cat-back but less money)

 

[true]

check the exhaust system.

if you dont have access to a lift, put the rear portion on jack stands.. roll under there... inspect everything by hand.. if you can't see anything visually, start the car while its on jacks... and see where the rattling is ... and see if you can eliminate rattling by holding the pipe or pipes together.. im like 95% sure its your custom exhaust job... if you want.. worse case scenario, bolt the stock exhaust back on to check for rattles... might be a little easier since its not as loud

 

[anekin007]

when you turn on you a/c make the ac run and it will cause your motor to shake slightly. while it is making your engine belt run, it is causing your engine to shake and your piping to shake. since you have a custom pipe, it is probably not 100% oem shaped so it make hit something. also, does your custom piping have all the hangers like oem?

 

[T!mmy]

ight thanks everyone