Well,

Have checked out a few things, and have some suspicions but wanted to know if any had the following symptoms and what fixed it. Have searched this great forum a nubmer of times, and have found close clues, but nothing consistent with this vehicles situation:

Miles - 120K ish
Good tires
-One CV joint is spewing some grease - I believe it is the passenger inner (if not, it is the driver inner) and it does appear to have some movement to it. Boot is not cracked, seems like the inner clamp is letting grease out.
-Have not tested the vacuum on the motor mounts - was planning on checking them next
-Wheel bearings seem really good, lower ball joint seems good, alignment looks good
-no slop left or right in wheels (tie rod ends)
-In a failed attempt to go ahead and replace the front shocks to eliminate them (want to do anyway) had pass side shock out, and was surprised as to how good it seemed as compared to many others I've removed with significantly less miles.
-Car is bone stock except I'm running RSX wheels

Here is what happens:
-Many times you can drive all day different loads on the drive train, stop and go, highway and it is really smooth.

-Then say twice a week - running down the highway at say 50 or 70, or slowing from 70 down to a light - this vibration kicks in
-Vibration - is worse than a slightly out of balance wheel/tire - it is pretty bad, can shake the passenger seat if nobody is in it.
- One night it kicked in at 70, and stayed in there and had the vibration of a loose wheel. Pulled over, and lug nuts were fine (I torque the wheels when mounting)
-Sometimes it kicks in at say 40 - so it does not appear to be the classic wheel out of balance. For kicks, I rotated the tires to get the back on the front, and it did not change anything.
-When it happens, I can feel it in the steering wheel.

Suspicions:
-CV joint - though I'd be really surprised at this one... maybe not
-Engine Mounts - I hope not

Clue on Engine Mounts - There have been two times that at idle, it was really rough on start up for about a minute. Hit the gas a little and it smoothed out. Can I test these with a vacuum source?

Thanks for the help

 

Look for a worn ball joint. This can cause vibration at correct speeds and conditions (just right initial bump and vibrations increase due to looseness in the ball joint).

Lift wheels and check for play in the ball joints by "twisting' the wheel up/down and right/left. Any play would indicate a worn ball joint. There was a recall on ball joints for the TL's so it may be covered by warranty.

It could be a CV joint, but they generally would not be intermittent. Regarding the grease escaping, you may be able to increase the clamping of the CV joint clamp using nippers to further crimp the upset loop that is used to tension the clamp.

good luck

 

Thanks for the note. Meant to add that I had looked at the ball joints before, and they seem good. Though Ball joints are probably one of the hardest parts to id because of loading them, the springs, etc. Maybe what I'll do is remvoe the shock/spring after getting it up in the air and use my prybar again to watch for movement.

Twisted the wheel up and down and left to right before. Will check into this further and look for the recall as well. I don't remember one for mine (it is a 97 3.2TL)

Thanks again, will update.

 

I agree that ball joints are difficult to diagnose. It only takes a small amount of looseness to cause problems and "loose" is a relative term.

Look carefully at all the bushings in the suspension also. A worn bushing can also cause this problem.

good luck

 

Texas Honda - Thanks for the advice and notes.

Checked the recall, and it was performed on this vehicle. don't know the mileage, but I'm actually up to 129K now.

While committments and weather did not allow me to get it in the garage and up in the air, my diagnostics continued over the weekend and today. As this is not my daily driver, I drove it occasionally in the last two weeks (and over this weekend) to check the symptoms I was given by my wife - who is actually really good at describing and helping me eliminate problem areas. for her.

Well, drove it to work today (with her) and it started out without any vibration cruising down a smooth highway at 70 MPH. It is cold out. My wife laughed that it will probably not do it with her in it now . Well, into the drive, it started a little. After dropping her off, it really kicked in on my way to my work.

Here is where the inconsistent is consistent:

1 - Slight to medium load (foot on gas) = really bad vibration
2 --Throttle back through no load - vibration goes away
3 - Let off the gas to where the engine is slowing the vehicle (negative loading?) - bad vibration again, but it feels different than #1

4. Get on it, and give it a pretty good load - vibration reduces to a minimal

Going down a smooth road, it seemed like I could feel the CV Joint going through the various loading and changing the vibrations on a very consistent basis (finally something consistent).

Since it is cold out, I was thinking that maybe the grease in the CV joint is cold for the first few miles, then loosening up as it is driven.

Still, I'll be getting it up in the air again and checking the ball joints out.

I think that with 130K, throwing in a set of half shafts is not a bad preventative maintenance even if it is not the exact fix. I know that one of them is low on grease as it has been slinging it for about 10K miles at least - maybe 20K.

 

Texas - Question -

I have done some really difficult stuff in my lifetime and rebuild just about anything and have done axles before on other cars, but this Acura 3.2TL is starting to drive me nuts here. Have had a few projects going on and a slew of delays in this project of mine (I have a number of cars), but here is the question -

When I am installing the axle (Have a new one and a rebuilt one) when the circlip (wire ring in the groove) goes in, it seems to catch and not want go to in any further. I removed the original one fine, no problem.

Is there a trick to lining it up, or sliding it in?

-Have lubed up the splines and the ring
-Have tried the original one, and it is hard also

Don't want to pull out a hammer.

I ended up getting Mitchell on demand and it does not say anything about lining up, hitting, or anything - It simply says to Reverse the procedures - but it does talk about prying it to get it off.

Makes the Chrysler FWD minivan really easy - they do not have a clip.

Thanks

 

I've replaced several Honda shafts, but so far no Acura shafts. They all "snapped" in when I pressed the shaft into the splines firmly. I wouldn't see anything wrong w/ an accelerated push, but that may be difficult to manage. Try just enaging the end and then pushing very hard to drive home.

Your description of vibration under acceleration that disappeared when throttle was removed suggests a weak, or broken motor mount.

good luck

 

Thanks for getting back. Went out after dinner and thinking about it. Removed the ring from the original axle and it slid in pretty easy, no keying, and rotated it to make sure. Then I took the ring off the new one. Slid right in.'

After looking at the original ring and it looked a. o. k. and in all honesty if I measured it, it could have been a little smaller than the aftermarket one. Used some petroleum jelly to hold it in the center, and like you say, it snapped right in.

SO, never break out the 3 lb sledge...

 

For anybody that needs it:

-The axles seem to have fixed the problem. Ended up doing axles, shocks and springs while I was in there, but the axles were the intended R&R to correct the problem.

-The shocks were surprisingly in decent shape considering 130K on the odo.

-Put in KYB Shocks for a Legend (after yanking shock forks from a Legend) and Eibach Pro Springs.

-Put new axle shafts - there was a problem with one of the rebuilt axles fitting into the diff (passenger side)

Will update the shock thread on the shock info... It is easy. Have pix, but little time to host them...