Camshafts

Author
Discussion

SmilerFTM

Original Poster:

829 posts

150 months

Tuesday 11th September 2018
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My car recently had a new engine put in and the (sportier) camshafts were swapped from my old engine to the new one. The car is now vibrating all over when moving, it doesn't when idling and standing still. It started with a bit of extra vibration through the gearstick then the whole car was shaking, felt like it was coming through the bottom of the seat.
If the cams haven't been swapped over properly could it be this? I initially thought maybe the engine mounts weren't tied up properly or the gearbox mounts after the transplant but it all disappears as soon as I pull up and the car is just idling. It still vibrates when coasting along/slowing down in neutral. The vibrations became horrendous (initially) once I got to about 35/40mph, it then was shaking from about 20/25mph and above.
It's getting taken to a garage later this week and I know asking on here only gets guesses and I won't actually know what it is until the garage looks at it but just trying to garner an idea. Could badly fitted sports cams make a car do this or would it be obvious without really moving?

generationx

6,736 posts

105 months

Tuesday 11th September 2018
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This sounds more like a fundamental powertrain issue.

You don't say what the car is, is it FWD or RWD? Has the engine/gearbox been correctly reattached to the chassis? Is the propshaft or flywheel way out of balance?

Did you have any other work done such as driveshafts, gearbox or suspension?

Are the wheel nuts tight?

HJG

463 posts

107 months

Tuesday 11th September 2018
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Are the vibrations increasing with engine speed or road speed?
If road speed then it's more likely an installation issue with this new power unit, but as above, more info required.

Mignon

1,018 posts

89 months

Tuesday 11th September 2018
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No of course it's not the camshafts. How do you think cams could possibly shake the whole car when it's moving but not stationary? It's a buckled wheel, faulty tyre, very bad wheel balance maybe.

Boosted LS1

21,187 posts

260 months

Tuesday 11th September 2018
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Engine mounts, gearbox mounts perhaps. Certainly worth inspecting. Start with the engine mounts if it was just the engine that was removed.

Elliot2000

785 posts

176 months

Tuesday 11th September 2018
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It’s not going to be engine related if it doesn’t do it when stationary or if revved when stationary- ur looking more at prop shaft, driveshafts, diff, wheels etc. Something will be loose or damaged from engine work is guess