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98 SL2 shakes when accelerating....?

My 98 Saturn SL2 (74K miles) has recently started to slightly shake/jitter when I accelerate (usually only until 3500 RPMs). It's sort of hard to explain, but I would best describe the feeling as similiar to what it would feel like if the tires were slipping occassionally (although that is obviously not it). I know very little about cars, but my dad used to be an automechanic (70's). He has checked all the simple obvious things (along with engine compression), but isn't familiar enough with newer cars to investigate further. Any ideas would be appreciated.

Reply to
APRead
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shake/jitter

things

newer cars

Bad tires, bent rim, wheel/tire assembly not balanced, bad bearing, are a few possibilities.

Ken

Reply to
Napalm Heart

mine is doing the same thing. with our other car, it was the fuel filter. anyone know where it is?

Reply to
KenM

Driver's side. Down low on the firewall.

Reply to
Bob Shuman

The words "when I accelerate" would eliminate the tire. Fuel delivery, spark, motor mounts, or transmission would be more likely.

Reply to
Blah blah

Mine would have this hesitation at low rpoms, like the motor didn't have any pep, and then 'kick in' as slightly higher RPMs. You could feel it.

New sparkplug cables fixed it.

Reply to
Philip Nasadowski

It depends on what he means by that. If it happens at a certain speed, and depending on where/how he drives, then he might only experience the condition when he transitions through that speed when going from a lower speed to a higher speed. (IE, when he accelerates) If a problem happened to me at 55mph, I would only experience it when accelerating because I don't normally drive on 55mph roads. I drive on slower roads or on the interstate (75mph limit) so I only hit 55 when accelerating. I never actually sit at that speed.

Definite possibilities. He should rev the engine through 3500 rpm in park or neutral to see if it might be motor mounts or spark.

-DanD

Reply to
Dan Duncan

(although

bearing,

Not if the problem is from belts breaking. The symptoms can be very variable.

Ken

Reply to
Napalm Heart

That can be eliminated or moved by a tire rotation. If its felt in the steering wheel its likely the front tire(s). If its felt only in the seat its most likely the rear tire(s). Simple diagnosis to make.

Reply to
Blah Blah

No, years ago when I had a jeep I would get some serious shaking due to a tire being off balance. The shaking only occured with in a certain range, any speed below or above that range and I would be fine.

Mark.

Reply to
Zaphod

Dammit people. Like the post said during an "acceleration" it shakes. NOT SPEED RELATED! The clue is that it shakes under "LOAD". If it shook at a given speed or increased shaking with increased speed I would say yes its the tire but he said at about 3500 RPM it shakes. And as I also said in another post that can be ruled out or narrowed down by a tire rotation.

Reply to
Blah Blah

certain range,

shakes.

Extra strong coffee this morning? ;+)

Reply to
Napalm Heart

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