Honda Accord 2.0i 1996 Auto – Vibration when in D or Reverse

[stavrich]

Problem :- Vibration when in D or Reverse – No vibration when in Neutral

Honda Accord 2.0i Auto non-Vtec – UK spec , 218000 miles
Revs when warm around 750rpm

History – prior to a total loss of all coolant and serious overheat there was no vibration whether in neutral or D or Reverse. No other damage such as a blown gasket, no water in oil or oil in water.

So far replaced in chronological order
radiator replaced – coolant air removed – followed Eric’s instructions
new spark plugs NGK ZFR6F ( gap on old plugs was 3-4! mm and one plug well had oil — I presume the seal will need replacement, now under observation)
new front engine mount – rubber was split

The vibration is less but still quite high compared to how it used to be. The car behaves extremely well when moving considering its age and mileage.

Any suggestions what to do

Topic

[Trcustoms719]

Yup, check all the mounts.
Have someone shift it from drive to reverse a couple times so you can see how much the engine rocks back and forth when it happens.
Place the E-brake and stand to the side of the car not in front.T)

[college man]

are you moving in D or R or sitting still? I would suggest checking the engine motor mounts. C8-)

[pcmdjason]

I’ve seen this happen when the idle is low. However I think it’s still related to the rubber mounts, just the higher revs make the vibrations not so harsh.

[Matt]

It sounds like it could be a motor mount. It also could be issues related to the overheat if you are getting a misfire. Do you have a CEL present?

[stavrich]

Thanks for your suggestions and let me reply to the questions

Collage Man – The car is sitting still

pcmdjason – I have replaced the front mount.
The transmission and the right side mount look ok as far i can see.
– I can hardly see the rear mount so I cannot say.
– When shifting it from D to R the engine does rock forth and back but I am not sure how much is OK or bad.

Beefy – No CEL (MIL Multifunction Indicator Lamp)codes – all cleared after replacing radiator.
– The car drives perfectly with no misfires.

I think I will have to agree with all of you, it could be the rear mount (has a valve) but how do I check it and what’s the right and easy way to replace it.
Does anybody knows of a video to watch or step by step instructions how to replace and test the rear mount ( i am good at following videos and pictures S:))

Many Thanks

[college man]

Theres a couple ways to do this. 1# With the car in park hood open. rock the car back and forth. watch for engine movement.
#2 Place a jack under the motor near the motor mounts. jack up slightly and look for movement.
#3 Car started hood open. e-brake on. car in drive. give the car slight gas without moving the car. A helper standing to the side
of the car to observe engine movement. heres a video of #3 choose what works best for youC8-) also check the trans mount

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=491qLEFZZKk

[EricTheCarGuy]

I made a ‘speech’ for this very question.
By suggestion I’m going to post my idle speech along with a couple of video links that I hope will help if your having problems with your Honda’s idle. First I’ll give you the link to the Solving Honda Idle Problems video, please remember that adjusting the FITV is the LAST step in the process and you need to back it off at least 1/2 turn after it bottoms out or it will not start properly when cold.http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=L788jKEVblYThe Bleeding a Cooling System Videohttp://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zUp … =relmfuThe video response to the Honda Idle videohttp://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AMj … onseLastly here is the “Idle Speech”There are a lot of things that can contribute to an idle issue, in fact in the end it may still be there to some degree because of the nature of a 4 cylinder engine however here are some things to start with.First start with a good tune up, use NGK or Nippon Denso plugs, don’t change the wires if they are OE, if they aren’t OE you might consider NGK wires as they are very good and less expensive then OE. A quality cap and rotor should be good. A new air filter also helps.Don’t change the PCV valve, if you see an aftermarket PCV valve in there put a Honda in, believe it or not I’ve seen idle issues caused by aftermarket PCV valves, the OE’s last just about forever so you can easily justify the expense.Next a good valve adjustment, this goes a long way to smooth out the idle if done correctly, mess it up and things can get a lot worse though.While you have the valve cover off check the timing belt tension, if you feel a lot of slack this can cause the cam to ‘chunk’ as it spins causing a rough idle. If you think the belt has been on there for some time then you might consider changing it and resetting the tension properly, if it’s not ready for replacement you can reset the tension to take up the slack.DO NOT adjust the idle screw under any circumstances, it is set at the factory and that is the reason it was sealed in the first place. If you find that the seal has been broken and you have a low idle and you have done all of the above then you might turn the screw out a little to see if that helps the idle but only enough to try and bring it back to where it was before it was adjusted in the first place.Last clean the screen in the Idle Air Control valve, this can get clogged up with carbon over time and cause the flow through it to be restricted which can cause idle issues.If you still have a ‘rough’ idle after all of this THEN look to the engine mounts as you want to be sure the engine is running correctly before you go for those as the one in the back is a real pain to replace.I hope this info is helpful as I get a TON of questions about Honda idle problems, thanks for reading.

[stavrich]

Thanks Eric – never expected to hear from you, greatly appreciated. I will start going through every stage as you have suggested – I have already replaced the front mount, fitted brand new plugs NGK and done the coolant as per your instructions.

Next task for next weekend is to adjust the valves – next week I am in US, North Carolina, and I will buy a new set of feeler gauges (any excuse to buy some more tools 🙂 )

Great videos – excellent advice – great delivery

Thanks again.

[Bad_dude]

I have a 90 Accord LX Sedan auto. The same exact thing happen to me. Shake a bit at idle when in reverse mostly and shakes a little in drive. Replaced the front torque mount and added poly inserts, the shifting got smoother and no more shakes. The mounts that usually go first and almost always are the front and the rear. The other one next in line is the tranny mount then the driver’s side mount. My car shakes a little more in drive when idle at the red light now but that b/c I stiffen up the front mount with inserts. It’s a light shake and not violent one. Check the bolts for your front mount to make sure it’s tighten to torque specs.

[hondaslave1342]

i had this problem in my 2001 accord and it was my mount–mine is fluid filled and controlled electronically..its a engine mount control system..the pcm signals a control solenoid valve, which allows manifold vacuum to the rear mount..there a diaphragm changes flow of liquid between two chambers to cancel vibration..at engine speeds over 1000 rpm, the vacuum is shut off and the motor mount changes to normal mode…dont know if your car has it,,but fixed mine

[stavrich]

Hi Hondaslave1342,
I have the same type of rear mount. Very difficult to get to it – I wonder if there is any way to test it first before trying to replace it.

Thanks

[Bad_dude]

Quoted From stavrich:

Hi Hondaslave1342,
I have the same type of rear mount. Very difficult to get to it – I wonder if there is any way to test it first before trying to replace it.

Thanks

I don’t think there’s sure way of testing the rear mount. You would have to take it out to see if the rubber is still intact. Mine is vacuum assisted in the rear but no way to know for sure without taking it out.

[EricTheCarGuy]

Keep in mind going to the engine mounts is the LAST step in the diagnosis, if you have a rough running engine and put new mounts on it you still have a rough running engine on new mounts and you really didn’t solve anything.

[Author]

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