Help to identify engine/drivetrain vibration
 

This is a vibration that is most evident under a load and after the torque converter clutch has engaged. It is most evident between 1500 and 2000 rpms. It starts as a felt and heard vibration and deep rumble around 1500 rpms and gets a little higher pitched and louder at 2000 rpms. The seems to come from under the center or rear of the truck and then seems to come from front, center and rear after the clutch engages. You can feel the vibration in the gas pedal, sterring wheel, transfer case shifter etc. It is present in this rpm range when the torque converter clutch is engaged and under a load even with the overdrive off. It is very loud under a load at 70mph and can even be heard and felt a little if you take your foot off the accelerator (engine braking) but if you put the engine in neutral at this highway speed, then it goes away.

The dealer played ignorant at first but I have a service appointment scheduled and I really want it fixed.

Your thoughts to help identify the source would be appreciated.

Raven5

I think I've been noticing that with my truck also. My wife keeps telling me I'm worrying to much, but I just got the truck back from the shop for the 3rd time for tranny problems. Look at my Signature. They had to remove the tranny twice so I hope they aligned everything up under there. It does feel different and I think I can feel the vibration, but others including my wife tell me I'm worrying to much. I'm going to go to another dealership and get a second opinion, since the dealer I was going too, I have trust issues with them. So soon as I get time to make a 2 and a half hour drive to another dealership. I'm going to have it looked at, to be re-assured.

I have the exact same issue, check your exhaust at idle, should be vibrating like crazy? If so I have same issue and have narrowed it down to an injector miss through out the RPM range, feel it in the pedal at highway speed and it is driving me nuts.....Have confirmed from two sources that injector miss is the issue. Now the question is what is causing the miss. On Monday I go in to have the Injectors inspected and tested, Pump pressure test, confirm ECM programming is correct. When you take it in have them test all of these components. All of these tests can be conducted by any dealer in an afternoon. My dealer said the only hold up would be if they had to replace injectors and did not have them in stock. I told him to stockup on thursday so there should be no hold up.

I had the same vibration in the steering wheel, gas pedal, radio knob ect. I took it in and a rear universal joint replacement cured it all. This time I have a grease fitting on the universal so I can grease it when doing my oil changes. I was worried about having a bigger problem and it was just the universal.

Here is the diference, mine vibrates at a stand still so I don't think universal joints will play any part in my bad vibe issues. Just check for excess vibe in the Exhaust system, it is very obvious when compared to one without the miss.

Drafter,
Was the U joint covered under warrenty, or did you pay out of pocket ? I might have the same issue or my pinion has too much slop in it.

Chip

I didn't take it to the dealer because I thought the problem was related to some front end suspension issue. With 63,000 miles on the odometer I figured there would be no warrenty coverage. If I had been following the threads more recently I would have at least called the dealership or simply replaced the universal myself. I don't know if the drivetrain warrenty would cover this type of issue. Isn't the drivetrain covered for 100,000 miles?

I've got the aame problem, 2006 3500 diesel, vibrates severe under load, my dealer is playing ignorant too, contacted Dodge service for a rep was told to go back to dealer, he says overload, no way, one tech said clutch springs in the auto tras was bad, one said angle of attack of driveline, from overweight, towing 5th wheel well under the max. dealer tried to send me to another dealer also, will weight the 5th wheel this week

WSA308, did you resolve your vibration issue. it appears to be the same one that I am having now. dealer changed 1 injector but the exhaust still has excessive vibration.

This sounds like the same problem that mine has. You can rule out spring overload if it does it when the truck is empty going up a hill, or by stepping a lil on the brake while accelerating to simulate pulling a load. Mine vibrates bad in both cases. It is bad enough that going down the freeway it makes my ears ring even without a load. It is also worse in cold wx. It is both a felt and heard vibration.

Let us know what you learn. I have all but given up.