Hi,
I have a Carisma 1.6 Gl (petrol), however when I accelerate the car makes a vibrating feeling, and the car shakes badly this only happens when accelating between 40 and 65 Mph, I have changed the Spark Plugs and Oil/Air filter but it still is doing it (not as bad). The engine starts first time and is perfect other then that problem, Could it be a Carbon Build up problem? Can anyone help?

Many thanks.

it may be worth looking at the high tension leads as you say changing the spark plugs made it better.generally carbon build up tends to effect idle and not drivability but throttle bodys are fairly simple to clean and worth doing if in any doubt.also does this problem only happen while driving or does it run rough if you rev the engine while stationary

Great! Thanks I will try that tommorrow, The vibrating only happens when the car is moving and under load (acceleration), when the car is stationary and I rev it it is fine and sounds sweet as a nut. The car has developed a slight banging/knocking noise coming from the back and front, and the rear suspension sounds as though something is wrong as when I go over any bumps it makes a bang noise but everything looks fine when I look at it...Which I am not sure if this is related? Could it be that the suspension links or another joint has worn and the engine is moving around causing the vibrating?

Thanks for your help and reply to my add.

Kind Regards,

the fact that it only misses under load would normally make me lean to either plugs or spark plug leads.the only other possability could be a faulty coil.is yours a 2 coil or 4 coil system?(you never specified the year)I would concentrate on the misfiring before looking for your knocks as the missfire could be causing this knock as well(exhaust shaking against chassis etc.)also has the engine management light ever come on while this is happening and have you done any other work recently before this problem occurred such as cam belt

Hi, thank you again for your help. Its a 1998 carisma. I think you could be right that it is a misfire. As when the car is coasting it does not do it. Is there anyway of checking the coil? Without taking it to a garage, cos money is an issue :-( I'm not sure what coil system it is, guessing a 4 system? I have only brought the car, and I think it did have a cam belt change recently i.e since last service (March 06). Its definatly not the wheel balanced which I did previosly think, Can I use a volt meter to check the coil and stuff?

Thanks again.

if you look on the engine where the spark plugs are.there is either two coils on top or one for each spark plug.you usually need to remove them in order to change the spark plugs.I do not know of any accurate tests for coils but in the states and canada there have been companys that do have test equipment for coils.generally trying used coils is easiest if you can find some from a scrap yard.we usually just change them if they are suspect but as a dealer we are able to return them if needed.

Easy troubbleshoot.....
Since the car is working,and u are using it. Why not just try topspeed first?? If it missfires u would not get close to topspeed at all.. And if u get topspeed within "normal" time u can start look for bad engine/gearbox/exhaus mounts.. At 40-65 the engine produces alot of torqe and might twist in old rubbermounts,The torqe leans out at higher speed and the engine goes back in "normal possition" But this will not reduce topspeed...
One way to see if the ignition fails to sparkplugs is to look at night and mowe cables around..Then u might see a leak when sparks comes around cables and grounded areas.. Why not clean (not hot) u'r engine "room" and se if it starts wet and then look for sparks in a dark place? When eweryting is wet a leak of power vill be heard and seen easily. Whit some luck u might get a kick when mowing cables!! haha!! But do not use u'r fingers if u got a pacemaker.
Look down so u kan se the bottom of the sparkplugs. If u get a spark outside the plug its propably damaged. Or the ignitionhat is damaged from last time remowed.The spark from ignition system could reach werry far away and will allso be heard... Sometimes u can find 2-3-4 sparks at different places and they will toghether cause problem.. Try the engine at different rew's when u'r looking under the hood...Oil, dust, moist and ded moskitoes kan work as leading wires if ordinary wires are damaged. If this wont help. At least u hawe a clean engine to work with.."possitive thinking" And if the engine is werry dirty then just the wasch makes a differens when its dried..

if it is a 4 coil system you may not see "arcing out" as the coil completely covers the spark plug and lead being that they are situated in the cylinder head but generally a very good idea for checking for shorting leads.

Hi all,

Ok I have had a new drive shaft installed and it has made no difference to the vibration it is not as bad though, which is good. I did only do the passenger side as I had a mecanic look at it and he said it was this. Anyone else have any ideas? Do you think I should do the drivers side? Could it be the engine mounts? Or Suspension?

Cheers

Also does anyone know if a GDI Carisma driveshaft will fit a Petrol 1.6 Carisma, or are they different sizes etc, I've found one cheap...I am gonna change the drivers driveshaft and see if it makes any difference to the vibration.

Dean
did this problem ever get resolved as ive joined here to get info on behalf of mam/dad as there Carisma Mauui 99 model seems to have same problem.
car has done 68,000.

Hello all !
I also have the same problem with my Carisma '99 1.6 16 valve.
It starts to vibrate between 80km/h and 90km/h before and after that everithing is normal. Is there someone who solved this problem ?
I suspecct on suspension (some rubber parts) because i notice that when it is cold ther is less vibrations.

my car is a lancer 1.6, 4g92, and the vibartion starts between 110-120 kms/h, and aftee this speed ...the vibration ends...what is goin on with our cars?...anyone?

greetings from panama... :beer:

I had the exact same problem. I found it went away on its own. I'm guessing that since the engine doed this at a certain speed and not within a certain rev range then it is a speed issue and unlikely to be the engine alone. Otherwise the engine would vibrate at the lower speeds too within the same rev range.

well its a strnge thing...i have all my wheels balanced, no problem with the front end suspension links...its very strange...the car is alignment...