LAC- '00 VW Passat 4Motion- Strange noises and vibes!

[Ado Sigal]

Steve Meyer wrote:

>Yes, boys and girls another car in the fleet is acting
>up. Under low RPM moderate to heavy acceleration I get
>a strange vibrating under the drive shaft tunnel.
>There is also clicking(like a bad CV joint) when I let
>off the gas, but doesn't seem like an actual CV
>problem.
>
>Audi shop thinks it needs a new drive shaft, but they
>said 3 hours wasn't enought time to diagnos the thing.
>A buddy (ex-VW tech) thinks motor mounts...at least!
>
>Thanks for your help!
>slm
>
>
>  
>
First don't use the garage that can't find the culprit of the vibration, 
and your buddy is probably right. Vibration in those circumstances 
points to at least one mounting failure. G/box and diff mounts are easy 
enough to inspect with the car stationary, while for the e/mounts you'll 
need an assistant. Open the bonnet and have one person on the front side 
of the car and look for the amount of engine movement, while the other 
shifts to first and lets the clutch out momentarily to make the car jump 
while moving the car forward for very little (h/brake on). Repeat it few 
times and you'll for sure find out if the mounts are OK. To test both 
sides, do same procedure in reverse. If all the mounts are OK, the shaft 
is the culprit, although I doubt it for the age of the car, and the fact 
that with shaft component failure, the vibration is reoccurring at 
certain speeds, as well as accel. - deceleration. To inspect the shaft 
properly, one should take it out as a complete unit. You'll most 
probably find the problem part during dismantling process, all of it 
easily done within 3 hours time.

cheers, hth,

Ado