Hello. I have a 95 Mustang 3.8 automatic that has started to have an irritating vibration issue. It happens when the car is in drive at around 500 RPM. It sometimes feels like it wants to surge forward. The vibration also occurs while driving around 1500-1600 RPM. It will sometimes vibrate while in Park as well.


I have had both the motor mounts and the transmission mount replaced. I have also had the transmission flushed and replaced the harmonic balancer. So far, nothing has helped. The last shop I went to said they would need to tear open the engine, but did not recommend do that since it was not ticking or smoking.


Does anyone have any ideas of what it could be? Exhaust? Tune up? Thanks.


Mythos

 

You already replaced the parts I was going to recommend. Other then that, new plugs & wires wouldn’t hurt. Since it happens when it’s in park then its not the driveshaft or rear differential. An out of round or damaged pulley could cause a little vibration, but I’m not sure if it would be enough that you would feel it over the motor’s normal vibrations. Good luck...

 

Well, my problem is more serious now. The vibration seemed to get worse. The temperature gauge went pretty high yesterday and the engine started ticking. I pulled it over, shut it off, and looked under the hood. The overflow reservoir was full, so I am thinking the thermostat was stuck. I had it towed to the shop. I am fearing the outcome, but it does have 300k miles on it.

 

Sounds like your head gasket(s) let go.

 

Yeah. That's what the shop told me. They recommend replacing the engine due to the high mileage. The problem is that it is very expensive. They want $4700 for a remanufactured one and to install it. Does that sound reasonable?

 

Is your car WORTH $4700? Seriously?

It's not all that hard to swap an engine. You can find a decent used one at a good price, rent an engine hoist (or buy one on Craigslist or from Harbor Freight) and do the job over a weekend. It's best to have a helper, but you can get by without one.

 

Yeah $4700 is a bit steep and probably very close to or more then the car is worth. I’d get another opinion from another shop. How many miles are on the motor, btw?

 

Why not just replace the head gaskets?

 

Thanks for the replies. The original engine has 300,000 miles on it, so the shop said they didn't recommend doing the head gaskets only. I'm not sure what to do because I have a sentimental attachment to the car.


I can get a Jasper Engine for 2800.00 and 1700.00 installation fee. I just hope that would take care of everything and that there are no additional charges. I can also get an AER engine for 1900.00 and have it installed at a different shop for 1300.00. I am not sure what extra parts I would need for the AER though.

 

i would pull the heads on your current motor, verify nothing was damaged, replace head gaskets, and drive it. This being conditional to finding nothing damaged, of course.