Author Topic: DC front strut bar (Read 18355 times)

LatinVenom · « **Reply #50 on:** August 20, 2015, 04:17:23 PM »

I am glad GJ said that was not the mounts on Solstice/SKY, by the way while you have it on the lift please inspect the rest of the drive train.

Napi · « **Reply #51 on:** August 22, 2015, 05:15:53 AM »

Seems like I found the problem...

I hab the chance to have a mechanic at the local "GM"-dealership quickly check the car.

And from his opinion the following happened:
Mounting and Fastening the brace, I braced the engine mounts and finally made them slip in a different place. This untightened the screws on the lower side of the engine mount.
Beeing loose the left nut was staying in place, while the right nut sailed off to new adventures...

The shop ordered new nuts and next weekend they'll untighten both engine mounts, slacken(?) the engine, fasten both mounts and this will, hopefully, cease the problem...
The interim solution is a standard nut, which significantly improved the problem already...

LatinVenom · « **Reply #52 on:** August 22, 2015, 04:15:00 PM »

Ineed to understand your post.
1st the Venom brace or any of the other brace have nothing to do with the motor mounts.
Are you saying you did something to the motor mounts once you installed the front brace?.

Napi · « **Reply #53 on:** August 22, 2015, 07:53:31 PM »

When I installed the brace, I used no spacers. Now there are 4mm spacers on both sides between the downfacing brackets and the chassis. (fits perfectly now)
The mechanic thinks, that when I fastened the brackets to the chassis without spacers I built up pressure in the chassis. This pressure was "released" through the engine mounts. Maybe because they were already a little loose or something...
I did not work on the engine mounts at any time. The basic mistake was probably that I tried to install the brace without the spacers...
We'll see if the next appointment at the mechanic will solve it..m

Gentleman Jack · « **Reply #54 on:** August 23, 2015, 01:10:10 AM »

Hmmmm.
Spacers on a chassis brace?

Got photos?

Napi · « **Reply #55 on:** August 23, 2015, 04:38:13 AM »

It's basically just matching metal disc in the same dimension as the brackets.
A photograph doesn't really make sense, you can't see the spacers with the brace installed.

Gentleman Jack · « **Reply #56 on:** August 23, 2015, 12:36:41 PM »

Napi-

Understood.

I do worry a bit that the design was not meant to use spacers and you may be placing too much stress on the bolt. As I envision your set up on my head I wonder why it didn't fit correctly from the start? Was the bar made wrong? Was your frame out of alignment?
I'm not trying to rain on your parade, but for these braces to function properly and safety, they shouldn't use a spacer.

Perhaps I'm way off base. Just thinking out loud.

elff · « **Reply #57 on:** August 23, 2015, 12:45:37 PM »

That does sound odd.
The brace should not need spacers to fit.

I agree with GJ on his assessment of the situation. The other possibility is that there is something blocking the brace from sitting in the position where it should be.
It's a very simple installation.
Remove a couple bolts, unplug connector for radiator fan[This is not needed most of the time]
Slide brace into place upside down
rotate into position
Install and torque 4 bolts.

Napi · « **Reply #58 on:** August 23, 2015, 01:14:18 PM »

I know, it is supposed to be very simple.

The installation was easy btw.
The bracket were simply not fitting...
I have no clue why there was (and is) so much "room" between the chassis and the brackets.
The car never had an accident, I am sure about it. It is the first engine, I am the only person driving it.

With the 4mm discs on both sides, the brace fits perfectly. It "fits" now. Either my brace is 8mm "shorter", or the car is wider than the standard-kappa should be...

But I don't get, why there should be more stress on the bolts?

Napi · « **Reply #59 on:** August 23, 2015, 01:20:13 PM »

Quote from: elff on August 23, 2015, 12:45:37 PM

The other possibility is that there is something blocking the brace from sitting in the position where it should be.

The two brackets facing downwards are not fitting. The two "horizontal' brackets fit perfectly. There is nothing "in the way"... (no scratches or marks on the brace anyways, it touches nothing when installed...)

Sol Asylum · « **Reply #60 on:** August 23, 2015, 01:21:30 PM »

Very possible that the bar could be made out of specs. As for stress on bolts, if the shim takes up a gap between the brace and the frame there should be no added stress on the bolts.

I don't think adding the brace caused the engine mount issue. I think the problem was already there and adding the brace helped you see that you had a problem.

Napi · « **Reply #61 on:** August 23, 2015, 01:27:33 PM »

Quote from: Sol Asylum on August 23, 2015, 01:21:30 PM

Very possible that the bar could be made out of specs. As for stress on bolts, if the shim takes up a gap between the brace and the frame there should be no added stress on the bolts.

I don't think adding the brace caused the engine mount issue. I think the problem was already there and adding the brace helped you see that you had a problem.

Maybe the foul mount was already loosened and by installing the brace "the rough way" I finally made it move in a "bad" position...

elff · « **Reply #62 on:** August 23, 2015, 01:30:00 PM »

Hmm

So is the engine mount issue resolved yet?
If not, I would get that taken care of, then re-install the bar.
Also
Could you measure the distance between the vertical mounts.
We could then measure another one and that would show if the Brace or Frame is out of spec

LatinVenom · « **Reply #63 on:** August 23, 2015, 05:16:41 PM »

Napi.
On post #30, I said for you to do this as the fix for the brace having a 2 to 3 mm gap on each side.
I am the designer and will tell you now a round washer WILL NOT work for the Venom Brace. The reason is you need to maintain the L bracket design and have the chassis and the bracket fully clamped to each other.
This is what I recommended on post #30.

Quote

My suggestion since you are in Germany is to have a plate made that can be slide on both sides to take the slack of the 2 to 3mm issue.
It should be the same length and width of the downward bracket, with a cutout to led the bolts pass through.

Napi · « **Reply #64 on:** August 24, 2015, 03:23:08 AM »

I may have used the wrong word. I did not use a circular washer!
It is a Aluminium plate, rectangular shape, that matches the brackets. I am not sure if it is the right idea to use Aluminium, but I thought it may be just the right thing to use in order to avoid corrosion...
Even though I have to admit, when I installed the pieces, I just though: "Why didn`t you use stainless steel and plates that er a little big bigger than then brackets..."

The engine Mount issue is not solved yet, the GM dealership had to order the correct nuts (seems like the size is not common on other Opel vehicles...) and I made an appointment for the next friday. I will give you a short update when they are finished...

LatinVenom · « **Reply #65 on:** August 24, 2015, 04:29:37 PM »

Aluminum is fine as long as is the same as the one used on the backbone here in the States, meaning a strong composition.

Napi · « **Reply #66 on:** August 25, 2015, 01:20:58 AM »

Good question... It is taken from an aluminium 2014 plate used in the construction of bike parts.
It is mixed with copper, very tough material, but you can't weld it.

And I do have an additional question btw:

Regarding the engine mounts, as far as I know, they have a nut on the upper side, and another one on the downside, correct? I know the "lower nuts", but can you reach the "top nuts" from the engine bay? The Service Manual says you need to remove the intake, if I understood it correctly... But I just want to check if they are still "tightened" or if one of the Mounts may have a loosened top nut, too... Is this possible without "bigger" removal operations?

LatinVenom · « **Reply #67 on:** August 25, 2015, 03:43:22 PM »

I have no experience with the motor mounts. I would try to send a message to DDM and see what Dave has to say.
Hopefully someone else here in the forum has had some dealings with the mounts and can answer your question.

Napi · « **Reply #68 on:** August 28, 2015, 05:40:50 AM »

Well, seems like the mounts are not the reason for my problem...
Checked them today, no leaks, when you lift the engine, they work like expected.
But being in the garage, I had the chance to rev the engine up in idle for some time.
And guess what: the vibration is also there when you rev' it up without a gear. You can't hear but feel it.

So summing up the problem it seeks to be like this:

Whenever the engine does more than roughly 3000rpm, there is a vibration. The vibration is changing its "tone" as if it is pulsing. It is not a steady vibration and sound, it is pulsating.
When the car is running you can feel and hear it more easily than in idle.
With increasing rpm, the vibration gets stronger, and the rythm is increasing too.
Above roughly 5000rpm the entire car is shaking.

Loosening an engine mount seems to intensify the vibration. So does the installation of the venom brace.

The problem occurred the first time, when I installed the brace for the first time. Anyhow, I don't think the brace caused the problem but may have been the straw that breaks the camel's back...

The garage suggested to install a new flywheel.
Which sums up at about 2.500 Dollar here... To be honest, I have no idea what to do or check...

LatinVenom · « **Reply #69 on:** August 28, 2015, 03:56:41 PM »

Have you check your drive shaft and all it's bolts?.

Napi · « **Reply #70 on:** August 28, 2015, 04:02:05 PM »

Yes.
Drive shafts and cardan shaft. Running smooth. I had the running while it was lifted...
In my opinion it has to be something in/on/attached to the engine. Otherwise the problem should not be showing when there is no gear inserted...

Btw: turbo is dry and free of significant clearance. There are no error codes in the ECU, the engine has "full power", I think...

LatinVenom · « **Reply #71 on:** August 29, 2015, 05:33:02 PM »

Yes, since the vibration is present while in neutral then it could be the flywheel, clutch or something as you say attached to the motor.

Sol Asylum · « **Reply #72 on:** August 29, 2015, 06:16:18 PM »

Have you done a compression check?

Napi · « **Reply #73 on:** August 29, 2015, 10:03:25 PM »

Yes, conpression is just fine.

Cold(over night), no oil added.

Napi · « **Reply #74 on:** August 30, 2015, 11:24:54 AM »

You use psi, right?

Cylinders 1+2 = about 160psi
Cylinders 3+4 = about 145psi

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Author Topic: DC front strut bar (Read 18355 times)