98 SL2 shakes when accelerating....?

My 98 Saturn SL2 (74K miles) has recently started to slightly shake/jitter
when I accelerate (usually only until 3500 RPMs). It's sort of hard to
explain, but I would best describe the feeling as similiar to what it
would feel like if the tires were slipping occassionally (although that is
obviously not it). I know very little about cars, but my dad used to be
an automechanic (70's). He has checked all the simple obvious things
(along with engine compression), but isn't familiar enough with newer cars
to investigate further. Any ideas would be appreciated.

"APRead" > wrote in message
lkaboutautos.com...
> My 98 Saturn SL2 (74K miles) has recently started to slightly
shake/jitter
> when I accelerate (usually only until 3500 RPMs). It's sort of hard
to
> explain, but I would best describe the feeling as similiar to what
it
> would feel like if the tires were slipping occassionally (although
that is
> obviously not it). I know very little about cars, but my dad used
to be
> an automechanic (70's). He has checked all the simple obvious
things
> (along with engine compression), but isn't familiar enough with
newer cars
> to investigate further. Any ideas would be appreciated.
>

Bad tires, bent rim, wheel/tire assembly not balanced, bad bearing,
are a few possibilities.

Ken

mine is doing the same thing. with our other car, it was the fuel filter.
anyone know where it is?

Driver's side. Down low on the firewall.

"KenM" > wrote in message
lkaboutautos.com...
> mine is doing the same thing. with our other car, it was the fuel filter.
> anyone know where it is?
>

In article >,
says...
>
> "APRead" > wrote in message
> lkaboutautos.com...
> > My 98 Saturn SL2 (74K miles) has recently started to slightly
> shake/jitter
> > when I accelerate (usually only until 3500 RPMs). It's sort of hard
> to
> > explain, but I would best describe the feeling as similiar to what
> it
> > would feel like if the tires were slipping occassionally (although
> that is
> > obviously not it). I know very little about cars, but my dad used
> to be
> > an automechanic (70's). He has checked all the simple obvious
> things
> > (along with engine compression), but isn't familiar enough with
> newer cars
> > to investigate further. Any ideas would be appreciated.
> >
>
> Bad tires, bent rim, wheel/tire assembly not balanced, bad bearing,
> are a few possibilities.
>
> Ken

The words "when I accelerate" would eliminate the tire.
Fuel delivery, spark, motor mounts, or transmission would be more
likely.

Mine would have this hesitation at low rpoms, like the motor didn't have
any pep, and then 'kick in' as slightly higher RPMs. You could feel it.

New sparkplug cables fixed it.

Blah blah > wrote:
> The words "when I accelerate" would eliminate the tire.

It depends on what he means by that. If it happens at a certain
speed, and depending on where/how he drives, then he might
only experience the condition when he transitions through
that speed when going from a lower speed to a higher speed.
(IE, when he accelerates) If a problem happened to me at 55mph,
I would only experience it when accelerating because I don't
normally drive on 55mph roads. I drive on slower roads or
on the interstate (75mph limit) so I only hit 55 when accelerating.
I never actually sit at that speed.

> Fuel delivery, spark, motor mounts, or transmission would be more
> likely.

Definite possibilities. He should rev the engine through 3500 rpm
in park or neutral to see if it might be motor mounts or spark.

-DanD

--
# Dan Duncan (kd4igw) http://pcisys.net/~dand
# She is not refined. She is not unrefined. She keeps a parrot.
# -- Mark Twain

"Blah blah" > wrote in message
...
> In article >,
> says...
> >
> > "APRead" > wrote in message
> >
lkaboutautos.com...
> > > My 98 Saturn SL2 (74K miles) has recently started to slightly
> > shake/jitter
> > > when I accelerate (usually only until 3500 RPMs). It's sort of
hard
> > to
> > > explain, but I would best describe the feeling as similiar to
what
> > it
> > > would feel like if the tires were slipping occassionally
(although
> > that is
> > > obviously not it). I know very little about cars, but my dad
used
> > to be
> > > an automechanic (70's). He has checked all the simple obvious
> > things
> > > (along with engine compression), but isn't familiar enough with
> > newer cars
> > > to investigate further. Any ideas would be appreciated.
> > >
> >
> > Bad tires, bent rim, wheel/tire assembly not balanced, bad
bearing,
> > are a few possibilities.
> >
> > Ken
>
> The words "when I accelerate" would eliminate the tire.
> Fuel delivery, spark, motor mounts, or transmission would be more
> likely.
>
>
>

Not if the problem is from belts breaking. The symptoms can be very
variable.

Ken

In article >,
says...
>
> "Blah blah" > wrote in message
> ...
> > In article >,
> > says...
> > >
> > > "APRead" > wrote in message
> > >
> lkaboutautos.com...
> > > > My 98 Saturn SL2 (74K miles) has recently started to slightly
> > > shake/jitter
> > > > when I accelerate (usually only until 3500 RPMs). It's sort of
> hard
> > > to
> > > > explain, but I would best describe the feeling as similiar to
> what
> > > it
> > > > would feel like if the tires were slipping occassionally
> (although
> > > that is
> > > > obviously not it). I know very little about cars, but my dad
> used
> > > to be
> > > > an automechanic (70's). He has checked all the simple obvious
> > > things
> > > > (along with engine compression), but isn't familiar enough with
> > > newer cars
> > > > to investigate further. Any ideas would be appreciated.
> > > >
> > >
> > > Bad tires, bent rim, wheel/tire assembly not balanced, bad
> bearing,
> > > are a few possibilities.
> > >
> > > Ken
> >
> > The words "when I accelerate" would eliminate the tire.
> > Fuel delivery, spark, motor mounts, or transmission would be more
> > likely.
> >
> >
> >
>
> Not if the problem is from belts breaking. The symptoms can be very
> variable.
>
> Ken


That can be eliminated or moved by a tire rotation. If its felt in the
steering wheel its likely the front tire(s). If its felt only in the
seat its most likely the rear tire(s). Simple diagnosis to make.

> > The words "when I accelerate" would eliminate the tire.
> >

No, years ago when I had a jeep I would get some serious shaking due to a
tire being off balance. The shaking only occured with in a certain range,
any speed below or above that range and I would be fine.

Mark.