Vauxhall Astra H Estate 1.3CDTi - Diesel Engine Vibration

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Mon 14 Jun 2010 11:41
Vauxhall Astra H Estate 1.3CDTi - Diesel Engine Vibration - DannySAllen

Hi,

We have a 2005 1.3 CDTI estate which works very well, but regularly, normally in 4th gear but can happen in any gear, there is a strong shaking from the engine at 1750 / 1800 RPM.

I'm guessing that this is because there is some valve which is sticking and failing to open correctly. If I drop a gear or even drop the revs, the shaking goes away.

While this is happening, it feels like a petrol engine with a broken spark plug. It's like a 'missing' petrol engine.

Anyone come across this before or have any suggestions ?

Thanks, Danny

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Mon 14 Jun 2010 15:22
Vauxhall Astra H Estate 1.3CDTi - Diesel Engine Vibration - Peter.N.

Could be an injector or engine management fault, I'm afraid you have no option other than to have the fault codes read.

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Sun 5 Dec 2010 23:34
Vauxhall Astra H Estate 1.3CDTi - Diesel Engine Vibration - Danidasanic

I have the same problem

DannySAllen, your problem is solved ?

Thanks, Daniel

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Tue 7 Dec 2010 19:25
Vauxhall Astra H Estate 1.3CDTi - Diesel Engine Vibration - Ocky

Hi Daniel and Danny, I've got exactly the same problem on the same car.....seems to have started after clutch change.........I know the wiring harnesses around the battery area were disturbed, so am going to see if re-seating all connectors with WD40 makes any odds as a first try. Will let you know if it makes any difference.. Did you get anywhere your end with a fault diagnosis? With regards Geoff

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Mon 13 Dec 2010 08:52
Vauxhall Astra H Estate 1.3CDTi - Diesel Engine Vibration - mark sl

I have the same problem.

We had and Astravan 1.3 for 4 years. It did it from 6 months old until the dealer eventually solved it by changing the ECU. Fault reappeared and they changed the ECU again. Just changed it for a new one, and guess what...................... It does it as well.

Will be phoning the dealer today.

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Sun 19 Dec 2010 22:44
Vauxhall Astra H Estate 1.3CDTi - Diesel Engine Vibration - Ocky

I'm taking the car in for it's first mot, and have asked them to read the fault codes for me (if it has any stored). They reckoned problems like this in their experience were often caused by the EGR valve sticking, quite often through the car not being driven driven hard enough.

Seems to be a common problem on the diesels anyway, and they suggested blanking the exhaust port off rather than buying new valve/cleaning old one, so I'll let you know how I get on!

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Sun 19 Dec 2010 23:40
Vauxhall Astra H Estate 1.3CDTi - Diesel Engine Vibration - Danidasanic

Many people have this problem ...I think the EGR isn't the cause , maybe the MAP sensor or the injectors...I don't know :S

Can anyone send a email to Opel reporting this problem ?

Edited by Danidasanic on 19/12/2010 at 23:43

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Mon 20 Dec 2010 11:38
Vauxhall Astra H Estate 1.3CDTi - Diesel Engine Vibration - mark sl

Our old van had new injectors, fuel pump and a pile other bits and bobs.Nothing worked and the fault remained. They were on the verge of relacing the vehicle until the ECU was changed and the problem was sorted. After some time it started missing again. By now the van was 3 years old and almost out of waranty. This time the dealer failed to get the van to reproduce the fault until I actually took a mechanic out it. After a whole lot more messing about and eventually taking the service manager out in it, they agreed to replace the ECU again. Fault vanishes again only to reappear a few months later.

The new van has the same problem. It wouldn't suprise me if they all do it to some degree.

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Tue 21 Dec 2010 22:52
Vauxhall Astra H Estate 1.3CDTi - Diesel Engine Vibration - Ocky

I'm beginning to realise this problem may not be a simple/cheap one to solve. No fault codes were logged on the computer, and the local garage were unhappy to just try various possible parts out at my expense. Just done 101000 miles, so out of warranty too. I'm now wondering if the problem will get worse, or just remain an annoying part of what is becoming an annoying car! Would be great to here if anyone actually managed to fix the fault conclusively. cheers

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Thu 23 Dec 2010 12:17
Vauxhall Astra H Estate 1.3CDTi - Diesel Engine Vibration - mark sl

The dealer local to me has done the same thing. No faults found. I'm sure its an engine management problem. I will take them out in the vehicle and demonstrate the problem when the weather improves. I have spoken to Vauxhall and they have nothing on record to suggest that this is a widespread issue. Both our vans have done it though. More than a coincidence I think.......

Edited by mark sl on 23/12/2010 at 12:18

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Sun 26 Dec 2010 20:41
Vauxhall Astra H Estate 1.3CDTi - Diesel Engine Vibration - Ocky

Yep, sounds a bit too much of coincidence to me too...... I'll talk to the local vauxhall dealer next week......my worry is that they'll suggest an ECU change, which will probably be half the cost of the car again, and that it may only fix it for a while. I wonder if the ECU could be re-set or re-programmed? I've read the car 's ECU 'learns your driving style', and as it was previously driven by a rep, and initially came over to me without problems, I wonder if it doesn't like my economical way of driving! !

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Mon 27 Dec 2010 08:55
Vauxhall Astra H Estate 1.3CDTi - Diesel Engine Vibration - dervdave

Hi,

We have a 2005 1.3 CDTI estate which works very well, but regularly, normally in 4th gear but can happen in any gear, there is a strong shaking from the engine at 1750 / 1800 RPM

I`ve been watching this thread out of interest because the wife has a 58 plate 1.3d Astra

( doesn`t show any symptoms) and I was wondering if it could be turbo related because the problem seems to occur just under or around the engine speed the turbo kicks in.

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Mon 27 Dec 2010 11:19
Vauxhall Astra H Estate 1.3CDTi - Diesel Engine Vibration - Ocky

It looks like there could be something universally wrong here........just had a quick look at the Fiat forums, and what a surprise, people are complaining about EXACTLY the same specific problem, i.e. shaking just under the turbo kick-in point..... I haven't had time to look at other car makers who are using the Fiat multi-jet engine (Alfa?) , but I wouldn't be surprised if the problem is there too.Problem is there doesn't seem to be a specific answer or at least a (costed) diagnostic route to fixing this pretty specific problem.

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Mon 27 Dec 2010 21:52
Vauxhall Astra H Estate 1.3CDTi - Diesel Engine Vibration - Waino

I've been watching this thread too as we've got a early '07 Astra estate, now on 54,000 miles. Touching wood, I can say that engine vibration isn't a problem that we've experienced. I promised to do a review at 6 months but, at my rate of 'getting round to things', it will probably be a 12 month review. There's got to be an answer to this vibration issue as there must be millions of these Fiat 1.3 engines out there.

I will add that so far, the Astra has been a cheap, reliable runabout; it's a bit dozy off the mark, but fine once it's trundling along - a bit like me, really! The only real gripe at the moment is stiffness of gear changing - but I've put this down to the viscocity of the gearbox oil in low temperatures.

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Thu 30 Dec 2010 02:56
Vauxhall Astra H Estate 1.3CDTi - Diesel Engine Vibration - Danidasanic

Ocky

can u send me the link (fiat forum) ?

Edited by Danidasanic on 30/12/2010 at 02:57

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Thu 30 Dec 2010 13:03
Vauxhall Astra H Estate 1.3CDTi - Diesel Engine Vibration - mark sl

I have taken our van into the dealer and demonstrated the problem. It is going in to be looked at in the new year. I will be amazed if they can either trace or fix the fault. The previous dealer never really sorted our previous van during 4 years of ownership. It seems rather odd that loads of people have had a problem, but Vauxhall are completely unaware of any issues regarding this engine. If it can't be sorted they will taking it back.

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Thu 30 Dec 2010 19:40
Vauxhall Astra H Estate 1.3CDTi - Diesel Engine Vibration - Ocky

Hi here's one of the links I found -there's a very well considered answer to it from a forum member regarding an EGR fault possibility There's also a link I found for a Fiat modified EGR gasket, which is effectively a blanking plate with 4x 10mm holes drilled in it- apparently produced 'cos of EGR valves kept causing Fiat problems. The forum said that vauxhall didn't supply them, but they cost about £11 from Fiat. Though it was on a 1.3cdti thread, I think it might have been referring to the 1.9 plant, but I'm going to check with Fiat if there is such a mod. for the 1.3 engine. I'll try and post a link to the thread.

Here's the first one- http://www.fiatforum.com/doblo/203970-doblo-1-3-d-multijet-stutter-flat-spot-problem.html

cheers

Edited by Ocky on 30/12/2010 at 19:55

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Thu 30 Dec 2010 19:59
Vauxhall Astra H Estate 1.3CDTi - Diesel Engine Vibration - Ocky

Soz guys - try as I might I can't get this link to work.....

You can't even copy and paste it so it seems - do I assume it's against forum rules?

Don't understand why it's giving you 3 copies of the address either - oh well.

You get the gist - if you write it down and type it into your browser, should work then.

Cheers

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Thu 30 Dec 2010 20:22
Vauxhall Astra H Estate 1.3CDTi - Diesel Engine Vibration - madf

Go to a diesel specialist. GM don't make the engine so to expect them to know what is wrong is hopeful to say the least....

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Fri 11 May 2012 15:57
Vauxhall Astra H Estate 1.3CDTi - Diesel Engine Vibration - DannySAllen

Hi all,

Well here we are thousands of miles later and guess what ? Still got that same old vibration problem. Someone on this thread spotted that it's just before the turbo kicks in which I think is exactly right. I thought I had solved it when I worked out that these cars worked by a variable resistor on the accelerator pedal instead of a cable, so I thought 'dodgy potentiometer where the pedal rests all the time' but a new pedal didn't fix it.

I've cleaned the EGR valve - no problem there.

I'm trying to change the MAP sensor but can't buy the one for our car - our one is quite flat whereas the common ones on the web have an angled connector head - very odd.

If anyone does have a cure for this damned annoying problem - please shout !

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Sat 12 May 2012 22:52
Vauxhall Astra H Estate 1.3CDTi - Diesel Engine Vibration - Waino

Just spotted that this thread had resurfaced. After stating above that my 1.3CDTi Astra was, so far, behaving itself, the dreaded symptoms appeared and I posted a new thread. www.honestjohn.co.uk/forum/post/index.htm?t=95244

As no one replied, I assumed that everything had been sorted one way or another; I was wrong. With my Astra, the juddering has been happening for the last 10k or so; I can minimise the effect by changing gear or otherwise contriving to move out of the rev range where the problem seems to occur. In some ways, the effect is similar to being in too high a gear for the vehicle's speed. As others have noted, the vibration happens at around 1800revs when, I believe, the turbo kicks in.

The juddering hasn't got any worse since I first observed it and, apart from that, the car runs fine; I've been getting 58mpg brim-to-brim with no oil use whatsoever. It still races away from busy junctions etc like a snail on its way to the gallows, but I'm now familiar with this particularly horrifying characteristic of a small diesel.

If anyone manages to cure the juddering issue, please post the good news on here.

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Fri 8 Nov 2013 18:14
Vauxhall Astra H Estate 1.3CDTi - Diesel Engine Vibration - paul2000

Did this problem ever get solved ??

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Sun 5 Jan 2014 08:24
Vauxhall Astra H Estate 1.3CDTi - Diesel Engine Vibration - Anton421

Yes i second that coment (Has any one solved this problem?) i have the same problem at 105 k And what ecu was being changed ?

Edited by Anton421 on 05/01/2014 at 08:27

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Wed 29 Jan 2014 19:30
Vauxhall Astra H Estate 1.3CDTi - Diesel Engine Vibration - astravan

can anyone find this answer my astravan is at the same problem

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Fri 23 May 2014 01:33
Vauxhall Astra H Estate 1.3CDTi - Diesel Engine Vibration - 1im3

Hi have the same problem on my Opel astra h 2006 1.3 cdti.. I changed my EGR valve, that didnt do anything. Cleand the Mass airflow meter sensor. I still have the problem.. SOMEONE let me know if there is a possible fix for this Irritating problem!

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Mon 19 Jan 2015 22:55
Vauxhall Astra H Estate 1.3CDTi - Diesel Engine Vibration - Ocky

Just to help other people who may have this problem, for over 2 years I 'lived' with the problem of dangerously low/no power below 2000rpm, engine shaking at about 1600 rpm in higher gears... Eventually it threw up an egr fault code, after I lost all power below 3000rpm, and limped the car home. I bought an egr blanking plate from ebay - the one that goes in the middle of the valve, and I can only say it was the best £3.99 I've EVER spent.... All the problems I suffered with this car have gone......Progressive smooth power from 1500 rpm, no shaking, and can easily run it in 6th gear at 50mph.....Its a fiddle to fit, but it's seriously like driving a different car....It occasionally throws up the EML, but does not put the car into limp mode, unlike earlier astras did. Yeh it's not the fastest car, but it now feels as willing down at the lower revs as it did at 3000rpm upwards. Hope this helps other people with the same problem - at the price of the fix it's gotta be the cheapest diagnostic start point!!

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Fri 6 Feb 2015 16:18
Vauxhall Astra H Estate 1.3CDTi - Diesel Engine Vibration - Atomix1
This is a good example of people not knowing wtf they are talking about, get a reputable mechanic, engine vibration from a diesel, related to revs, whether driving or parked in neutral is most definitely a ................ failing dual mass flywheel! Diesels have 2 layered flywheels (hence the name dual mass flywheel), and when the layers start weakening and separating the thing is spinning fast and lopsided! Theres your vibration! Dont always believe what u hear on the dam internet! Get professional advice, eveyone spreads stuff they read elsewhere and 100 chinese whispers later someones opinions has become a fact for others repeating the crap they hear!!! U have been warmed!! Anyone with any level of mechanical knowledge would have mentioned the dual mass flywheel so that tells me nobody has. If you dont know what youre doing then leave it to somebody who does however tempting to save money. Cars r complicated. Dont help fuel the spread of wrong information! Rant over hehe
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Fri 6 Feb 2015 16:28
Vauxhall Astra H Estate 1.3CDTi - Diesel Engine Vibration - Atomix1
Also, the guy that said it only happened after a clutch change..... Thats because the dual mass flywheel and clutch should be changed together (they mate with each other) what happened is the new clutch was an extra strain on the old dmf which is now disintegrating slowly causing more and more vibration! The garage should have recommended changing it while talking about replacing your clutch! Dmf's can last from 100,000-150,000 miles or more then the dreaded vibration starts! No quick fixes guys just new clutch and dmf! God i love being me!
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Fri 6 Feb 2015 16:32
Vauxhall Astra H Estate 1.3CDTi - Diesel Engine Vibration - Atomix1
Also the disintegrating is a slow process so the vibration only gets noticeably worse over time
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Sat 28 Feb 2015 04:48
Vauxhall Astra H Estate 1.3CDTi - Diesel Engine Vibration - Danidasanic

I don't know if you are entirely right on that . Yes , dmf can cause that kind of vibration and it will probably get worse over time . Some users at gtc club forum already changed the dmf and clutch without sucess , on the other hand , my 1.3 cdti is still using the first dmf and clutch ..very occasionally i can feel that vibration but isn't definitely getting worse . To try reproducing the vibration , i need to force the engine to run at low rpm (like 1300rpm 4\5 gear) . Im not a mechanic but im not a noob" either . I already cleaned my egr too

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Sat 28 Feb 2015 05:48
Vauxhall Astra H Estate 1.3CDTi - Diesel Engine Vibration - Chris79
I had this problem in my corsa d 1.3 cdti. I found using bp ultimate cured it, not after one tank but after prolonged use of premium fuel over the supermarket stuff.
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Sun 24 May 2015 09:19
Vauxhall Astra H Estate 1.3CDTi - Diesel Engine Vibration - sixsigma

Atomix1thinks he knows everything but has not used his head.

Out of balance D.M.F. would cause vibration in all gears at a set speed not at 1800 rpm in 4th/5th.

Just purchaced 2007 astra van. Did not notice vibration on test drive. Or the faint clutch slip (ouch)

New clutch and convert to S.M.F. and guess what! Same vibration. A little less violent i guess due to the fact that it is now single mass so not so many springs. but it is def not the D.M.F. for sure.

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Sun 26 Jul 2015 20:55
Vauxhall Astra H Estate 1.3CDTi - Diesel Engine Vibration - Ocky

Well I'm glad that Atomix has sorted it all out for us :) Brilliant! Yes by all means go out and get a new DMF fitted - make it a clutch while you're at it :).Of course the garage who changed the clutch fitted a new DMF, and as it happens I had another one fitted when the 6 speed gearbox failed (as they do). So thats 2 new DMF's and the problem remained. Must be my odd car I guess ;). Still never mind, the egr blanking plate fixed it for me - All the best with it all :)

Edited by Ocky on 26/07/2015 at 21:01

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