Vibration in wheel when turning

[hpde_addict]

Is this likely a wheel bearing issue? I can't reproduce it on the street.

1. Went off course in morning
2. Shaking during braking and drove longer on that than I should have. Bedded in brakes between sessions and no more shaking during braking.
3. Set shocks possibly too stiff?
4. Vibration may be heat related?
5. I also experienced this issue 10~ track days ago. Coincidentally, I also went off track that day. Didn't experience again until this time.
6. Next day at track, no vibration when turning in first session. But I had to end early due to ignition coil.

[CSG Mike]

Wheel bearing sounds like the most likely cause.

[Icecreamtruk]

On a side note, dont end early on a bad coil. Keep going, dont clear the code, let the ECU adjust. You will lose a bit of power, but its barely noticeable and still driveable without issues.

[TrqlessWonder]

If you haven't already, check to see how tight the lugs are. That's the only other thing coming to mind that isn't a wheel bearing, the lugs backing off.

If it was a bad wheel bearing, that problem wouldn't typically be here today/gone tomorrow/back again six months later. It would always be there until you either fix it, or it completely fails.

My lugs developed a habit of backing off right after switching brake pads, and then not gooping up the pads and hardware with enough grease. That awful squealing was enough vibration to back things off 1/4-1/2 turn. Which then shakes the car when just so loaded on that wheel in a I-should-pull-over-NOW fashion.

[Silver Supra]

Originally Posted by CSG Mike

Wheel bearing sounds like the most likely cause.

Agree.
Was it more noticeable turning one way or the other?
You probably know to lift the vehicle front and then check the wheels by trying to pull top and bottom and then side to side for any play.
I know driver front is usually the first to go - mine were.
I bit the bullet on my car and just replaced both front, w/hubs. YMMV.

On my last track day, me left front tire started to separate internally (not visibly) and caused a lot of shaking. I drove it a few more laps and it nearly beat me to death! So, it could be a slight imbalance.
GL.

[CSG Mike]

Originally Posted by Icecreamtruk

On a side note, dont end early on a bad coil. Keep going, dont clear the code, let the ECU adjust. You will lose a bit of power, but its barely noticeable and still driveable without issues.

If you do this, and are WOT enough, the coil pack will keep degrading to the point where you misfire constantly in that oen cylinder, and can result in a rod through the block. Not recommended at all.

Swap coil packs with a different cylinder, and *then* keep driving. Get a second coil pack code? End the ray or risk an engine.

[Icecreamtruk]

Originally Posted by CSG Mike

If you do this, and are WOT enough, the coil pack will keep degrading to the point where you misfire constantly in that oen cylinder, and can result in a rod through the block. Not recommended at all.

Swap coil packs with a different cylinder, and *then* keep driving. Get a second coil pack code? End the ray or risk an engine.

Very possible, but just two things. For one, very unlikely that the coilpack degrades that quickly over a single day. Secondly, I have yet to see a single failure due to coilpacks in this engine.

Sure, you can pack it, call it a day and head home. But if you are paying $200-400 for a day out at a track, and need to call it an early day because a coil went bad on your first or second session, I would have "wasted" enough money for a new engine every two years. Seat time isnt cheap, we arent all instructors who get asked to ride along and drive others cars, so this may seem less important to you than being careful with your own car. If I ever see 1 case, just 1, I might change my mind, but having done 3 track days on a coil that would throw a CEL on the very first session in track and that having absolutely no effect (measurable) on the engine, I'd take a safe bet and say my engine isnt going to blow up over a coilpack CEL on the very same day it happens. If my engine does blow up due to it, you will hear all about it here and you can then point back to this thread and call me a fool or whatever.

[CSG Mike]

Originally Posted by Icecreamtruk

Very possible, but just two things. For one, very unlikely that the coilpack degrades that quickly over a single day. Secondly, I have yet to see a single failure due to coilpacks in this engine.

Sure, you can pack it, call it a day and head home. But if you are paying $200-400 for a day out at a track, and need to call it an early day because a coil went bad on your first or second session, I would have "wasted" enough money for a new engine every two years. Seat time isnt cheap, we arent all instructors who get asked to ride along and drive others cars, so this may seem less important to you than being careful with your own car. If I ever see 1 case, just 1, I might change my mind, but having done 3 track days on a coil that would throw a CEL on the very first session in track and that having absolutely no effect (measurable) on the engine, I'd take a safe bet and say my engine isnt going to blow up over a coilpack CEL on the very same day it happens. If my engine does blow up due to it, you will hear all about it here and you can then point back to this thread and call me a fool or whatever.

I've directly caused an engine failure from a coil pack failure, twice, within 2 sessions of the code showing up... Both times, a forum member was riding with me and can corroborate the story.

Hence, why I make the recommendation to swap the offending coil pack with another cylinder. It's usually the same cylinder that causes coil pack degredation, rather than the coil pack continuing to degrade in another cylinder. If you don't get another code after the swap, keep driving. If you keep getting a code, then it's really time to pack up.

[TrqlessWonder]

Originally Posted by Icecreamtruk

Very possible, but just two things. For one, very unlikely that the coilpack degrades that quickly over a single day. Secondly, I have yet to see a single failure due to coilpacks in this engine.

Sure, you can pack it, call it a day and head home. But if you are paying $200-400 for a day out at a track, and need to call it an early day because a coil went bad on your first or second session, I would have "wasted" enough money for a new engine every two years.

OT, but this caught my attention. You're ripping through a coil 4-8 times annually (engine is ~$3000 before labor)?

If you can't resolve the root issue, maybe you can bring a $100 spare for something you know is going to fail before long anyhow?

[Icecreamtruk]

Originally Posted by TrqlessWonder

OT, but this caught my attention. You're ripping through a coil 4-8 times annually (engine is ~$3000 before labor)?

If you can't resolve the root issue, maybe you can bring a $100 spare for something you know is going to fail before long anyhow?

I do bring spares as of lately. I do run thru 3-4 coilpacks per season. I got to the track a day every two weeks as a minimum, sometimes I get full weekends (saturday and sunday) of track action going. I dont know the specifics of why I eat them so much, but im not the only one, seems a few other users in the forum have the same problem, and we all have a 13 MY and run on track a lot, so that seems to be the common denominator.

There are other MY13 on track with me sometimes, they never have any trouble but they are also nowhere near the fast times. So like CSG_Mike said, it probably has to do with how much time you spend at WOT and high rpms. Most average track day people dont go WOT during turns, only at the exit, but with good grip you can go WOT almost right away after ending your turn in on most corners.