I've had my 01 SSEI for about two weeks now and just a couple of questions. I've had the tires balanced twice (not road force, just spin balance), and while it is better, there is still a slight vibration as well as a slight steering wheel wobble at 65 mph and over. I know it needs the ISS lube, which dealer is doing on Tuesday, and I guess my question is, can the ISS issue effect the steering, as in the wobble?

Also, on an unrelated issue, I just took it out and really opened it up. The whine of that supercharger is sweet! When I got home, I smelled around the supercharger and it smelled like cowshit. Not much, but I could smell it. Is this the supercharger oil I smell, and is this normal? It'* not leaking that I can see, I just smelled it.

Thanks for any help,

John

Hey John, the ISS will only give you symptoms at low speeds. (such as in a parking lot.) It will be felt as a sort of "popping" feel, or a slight grinding, when you turn the wheel. You should not feel it at higher speeds, especially if you're not turning. As for the vibration at highway speeds, this is a problem that many of the H/G body cars of these years have. Mine also has it, and I have not yet found a fix for it. I"ve tried new tires, balancing of the wheels multiple times, brakes, etc, and nothing as fixed the slight vibration I have in the front end. You may want to consider getting the road force balance just to be safe. That is a much better balancing method than just spin balancing.

As for the smell by the supercharger, the fluid in the supercharger is indeed pretty SMELLY! It'* enough to gag on if it'* original. I changed the fluid in my Riviera, and our Bonneville, and it was pretty bad. You really shouldn't be smelling it OUTSIDE of your transmission though, unless it'* leaking. If it is leaking, you need to find the leak because the supercharger does not hold very much oil at all.

Hey Custom,
how hard was it to change the fluid in the supercharger? I thought those things were sealed and supposedly never needed changing :?

Mine vibrates a bit at highway speeds. Nothing terrible, but it'* there. I agree with Custom88 that this is pretty much the norm for our cars.

its pretty easy with a sprayer to get all the SC oil out there......and it smells BAD

GM wants you to think they are sealed

ISS meaning? :?

You may have rotor warpage for the front vibration. Supercharger oil is easy to change and should be done every 50k miles. Using a windex sprayer take off the hex head plug and insert the spray tube. Spray oil into a bottle, cap and throw away. Refill with SC oil to the bottom of the threads and recap.

Would a bad cv joint cause the vibration? Noticed a small amount of green grease on left side of engine, indicative of a ruptured boot....

Probably not. I've broken quite a few boots now, and nevery really noticed a difference.

Man, this kind of stuff drives me up a freakin' wall............