The Dreaded Vibration

[Time Dependant]

I'm really hoping that someone can help diagnose a problem which seems to be slowly creeping into my day to day driving experience of my car.
I posted a thread a few weeks back saying that I was having problems with performance on my VW Golf MK4 GT TDi 130bhp, and the majority of opinions advised the MAF was screwed so best to get a new one, which I did.
After fitting the MAF the hesitation I was experiencing around 2,000rpm had disappeared and to this day hasn't come back, but I've always noticed there was a vibration in the car when it hit 2,000rpm.

To try and explain what I'm experiencing is when the revs reach exactly 2000rpm a vibration can be felt through the steering wheel, this will occur in any gear and at any speed. The vibration continues as the car gathers or decreases in speed but is most felt around the 2,000 2,500rpm stage.
My first thought was that it maybe something to do with the wheel balance as the car is pulling to the left and there may have been some tyre wear causing the vibration, but surely that wouldn't cause a vibration mostly around 2,000rpm it would be most of the time I drive.
So my next thought is it could possibly be the exhaust coming off one of it's mounts I've had a quick scan under the car but I can't see anything hanging down but the exhaust does sound a little louder.
I've had it in the garage just over a week ago and they found no fault codes on the car so I'm slightly unsure of what to do next apart from take it to my look Tyre & Exhaust place for them to balance the wheels and check for any mounting problems.

Have any of you guys experienced or know of common problems on the VW Golf GT TDi MK4 130bhp 2003 cars?

[Nutty]

Heres a quick test for you, park the car, park brake on, start it up and raise the engive revs to 2000 rpm and then slowley to 2500 rpm, does the vibration still occur ?

[Time Dependant]

Heres a quick test for you, park the car, park brake on, start it up and raise the engive revs to 2000 rpm and then slowley to 2500 rpm, does the vibration still occur ?

I will try it tonight and see what happens, what you thinking?

[Nutty]

You need to narrow things down a bit,see if its an caused by an engine viration, or more likely a transmission/tyre/suspension/steering geometry vibration.

A static engine rpm increase should rule out the engine and mountings.

[Time Dependant]

Sorry about the slow response on my original thread (weekend antics got the better of me).
I managed to do the 'rev' test as you suggested below from 1000rpm to 1900rpm fine no problems, dead on 2000rpm vibration starts to disappear around 2200rpm.
I've not had a chance to get underneath the car to see if an exhaust mount has come lose do you know if anything else could cause it?

[Nutty]

Worse case senario, it could be a slight misfire at 2000 rpm, clearing at 2200 rpm, you would need to plug the car in to a diagnosics system to see it happen, I wouldnt have thought a loose exhaust could cause it, maybe a loose engine mounting, but I would expect it to show through the rev range and not clear in a 200 rpm band.. how severe is the vibration ? couldn't be a weight stuck could it, say in the DMF, never seen one of those, just a suggestion

[Time Dependant]

Worse case senario, it could be a slight misfire at 2000 rpm, clearing at 2200 rpm, you would need to plug the car in to a diagnosics system to see it happen, I wouldnt have thought a loose exhaust could cause it, maybe a loose engine mounting, but I would expect it to show through the rev range and not clear in a 200 rpm band.. how severe is the vibration ? couldn't be a weight stuck could it, say in the DMF, never seen one of those, just a suggestion

I took it into a garage a few weeks ago and they had the car on the diagnostic machine and said no fault codes appeared, Crasher mentioned it could have also been a turbo problem but would have come up with either 'under boost or over boost' fault codes.

I've actually noticed a knocking sound coming from the lower engine compartment but I can't locate exactly what is causing it I think it needs to go up on the ramps to really get underneath the car so could be an engine mount problem. This seems to occur when the engine is started from cold, you have to wait about 15-20 seconds and you get the knocking.

The vibration can be felt by the driver at 2,000rpm but not throughout the whole of the car e.g. people sitting in the back can't feel it, but the knocking sound is apparent to anyone who sits in the front of the car

[Amigo75]

Hi, Sorry to intrude on this one - i am new (registered after reading the threads on this subject). I have a 2003 Golf Mk4 GT TDI PD 150, i have exactly the same problem - a funny 'chugging' noice at start-up (but only when cold), and vibration through the foot pedal from around 1300RPM to 2200RPM! Its only a subtle vibration but boy its annoying when you know its there. I have taken it into VW and they diagnosed it as the DMF which was supposedly the cause of both the vibration and the cold start noise - i paid out over £1000 to have this fitted only to find that the problem was still there afterwards (so bare this in mind before commiting to any expensive repairs)... i was *.,@/?"!$%^ as can be expected and naturally VW dont want to discuss recompence. I had my wheel balancing checked and rectified which helped a bit but the vibration is still there.
I had the car serviced last week and hoped that one of the serviceable parts changed would be the solution - IF ONLY! The car had covered an astonishing 28k miles since the last service and aparantly the air filter wasn't even changed (not part of the intermediate long life service), could it be starvation of air due to a blocked filter?.... if anyone has got any further advice i'd be grateful of your suggestions?
'Time dependant' i hope you manage to sort the issue - let me know if you do, we probably have the same fault. Cheers

[Time Dependant]

Just an update on this one, the cars vibration is still there and now I'm experiencing what can only be described as low sub style sound and vibration almost like that of when you hear a helicopter flying along in the distance (I know that sounds a bit stupid but I really don't know how else to describe it).
When I put the key into the ignition from cold or after driving an electrical motor from the rear right hand side of the car makes a strange sound which I have never heard before, then when I start the engine the vibration sounds like it's coming from the rear right hand side wheel area. This noise appears even when stationary but when you get out of the car and have a look underneath you can't really here it.
This has just started over the last 2 days my actions i've set myself are to:
Get wheels balanced correctly to stop the car pulling to the left and hopefully resolve some of the vibration.
Have an extensive check of the engine mounts and exhaust to see if anything has come lose which could cause the vibration at 2000rpm.

Amigo75 I feel for you it's so frustrating when you know you have a fine piece of machinery which needs a little bit of work done to it to really gain it's full benefits let me know how you're getting on.

Cheers

Andy