'89 Civic - steering wheel vibration

The steering wheel on my '89 Civic vibrates noticeably left-right, like
the car is alternately pulling in both directions, when going 50 MPH or
better. At lower speeds I don't feel it (or it is slight enough that I
don't). I checked the tire pressure, and they're all good. Is this an
alignment or other issue, or just the age of the car showing?

Thanks,
Matt

PS- Thanks to previous posters for the info on my oil consumption
problem; after I replaced the PCV valve, head cover gasket and switched
to Castrol Syntec the consumption dropped off the table, it's very
slight now.

 

Possibly alignment or tie rod ends, but more likely its an inner CV joint.

Stewart DIBBS

 

check for play in all the suspension joints. if none, get the wheels
balanced. all 4 of them.

it's great when people post results!

 

If the vibration comes and goes at a steady rate much of the time, like
over a half minute cycle, the wheels need a good quality balancing. If the
severity is steady, there is a chance one of the tire treads is starting to
separate from the carcass - but that normally feels more like a vertical
"tramp."

Mike

 

My '84 Honda did the same thing and it turned out that the tread belts were
coming off the tire. So at low speed there was no noticable difference, but
at freeway speed there was just enough slipage inside the tire to cause it
to vibrate left-right dangerously. It wasn't apparent until I had the tires
removed for balancing and then the repairman saw the tail-tell cracks.