4EAT sounds
 

When I pull my transmission handle, my SVX occationally goes CLUNK! when the lever is passing or put to 'R'. This will be most noticable if the car is having it's nose pointing dowhill but can also occur when level.

Any suggestions?

Re: 4EAT sounds
 

is your trans mount or rear differential mount shot?

Re: 4EAT sounds
 

Could be normal - depends....

When you release the park ratchet and if it is "under load", i.e. either nose down or nose up w/o the parking brake having been set before moving the selector to "P", you will get a metallic sound. There's always some play in the drive train and you will hear the parts clang when the applied torsion is abruptly released.

Try setting the parking brake always prior to moving the selector to "P" and see if this makes a difference.

Tapani

Re: 4EAT sounds
 

I'll try that. When I bought the car, unaccustomed to automatic, my friend said to always set the transmission to 'P', let the car jolt slightly and then apply the parking brake. I'll set the brake first and then the 'P' position.

Re: 4EAT sounds
 

I'm not sure what your friend meant by letting the car jolt slightly. If you put the car in park ("P"), then there should be no jolt at all. At that point you've taken the load of the engine off of the transmission. If he's saying to put it in "P" and let your foot off the brake to get that "jolt" then he's got it backwards.

The proper way is:

1. After coming to a stop, keep your foot on the brake pedal and put the car in "P"
2. WHILE KEEPING YOUR FOOT ON THE PEDAL, pull up on the parking brake handle
3. take foot off brake pedal and turn off car.

The idea here is that the brakes are doing the job of holding the car in place (especially on a hill), and not the transmission. Specifically, the transmission's "parking pawl". Although unlikely, it is possible for the pawl to become weakend over time from not using the parking brake and it could break off and cause your car to roll.

This is also why technically you're supposed to turn your wheels when parking on a hill - my wife had an old VW bug who's parking brake failed and her car rolled across the street and into a neighbor's yard stopping right in front of their living room window. :eek: