This is not good.

Mine did that "extreme" neutral thing a few times on the highway when I got it. I think it was due to HOT, OLD tranny fluid (like coasting down either side of Eisenhower tunnel on I-70 on a summer day). Please check fluid level and go ahead and change it.


The clunk is your rear transfer clutch hooking up the rear wheel drive for you. If the fluid change doesn't fix it, better go in now and replace the clutch pack. See if the clutch hub looks OK where it is welded to the "reduction" gear.
Otherwise, it will slam-engage for awhile, then you will have a FWD SVX when the clutch hub breaks off the gear.

Oh yeah, the only viscous coupler in these things is the torque convertor. The front/rear split is done by an electrically controlled, hydraulicly actuated clutch pack.


You want to hear/see driveline slop, check out my 4runner. 221,000miles of wear+2 transfer cases (one with 4.7:1 low range) = 2x the slop + lockrights(25 degrees of backlash right there!) in the 4.88 diffs. In low, low, first @ idle I can put the brakes on and stop the truck for about 1 second before all the slop winds out. sloppppppy