Tranny Problems

[eskmo85]

It started well going down the road, but it made a noise that I have never heard before. It is some thing hitting metal only when I give it gas. when I put it in nutral it not as loud but barley there. I drove it about 20 miles with a friend behide me just in cause. I still did not get the car home yet. I made it to my friends house and that is where the car sits for now. I am asking anyone that has had problems with your tranny if this is anything like yours? We were looking at what it might be but still have no idea. We think that its one thing but that is still ok so it looks. the only thing that we can think of is the cv joint BUT when in gear and moving the whole motor moves and the under side follows. At the motor mounts are good. I am so lost.

[Earthworm]

Flex plate?

[svx_commuter]

The rear drive shaft use dto hit the heat shield until I bent it out of the way. That would sound more like a sheet metal noise. If it sounds more like a thicker piece of metal, then I would agree with what Dave said, flexplate. It will be louder if you listen right behind the front wheels near the ground level.

[eskmo85]

I noticed that when I put the car in reverse and start backing down the driveway I hear a clanging noise. If I move forward I hear it again. However I don't hear it after the car is in motion. It is less when you leave off the gas. It is also leaking tranny fluid from the cv joint where is goes in to the tranny. And the motor jumps when in motion, so I think it to be a cv joint out of wack.

[Budfreak]

Originally Posted by eskmo85

I noticed that when I put the car in reverse and start backing down the driveway I hear a clanging noise. If I move forward I hear it again. However I don't hear it after the car is in motion. It is less when you leave off the gas. It is also leaking tranny fluid from the cv joint where is goes in to the tranny. And the motor jumps when in motion, so I think it to be a cv joint out of wack.

check out that cv joint but i'm pushin towards the flexplate also. i've heard the sounds of bolts that have come loose or out or the torque converter or flexplate and it's alot of what your describing. check it out and let us know.

[Earthworm]

Looks like you also have a bad rear seal on your tranny.

[eskmo85]

How much do you all think it would be to fix the flex plate? I dont think that its the cv joint know I have been under my car and looked but did not see anything wrong on the out side so I may think it to be in side and its BAD. Also WHERE is the flex plate? If I think what it is. I think it to be in ther bell houseing So if some one could it would be help ful to know where its at. I will be taking it to some one in the next few days to see what they say. but its getting costy trailering it ever where $100 a day.some time more but not giving up.

[Budfreak]

Originally Posted by eskmo85

How much do you all think it would be to fix the flex plate? I dont think that its the cv joint know I have been under my car and looked but did not see anything wrong on the out side so I may think it to be in side and its BAD. Also WHERE is the flex plate? If I think what it is. I think it to be in ther bell houseing So if some one could it would be help ful to know where its at. I will be taking it to some one in the next few days to see what they say. but its getting costy trailering it ever where $100 a day.some time more but not giving up.

the flexplate in the attaching point from your engines crank to your trannys torque converter. it's also what your starter spins against to start it.it's in the bellhousing of the tranny and there should be a cover you can take off underneath the car that will allow access to the area. take it off and see if a bolt falls out or if some are loose on the flexplate or torque converter.

[eskmo85]

How much damage would there be if I were to drive it$$$$I don't want to drive it no more then what I have to. I have been trailering it but to get it off the trailer I have to drive it off and back on after they are done looking at it. but with this knowledge i will be in better shape to fix it on my own.

Also how common is this on a svx/all wheel drive thing???

thanks to every one for the help I will call on you soon im not done ask ?'s tell its fix and ready to the trip to NJ SOON

[Earthworm]

Flexplates have been relatively common in the last 2 years or so. To change you have to separate the engine and tranny. I would have someone take a look to confirm that's the problem though. Driving short distances will be ok.

I suppose one way to determine it's the flexplate and not something else is to load up the engine. (hold brake and bring rpms up slightly to induce the noise but don't hold it there for too long)

To clarify a previous post, the starter cranks on the gear on the torque converter and not the flexplate. The flexplate looks like a pizza pan.

[oab_au]

Originally Posted by eskmo85

It started well going down the road, but it made a noise that I have never heard before. It is some thing hitting metal only when I give it gas. when I put it in nutral it not as loud but barley there. I drove it about 20 miles with a friend behide me just in cause. I still did not get the car home yet. I made it to my friends house and that is where the car sits for now. I am asking anyone that has had problems with your tranny if this is anything like yours? We were looking at what it might be but still have no idea. We think that its one thing but that is still ok so it looks. the only thing that we can think of is the cv joint BUT when in gear and moving the whole motor moves and the under side follows. At the motor mounts are good. I am so lost.

I don't think it is the flex plate, the flex plate noise is more of a ticking. From what you say, the noise is loud enough to stop driving it. You also say that the motor moves and the under side follows.
I would guess it could be a CV joint, a rear drive shaft joint, or heaven forbid, a front diff.

Harvey.

[eskmo85]

but with the starter being there should I have any problem starting the car? Because I don't it starts like it was new. I am going to work on it friday. I am going to see if any of the bolt do fall out or are loose. but IF its not that, what would you say it to be?

[UberRoo]

The jumping motor and leaking ATF by the CV joint is a dead giveaway to me. ...however, ATF cannot come from the side gear output port on the differential because there is no ATF inside it. The leaking fluid would have to be gear oil. If it's actually ATF, then it's coming from somewhere else - which is possible, because the wobbling differential parts can ruin adjacent seals. Either way, it sounds like the front differential has given up. This happened last week to a buddy of mine. The whole motor was jumping around inside the engine compartment pretty impressively. If it only makes noise when the vehicle is in motion, I'd feel pretty confident saying that it's the differential. (Sorry.) Pull the plug and see if there's any debris in the gear oil. If you prefer not to drain the differential, you might be able to fish a magnet down the fill hole, but it's not quite as definitive.

If it makes noise even when the vehicle is not in motion, I would venture to suggest that perhaps your torque converter may be on it's way out - that, or the flex-plate as everyone else has already suggested. If it's the torque converter, you can pull the pan off the transmission to check for debris. Without an endoscope, diagnosing the flex-plate is kinda tricky.

If the problem were a CV joint, it would become considerably worse by turning the steering wheel sharply and driving in a tight circle. CV joints usually go bad very gradually. Differentials often just give up and die without any prior notification.

[Budfreak]

Originally Posted by Earthworm

Flexplates have been relatively common in the last 2 years or so. To change you have to separate the engine and tranny. I would have someone take a look to confirm that's the problem though. Driving short distances will be ok.

I suppose one way to determine it's the flexplate and not something else is to load up the engine. (hold brake and bring rpms up slightly to induce the noise but don't hold it there for too long)

To clarify a previous post, the starter cranks on the gear on the torque converter and not the flexplate. The flexplate looks like a pizza pan.

oopsss. sorry about that. thanks for the correction. use to working on gm's.