Klunk in first and vibration at low speed

[floatingjimi]

Just notice the following:
when I engage first as I take my foot of the clutch, there is a clunk which seems to be at the back of the transmission tunel, no other gear just first.
I also have found a knocking sound when the car is rolling, foot of the gas but still engaged in first.
Any ideas- any worries?
thanks

[killerscum01]

Probably some backlash in the diff

[simonkd]

Possibly Diff mountings loose or worn.

Edited by simonkd on Tuesday 21st November 16:55

[barreti]

Propshaft UJ's?

[ridds]

I will put money on it being the diff mount bolts being loose.

Or the upper mount having worn.

Just repaired mine as the offside wing plate had come loose.

[BLUETHUNDER]

Diff bushes or mounts and bolts.

[floatingjimi]

how easy is it to get to the diff mountings

[ridds]

A nightmare! :lol:

Top one is a pig and the lowers are only slightly easier.

To check jack teh car up and tune one wheel and look for movement of the diff.

[floatingjimi]

I can get to a ramp, will that help any more, could anyone posrt pics as to what I am looking at?

[ridds]

Yes should help a fair bit. Awkward thing I have is getting the ruddy car high enough in the first place (roll on race jacks on the 6th December).

Upper side bolts and mounts can be attacked through the wheel arch with the wheel removed. Lower mount bolt (on the diff) can be reached from underneath. Good to remove the exhasts, from the cats, to do this properly.

Upper mount and bush. No idea, not touched mine yet.

HTH

[floatingjimi]

thanks Matt

[Ffirg 005]

I just knocked out all the bushes from my chassis as part of a full rebuild. The only bush that was completely shagged was the upper rear diff one so suggest you check that. Naturally, this is the worst of them all to remove. It wasn't even that easy with the chassis stripped!

[floatingjimi]

ok, so things may be changing. With the car warmed up today, have found some oil collecting between the cat sections of the exhaust ( bell housing). Also when the car was hot, a couple of times would not drop in to gear. When cooled down, not a problem. Am hoping to get it onto the ramps tommorrow.

[floatingjimi]

ok so now I am worried, nice pool of oil on the garage floor? oil seal on the gearbox? I presume I can take the box out without pulling the engine?

[ridds]

Check the clutch fluid.

To check the clutch fluid level remove the scuttle panel and underneath on drivers side there will be a black dome. Unscrew and se-todge this and in there you will find the clutch master cylinder. Have a quick check of the fluid.

I would expect that you clunk still be the diff and your problem is the clutch slave cylinder.

[floatingjimi]

sorry Ridds " scuttle panel?" where is that exactly?
thanks in advance

[floatingjimi]

Ok, so checked the clutch fluid, and it is full to the brim ( will need to re seal the o/s of the dome). Can now discoun the engine oil and clutch fluid. Am somewhat concerned, if it is indeed gearbox oil and had a couple of moment on firday when it was difficult ot engage gear, woudl it be safe to drive over to the local garage or would you suggest getting it transported. Any thoughts as to possible damage caused if the ol was low, if I can srill engage gears. Lastly what gearbox oil to go for.

[350matt]

If you've been thrashing it with a low oil level then its possible the bearings in the box will have suffered and 5th gear may have begun to weld itself to the shaft ( as there is no bearing underneath it)

If you've only been tootling you'll get away with it.

unfortunatly the only sure way of knowing is to strip the gearbox.............

If you want to just cross your fingers and top the oil up ( which is what I'd do I have to say) then replace the std ATF with a semi-synthetic 75W-90 gear oil as this provides much better protection for the bearing and gears but the synchros will be a bit crunchy when the box is stone cold.

If the box is leaking from the rear seal this can be easily changed in situ.

Matt

[floatingjimi]

thanks matt, will see what happens, I reckon, I may have lost about a third, judging what was on the garage floor. fingers crossed.