[Berliner Bel Air]

I've got a 2004R built by a local shop for me with heavy duty parts (only a mild 283 though). It clunks when shifting from N into OD, but not from N into R. What causes this and how do I fix it? Never been satisfied with the early and soft shifts either, but that will probably go away when I install the TV made EZ by Bowtie Overdrives. The tranny shop that built it for me could not fix these problems, its been this way for 4 years! I would love to get this thing finally working perfectly...
I would be very grateful if anyone could help me out. I'm swapping engines next week and want to fix the tranny at the same time. BTW, how many litres (or US quarts) does this transmission hold?

 

[gypsypoet]

couldn't tell you quarts, but try the knowledge base.

Had a similar clunk in my truck, the u-joints in the back were loosening up. You can check by sliding under the car and trying to twist the driveshaft. If you can, then your u-joints need to be replaced.
If that ain't it, then I'd say transfer case, 'cept you don't have one, so good luck!

 

[[email protected]]

Bump. What's the answer Crosley?

 

[Crosley]

Clunks going into gear from park or N (Drive , O-Drive) can be many things in the whole drive train........drive shaft , U-joints , mounts. I've had units clunk in forward gears and not reverse caused by troubles NOT inside the tranny.

Could be the waved plates that cushion the apply of the forward clutch pack was left out during the rebuild.

Is the engine Idle tooo high? A mild 283 ? Small camshaft? IS this a Stock stall torque converter?

Since you mention the Tv cable issue I will not address the soft shifts............yet.


4 years to fix it ? Drive it much or does it sit in storage?

 

[Berliner Bel Air]

Thanks for the response guys, it didn't really occur to me to look outside of the tranny first to find my trouble (funny how one often doesn't think of the obvious things first...). So that's where I'll start once the car is back together.

By 'mild' 283 I mean Edelbrock 500 CFM carb, Performer intake, stock cam, headers. The torque converter is out of a Grand National Buick, with lockup. But next week it'll have Vortec 305 heads and a fresh 283 in it with a very mild Comp Cam 240H, can't wait to try it out!

I've driven the Bel Air about 40,000 miles since buying it in 1998. It's just that I got used to the clunk and didn't bother with it anymore. But now I want to solve it once and for all...

My buddy opened up the old engine and showed me a handfull of broken and very badly worn rings that came out of it. My God, its hard to believe that it still ran at all...