Clackety-clack rolling in neutral ('89 GT)

That doesn't sound like the TOB, roll down your driveway with the engine off, clutch engaged, and in neutral to check. The TOB wouldn't move a bit in that situation so you could rule it out. Sounds more like a gear, bearing, or linkage problem within the trans. It also sounds like the problem is coming from the output shaft, it turns whenever the car is moving. The input shaft would not be turning when in neutral with the clutch disengaged and the secondary shaft is directly connected to the input shaft so the same would be true. I only had the T-5 apart once in my '89 GT when I bent a shift fork and replaced it myself. Although this is a T-5 from a Jeep, it's the only exploded view I could find on line.

I had that problem in a 4-cylinder, and it got worse until the whole thing vibrated badly in neutral at speeds around 30MPH. Whole transmission was replaced as the part that died (the main shaft, if I remember correctly) had a little dimple in it, almost too small to see, and cost more than the replacement transmission did.

JS

I know well already that the sound happens whether the car is on or off, neutral, in gear with clutch in, whatever situation that the tranny has no load, that sound is present. Even if I'm going 1 MPH, it will roll smoothly, then *clank*. It really grates on my nerves. When I stop at a light, if I'm cruising in 4th, I'll wait till the engine is about to stall out before I push in the clutch, then stop quickly to minimize the sound. Hell, I even do it if I'm the only car on the road, come to think about it. I know very well I need to rebuild my tranny, cause the synchros in 1 and 2 are shot. 2 especially. To put it in first, I have to go to third first, then slap it into first to avoid a grind. But second is a bear and will grind regardless. To minimize it, I rev 1rst to 3K on the tach, and double-clutch and slap second quickly and firmly. So first to second looks like this. At 3K, I push in the clutch, pull the stick to neutral, let out clutch, press in clutch, slam second and hold it firmly while I slowly release the clutch to make sure it's actually engaged. Sometimes, it will feel "in", and then pop out when you release the clutch. I think I have a rounded tooth on the gear. Third, fourth, and fifth are all good. Hell, the car has 240K miles on it, and the only major work done was a upper half rebuild 5 years ago. The tranny is tired, and it needs rebuilt, but I don't have the dough to take it to the tranny place to have them hand me a

Thanks in advance

Matt

Man, don't tell me that!!! I'm going to bust a vein in my forehead!! :(

Matt

Is this a hollow sounding clank or a high pitched clank? If a hollow sounding clank, you should hop underneith and check for clearance issues with the exhaust/heat shields etc. A worn tranny mount with the engine under load will let the driveline move just enough to fix these clearance problems sometimes.

hope that helps.

Jason

From my experience it would be better to rebuild one yourself, I had the trans rebuilt in my '89 GT and it ended up close to $1500 which will get you a new one. You need to either buy a new one, rebuild yours if you have another vehicle, or rebuild a used one to swap out later. Start saving now...

Now thats an interesting question. I haven't looked for that kind of thing. I know that when I was replacing my starter I heard the same clank sound from inside the bell housing when I wiggled it one particular way. By the way, anyone ever replace a starter on a GT? That's a friggin nightmare!!! I don't think there's a problem with the driveshaft hitting anything, in any case. For all I can determine, the sound seems to come from the bell housing.

Matt

I thought it would be cheaper that way. Has anyone out there actually done a rebuild? Does an '89 come with a world class in it, or is it a non world class? What's the difference? Can you rebuild a non world class to be a world class? And with the second gear popping out or going half into gear on my tranny, will I have to replace that gear? Man, what a can of worms!

From my experience it would be better to rebuild one yourself, I had the