MAJOR TROUBLESHOOTING HELP NEEDED!!!

bigr1 · October 31st, 2003, 08:08 AM

I need some troubleshooting help.

Here is what occurred.

I was driving my 1994 RT/10 last night and I shifted into 3rd gear going about 40-50 mph, nothing out of the ordinary. Upon doing so, there was a loud bam sound that came from, seemingly underneath the car or behind the seat of the car. I proceeded to let off the gas, but keep the car engaged in 3rd gear. Upon doing so, there was something of a grinding feeling coming again from behind the seat of the car. When I stepped back on the gas, the car shuttered and bam-bam again.

1. The motor seems to be 100% obsolete from my problem at this stage, so I have ruled that out.
2. I also belie that the transmition/clutch may be obsolete too because the car goes into and out of every gear smoothly.

So here is my question. Why then, while the car is engaged in basically every gear, I step on the throttle and the car shutters and bam-bams??? The slamming noise is so loud that it seems like someone is taking a sledgehammer and hitting the car in the rear???

Any help would be greatly appreciated!

Thanks,

ragilber@hdrinc.com

GTS Dean · October 31st, 2003, 08:45 AM

Sounds like a torn or missing ladder bar bushing. The ladder bar is bolted to the diff, and ties to the transmission tunnel wall thru a bracket & bushing. It controls torque wind-up in the differential, so if the bushing is gone, you will hear and feel clanging near the seat bottom under accel and decel.

Jamie · October 31st, 2003, 09:13 AM

Didn't you total your '94? Did you fix it or buy another one??

bigr1 · October 31st, 2003, 09:18 AM

yeah, i got a new 1994 RT/10 Venom 550.

could it also be the half shaft?

GTS Dean · October 31st, 2003, 10:14 AM

It might be a halfshaft. Get it up on stands, or a lift and take a good look around. One look is worth 50 guesses.

opnwide · October 31st, 2003, 12:05 PM

Interesting comments. My GTS sometimes makes a pop when I stop and then accelerate in reverse (as in parking the car backwards). I don't spend much time under the posterior of the vehicle so maybe I should check it out real quick.

GTS Dean · October 31st, 2003, 06:22 PM

The '96 and later cars have a different attachment method for the pinion end of the diff than the Gen1 cars. However, that revised pinion mount is a location where the Gen2 cars have experienced sporadic frame failures, thus necessitating the 998/999 recall program. Did you have your recall done?

XS TORQ · October 31st, 2003, 06:35 PM

Rear end drive shaft or halfshafts seem like the likely culprit. If you get it in the air and the frame isn't torn, and the halfshafts and driveshaft are intact and not twisted, I'd have to think it's the rear end.

opnwide · October 31st, 2003, 11:00 PM

Dean,

David Weaver looked up my car in the database, and he said the recall was done. neither I nor he has crawled under it to verify it though, and I didn't mention it when he prepped my car for ViperDays.

Sorry you couldn't make it. But business is business. We couldn't be doing what we do if we never gave a damn, right?