Ames63 Posted October 24, 2009 Share Posted October 24, 2009 Don't know how Jr did it but I think he has ruined the transmission on his Reatta (1988). First of all he bought it home as I had diagnosed a EGR problem. After cleaning it I drove it and it did not have a knocking to it but a banging (like putting a 100lb rock in a tumbler), the sound is definitely coming from the driver side of the engine compartment. It drives, but when you hit the gas it bangs (just awful). Any thoughts on my diagnosis? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest NEMO Posted October 24, 2009 Share Posted October 24, 2009 Is the bang,while in gear and moving. Or the bang when you give it gas in park? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest ekvh Posted October 24, 2009 Share Posted October 24, 2009 Nemo is thinking positive for you. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jim Posted October 24, 2009 Share Posted October 24, 2009 Good news. It is probably the harmonic balancer. Take the belt off the pulleys and run the engine. I am betting the noise will be gone.I have an almost new balancer available and can be reached at jfinn@cpinternet.com Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jim Posted October 24, 2009 Share Posted October 24, 2009 I misread your post as you said it was coming from the drivers side. Noises can travel so try taking the belt off anyway and see what happens. You can just take it off the alternator and let it hang there. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
D-a-n-i-e-l Posted October 24, 2009 Share Posted October 24, 2009 CV joint?Need alittle more detail here. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest F14CRAZY Posted October 24, 2009 Share Posted October 24, 2009 From my experience the harmonic balance will rattle only at certain engine speeds, if that helps.But yeah, does it bang when it shifts? All the time? Shifting into drive? Odd shifting and banging while shifting (like between 1-2 gears, 2-3 gears, etc) can be from a bad vacuum modulator Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ames63 Posted October 24, 2009 Author Share Posted October 24, 2009 I read everyones response and I wanted to add one other item and that is there was just a drop on tranny oil on the dip stick. I have no idea how long the car had been driven with the tranny oil so low. I do know he drove the car from Greensboro to Durham yesterday (~60 mile trip).Know to answer your responses, The banging only occurs as the car is driven. I did not drive it far (~100 yrds), doubtful I got out of 2nd gear. I will remove the serpentine belt and see if it bangs as I drive (raining today, so tomorrow). I'm not sure if it bangs as it is going from one gear to another, but since a vaccuum modulator is so cheap I'll slap one on and see if the banging ceases. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest NEMO Posted October 25, 2009 Share Posted October 25, 2009 Lift the front end,remove wheels,inspect drive line. Look for damage to brake rotors.You can block rear wheels and check the front end slowly spining the front wheels. This is best to do with a helper .Apply brakes, put in gear, release brake, let wheels hubs turn,looking for the banging. Apply brake then put in park. This should be done with good jack stands,and level solid ground. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Richard D Posted October 25, 2009 Share Posted October 25, 2009 FIRST THING TOP OFF THE TRANNY FLUID!!! I have read that being a pint low or high can be bad. If it is not showing on the dipstick while running in park you could be QUARTS low. I do not know what would fail but I bet topping it off is a good place to start. Anybody else who knows more about auto trannys agree? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest NEMO Posted October 25, 2009 Share Posted October 25, 2009 The first thing is to open the hood. Checking the fluids is normal maintance, all of them need to be full,and of the proper brand. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ames63 Posted October 25, 2009 Author Share Posted October 25, 2009 Hey guys I recheck the tranny fluid this morning. It was still low, my brother had me do something strange. He told me to shift through all the gears to kinda move the fliud around, for some reason I think this work as the level would differ as we added more fluid. We also drove the car again and again, the banging is still there, but surprisingly the car is shifting very smoothly. My brother also noticed the enigine is sitting at a slant (he noticed this as we were checking the CV arm, as Daniel suggested. The arm seems fine no binding or stiffness, or knocking. Is it possible this is our problem that the engine is rocking as we putting demand on the engine because of poor or destoryed motor mounts? Let me know what you think?Oh and we swapped out the vaccuum modulator from my 89 to his 88, no difference in either car. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DAVES89 Posted October 25, 2009 Share Posted October 25, 2009 Check the dogbone on the top. [upper motor mount, goes from engine to upper radiator area]. If that is the cause of the banging noise [and it could be] you got off pretty cheap as that part is less then $15.00 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ames63 Posted October 25, 2009 Author Share Posted October 25, 2009 Ran outside to check the wishbone, and it look as though it is the culprit (keeping my fingers croossed it is the only one that is bad). Here are a few pictures of what it looks like. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DAVES89 Posted October 25, 2009 Share Posted October 25, 2009 Look at the side of the dogbone that is on the engine [picture #2], that bolt should be in the center, not offset like it is... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
89REATTAJIM Posted October 25, 2009 Share Posted October 25, 2009 I agree, dogbone looks bad. In the top view, looks like maybe the lower mounts may be bad also. Seems like the driver side of engine is lower & forward of the passenger side.... Jim Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Gomer Posted October 25, 2009 Share Posted October 25, 2009 (edited) Its been a long time since I have posted but I feel I should since I have had this same problem. By the pictures the front engine/transmission mount has failed causing the engine to lean forward. This causes the engine and transmission to drop down into the subframe inturn causing the inner cvjoint to contact the subframe when under accelleration. since the innner joint from my recolection is a tripod it will bang like crazy. If you look at the drivers side you should see a clean area on the subframe where the cv joint has been hitting. I hope this helps and its good to be back. Edited October 25, 2009 by Gomer Hit wrong key (see edit history) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DAVES89 Posted October 25, 2009 Share Posted October 25, 2009 Good eyes guys! I stopped looking when I saw the dogbone looking so bad. When I went back and looked at them all it does appear that Gomer is right. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest F14CRAZY Posted October 26, 2009 Share Posted October 26, 2009 There's an odd shaped aluminum mount bracket on the transmission side of the engine, in the area underneath the intake. I've encountered two Reattas, including mine, where that has broken so it bangs and that side of the engine/trans sits down a noticeable amount. Check that out too Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Reallate50s Posted October 26, 2009 Share Posted October 26, 2009 Around a year ago, my '88 experienced remarkably similar symptoms... No banging, but a really noticeable side shift (unnerving) when accelerating, even a little. Was motor mounts, all but one. Not an inexepensive fix. My condolences. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ames63 Posted October 28, 2009 Author Share Posted October 28, 2009 Well car is in the shop, (3) mounts have to be replaced. Dealership said they will be in house in ~3-5 days, and jr can have his car back. Til then its a waiting game. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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