I have a clunking in my drivetrain that I need your help diagnosing. When I'm driving, almost any speed, I hear & feel this clunk in my driveline. It happens when I'm motoring along with pressure on the gas, then I let up and coast a ways, then re-apply the gas and 'clunk'. It's like there is a ton of slack in the driveline and when I give it gas it catches up with the rear gear and bam. It's reasonably loud. I really can't say how long it has been doing it but it seems like it is either worse or started in the last couple months. I just got a much quieter muffler so maybe before I couldn't hear it. I'm sure it can't be good.

Thanks for your help!

 

DO NOT DRIVE IT!
It sound's as if it could be your U-Joints, start inspectin those, rear leafs, tranny mounts, engine mounts, also might want to grease the drive shaft yolk.

 

When my U-Joints went bad, I could feel a bad vibration, but they ahd a horrible screeching sound also

 

My pinion yoke was bad, the splines where stripping and it was loose. A new one for $40 fixed it. Sounds just like what you described.

 

Thanks for the help. I'm leaving for vacation for a week this afternoon so I won't be able to check these things out until I get back. I'll post what I find and see who wins the prize for being right.

 

Wish I was goin on vacation

 

Looks like sprocket wins the prize. It was the rear u-joint going bad. It squeaked and vibrated. I thought I had a transmission shudder like some people had that flushed their trans to fix. All is well now but this truck is nickel and diming me. I bought it 14 months ago and I've put tires, shocks, exhaust, radiator and all new hoses, rear diff gasket, and now the dealer tells me that my grease cup on the pitman arm is leaking and may go bad and I have a slow oil pan gasket leak. The engine runs strong but these costs are hurting. I know tires/exhaust/shocks are wear-and-tear items but it all adds up.

Does anyone know if my truck, reg cab, short bed, 4x4, 351w, auto, 1994, needs the engine raised to replace the oil pan gasket or can the pan just be dropped with engine in place?


Thanks for the help!