I started to develop the typical "can of bolts" noise in the back of my 944. I changed the transaxle oil today, and it didn't help much at all (damn.) I get a pretty harsh rattling noise out of the back of the car when I'm coasting in gear. It goes away when I give it a little gas or take it out of gear, or push the clutch in.

Normally the noise wouldn't bother me, but as of yesterday it started making a bit of a "click" noise when I switch from coasting, "pulling" on the engine, to giving it gas "pushing." I have a feeling things are on their way out.

Before, the transition was somewhat smooth, but now there is obviously some slop in the drivetrain, and I can hear what sounds like gears engaging/disengaging *hard*

My guess is that the differential is shot. I was under the car today changing the oil, and I started eyeballing things just in case I needed to drop the tranny and fix it myself. Now I think I'm going to have to.

Here's my plan, please let me know if I'm on the right track:
1) take it to a mechanic and see what he thinks 2) drive it softly, not working the tranny very hard 3) in the mean time, look for a used tranny to swap.

Is the differential worth fixing my itself, assuming that's what it is, or should I just do the whole thing while I'm at it.

this is my first major problem and it's really _really_ bumming me out. Someone tell me it's going to be ok <img src="graemlins/crying.gif" border="0" alt="[crying]" />

 

It could be your clutch disc. If you have a rubber centered disc it might have disintegrated.

 

I'll second Joel on th epossibility that it's the rubber biscuit in the clutch disc. Your noises & symptoms sound a lot like what I noticed when I test drove my '88 na for the first time. I really thought it was the tranny, even told the dealership salesman that I wouldn't buy the car unless they fixed the transmission. Turned out to be the clutch disc.

Jim, "What are you supposed to do if you see an endangered animal eating an endangered plant?"

 

your best bet would be to find a parking lot.....while your slowly driving forward, stick your head out and try to figure out if the sound is coming from the front(clutch), or the back(cv, tranny). i tried this once and found out that my tranny was shot. not sure which would be cheaper to fix.

Sam '86 944 w/broken transaxle