Trasnfer case chain slipping? Clunk/Clack Noise from TC

[audiquattrot]

i agree with audiquattrot. i have had a few ix's in my day making noises like that. for me it was always the connection between the front ds and tc.

same here. I've been down this road several times myself.

OP, i would try to get underneath the car, and grab a hold of the front ds, and try spinning it w to see if there is actual play where the ds & tc meet. You should be able to tell at this point if its stripped or not. There shouldn't be any play where the two meet.

[Josh1254]

Thanks for the ideas so far.

I installed the driveshaft last week and it had no play in the splines. It felt like it fit perfect. Before I installed it I would start it up and put the transmission in "D" and the TC front gear would rotate, I would go to "N" and it would stop. Then went to reversve and it would rotate again. This is while the brakes were applied with no front driveshaft. So that means the chain was working, but once I accelerate (with the driveshaft now on) something slips/clunks like crazy.

The car was driven only short distances for the past several years without a driveshaft. The previous owner knew very little about the car so I assume the TC is low on fluid. I just havent had the time to check yet. The diffs are matching 4.10 ratios. The tires are all the same with similar tread wear.

Ill double check the splines for play and see if I have any fluid in the TC.

[Josh1254]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9fI263qS_ws&feature=youtu.be

I went outside and took a quick video. This should give you an idea what the noise is.

[101]

Any update on this? My IX is doing something similar.

I have fresh guibos on both front and rear drive shafts but I haven't pulled the front shaft back out yet to look at the splines (which looked pretty good when it was installed 75 miles ago).

[The Dark Side of Will]

My dad's '90 iX started doing the same thing; pull the driveshaft and find that the splines are pristine = Chain.

[101]

I'll definitely do that very soon.

On a positive note my car DID pass the jack test.

Since removing the front driveshaft on an automatic IX also requires removing the auto transmission dipstick tube from the pan and making a mess, I'll wait until its just a bit warmer outside to do this.

[The Dark Side of Will]

removing the front driveshaft on an automatic IX also requires removing the auto transmission dipstick tube from the pan

It didn't for me working on my dad's car...

[Josh1254]

I don't have any updates. I sold the car to someone who planned to have it fixed. It was not the splines, they were perfect. It must have been inside the T-case.

[nando]

I'll definitely do that very soon.

On a positive note my car DID pass the jack test.

Since removing the front driveshaft on an automatic IX also requires removing the auto transmission dipstick tube from the pan and making a mess, I'll wait until its just a bit warmer outside to do this.

huh? no it doesn't. I did it several times.

[101]

It didn't for me working on my dad's car...

huh? no it doesn't. I did it several times.

Gents:

I stand corrected :o. I pulled the shaft tonight. It required removing the centering pin holder (or whatever its called) from the driveshaft flange, sliding it and the guibo out, then sliding the shaft all the way forward. There is one certain position where it will clear the ATF tube and come out.

My dad's '90 iX started doing the same thing; pull the driveshaft and find that the splines are pristine = Chain.

The splines are pristine. There is quite a of noise and play when moving the front output sprocket back and forth. FML


On top of everything else -the rest of the rear brake line that I didn't replace this summer burst on the way home, I have an unidentified coolant leak at the front of the motor and I need to replace the control arms and bushings.

Seriously considering cutting my losses and moving on.

[The Dark Side of Will]

You can patch, order or make a new brake line.
Rear control arm bushings? All of the parts are available... it just takes labor to install.
If you don't know when the timing belt was done, then you should fix the coolant leak while you're replacing the timing belt ;)

[101]

You can patch, order or make a new brake line.

yup - I did all the brake hard lines and rubber hoses from the middle of the car back as well as the entire fuel system. I thought I might get another year out of the front section of that long brake line. I should have known better.

Rear control arm bushings? All of the parts are available... it just takes labor to install.

Fronts. I knew the front bushings were gone but in addition 2 of the ball joints are toast. I'm not a fan of the "IX parts price premium". The rear bushings are looking a bit tired too. I can't imagine what a joy that job is going to be as the fasteners are as rusted as the others on the car.

If you don't know when the timing belt was done, then you should fix the coolant leak while you're replacing the timing belt ;)

I just did the timing belt, water pump and all the large coolant hoses. Something is leaking above the front subframe so I guess I've either got a leaking water pump, something from the thermostat housing or one of the smaller hoses on the way out.


I was in a pissy mood yesterday with all of this happening plus the transfer case finally showing its true colors. I think I'm going to let it sit for a while before I start throwing money at it again. It would have been nice to drive the IX this winter while the rest of the E30's are asleep.

[The Dark Side of Will]

iX ball joints are available separately... part numbers have been posted on this forum several times.

[nando]

man, we really need to solve the issue of the chains being out of production. :(

[The Dark Side of Will]

Working on it; have a promising possibility ;)