Auto trans issue

[Waynester]

Hi,

Can anyone recommend a transmission specialist?
I have a '90 C4 which drives and shifts fine, but clunks when put into 'D'
Reverse is ok, no noise, just drive.. I have had a full service including gearbox & diff fluid change, and it still does it..
I can't tell if it's simple i.e worn UJ, or something else..

I saw an advert in the back of 'Classic American' for a trans/gearbox specialist in Letchworth..anyone know it?
I'm in Stevenage, and would prefer as local as poss.

cheers all

[anonymous-user]

This comes from the Honest John FAQ (http://htdig.honestjohn.co.uk/faq/faq I've visited the people in Epsom with my "other" car but haven't actually used them. Nothing specific near Stevenage but fedauto might have some suggestions.

Automatic gearbox specialists prepared to service and rebuild automatic boxes rather than simply replace them,

• King Automatics, The Chalk Pit, College Road, Epsom, Surrey, tel: [phone].
• Automatic Transmissions (Tattersall), Tattersall Bridge, near Coningsby, Lincoln, tel: [phone].
• JP (Automatic Transmissions) Ltd, www.jpat.co.uk, Units 4a & 4b Pear Tree Ind Est, Upper Langford, N Somerset, BS40 5DJ, tel: [phone].
• Sussex Automatics,www.sussexautos.co.uk
• FEDERATION OF AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION ENGINEERS,www.fedauto.co.uk

[waynester]

Many thanks.

[Gixer]

Sounds like a UJ to me. If you're in Stevenage then your best bet is Keith as he is in Stevengae too. I'll send over his email, just say Brett passed it to you

[waynester]

Gixer said:

Sounds like a UJ to me. If you're in Stevenage then your best bet is Keith as he is in Stevengae too. I'll send over his email, just say Brett passed it to you

Cheers for that..funny thing is Keith has recently worked on my car and we both discussed the noise. He wasn't really sure either, could be UJ, could be something else.. Problem was not being able to get the car up off the ground as we were at his house at the time.

Iv'e given a company a call, called 'Transmission Components Ltd' based in Letchworth.
They are auto, manual, transfer box specialists for Vettes, Viper and Mustang etc..
They advertise in the back of 'American classic'

Thanks for the heads up Brett.

[franv8]

NO NO NO NO!

Alright, it could be a UJ (I had one disintegrate that had the same symptoms) - but in truth I have always ahd a 'clunk' when going from forwards to reverse or vice versa - it's more likely just backlash in the diff, and is pretty natural (unless of course, your noises are accompanied by the whine of a worn pinion etc.).

If it is a UJ, they are supposed to be notoriously difficult to detect on the car, you may have to drop the driveshaft out, in which case, for the cost, you might as well do them anyway.

Not necessarily something to get too concerned about.

You will notice I haven't mentioned the box iteself, it doesn't sound likely that the box is at fault.

[vetteheadracer]

Could this just be a maintenance issue? i.e. your UJ's etc. on the drive train might need a bit of grease?

[franv8]

If they're clunking - grease may be a touch late!

[LuS1fer]

My C4 used to clunk into Drive as well. Never had a problem with it. car had 53k on it when I bought it in 1994 and 78k when I sold it in 1997 and it was no worse. Oddly, it recently resurfaced in 2006 and the guy who bought it had the gearbox fail shortly after but that was probably fair wear and tear.