BIG TIME TROUBLESHOOTING HELP NEEDED!!!

[bigr1]

I need some troubleshooting help.

Here is what occurred.

I was driving my 1994 RT/10 last night and I shifted into 3rd gear going about 40-50 mph, nothing out of the ordinary. Upon doing so, there was a loud bam sound that came from, seemingly underneath the car or behind the seat of the car. I proceeded to let off the gas, but keep the car engaged in 3rd gear. Upon doing so, there was something of a grinding feeling coming again from behind the seat of the car. When I stepped back on the gas, the car shuttered and bam-bam again.

1. The motor seems to be 100% obsolete from my problem at this stage, so I have ruled that out.
2. I also belie that the transmition/clutch may be obsolete too because the car goes into and out of every gear smoothly.

So here is my question. Why then, while the car is engaged in basically every gear, I step on the throttle and the car shutters and bam-bams??? The slamming noise is so loud that it seems like someone is taking a sledgehammer and hitting the car in the rear???

Any help would be greatly appreciated!

Thanks,

[email protected]

 

[FE 065]

broken halfshaft?

 

[bigr1]

how would I be able to tell? Can I look at it and tell?

also, if it is a broken half shaft, would it be adventagous to upgrade considering I have a Venom 550 with a 150-200 nitrous shot?

If so, what upgrades should be considered?

Thanks so much!

 

[OLXRAM]

Look on btrviper.com They sell upgraded halfshafts for the viper. Its quite possible your U-joints busted and not the entire halfshaft. It will look fine until you turn it and youll see the bearings have left the caps.

 

[GaryA]

If you have a broken halfshaft, you won't be able to propel the car forward, the halfshaft would simply spin and no power would go to either of the rear wheels. It's actually pretty easy to view the halfshafts from the rear under the car.

If it's not a half shaft it could be the driveshaft, but again, you wouldn't be able to drive the car forward.

Good luck and let us know what you find.

 

[Silver Snake]

Could it be the gears in the rearend? I am not sure how strong these rearends are, but I remember in the F-bodies those were the first thing to go when you started adding any kind of power and/or traction.

Mark

 

[SapphireGTS]

Could it be the gears in the rearend? I am not sure how strong these rearends are, but I remember in the F-bodies those were the first thing to go when you started adding any kind of power and/or traction.

Mark

Isnt it a super Dana 44? They are pretty stout.

Your symptoms do sound like the rearend though. Put it on jackstands and pop the diff cover off and see if any teeth fall out.

 

[dblankenbaker]

Bad U joint!!

 

[bigr1]

the car will propel itself forward, so what do you guys think?

 

[bigr1]

i think its the ladder bar. anyone know where to get a replacement at a reasonable price? dodge *****, too expensive.

 

[FrankBarba]

Not a Super Dana 44. Gen 1 did not use those.

 

[1 Bad Snake]

Call Chuck Tator at Tators Dodge, he did me right on mine. I don't know what you got quoted but I looked around and anything under $160 is a good price.

 

[Ron]

My vote is the rear. Had the exact same symptom on my 1978 Trans Am. The carrier itself broke pulling out of a parking space. Drove it home slowly and wasted the entire rear in the process.

 

[Marc Lublin]

You could guess forever or just put the car up in the air and see what the problem is. Half shaft, Drive Shaft or Rear should be pretty easy to diagnose.

 

[Vipermed 97.01]

Could it be the gears in the rearend? I am not sure how strong these rearends are, but I remember in the F-bodies those were the first thing to go when you started adding any kind of power and/or traction.

Mark

Isnt it a super Dana 44? They are pretty stout.

Your symptoms do sound like the rearend though. Put it on jackstands and pop the diff cover off and see if any teeth fall out.

Unfortunately it is not as simple as popping the cover off.You will need to drop the differential as the cover is integrated in the mounting.It really isnt that difficult.But you will need to drop it.I think you will find your problem in the pinion gear

 

[MaxedGTS]

How hard is it to put the car up in the air and check?
Max

 

[malcoll]

Not a Super Dana 44. Gen 1 did not use those.

I heard that the Super Dana 44 was used after 1995? Would that include the Super Dana 44 being used in the 1996 RT's???

Thanks

 

[Vic]

Maybe the diff mounts broke off the frame, and when under torque, the diff is rotating.

But if you go easy on the power, you can make it go forward?

Time to jack that bad boy up and have a look!

 

[Jack B]

Jack the rear of the car up so that you can rotate both wheels. Have someone hold one wheel and rotate the other, then, reverse the procedure. Then rotate one wheel while the other is free. If it is the rearend the odds are good you will find one or both of the wheels binding.

Also have someone rotate the wheels while you are under the car making a visual inspection. This should give you the state of the halfshaft joints and the driveshaft joints. You should be able to isolate the trouble area pretty easy.

As was stated before you don't have the Super 44's. If the rearend is bad, replace the gear set with the Super 44's. I don't believe you can replace the complete assembly due to the suspension differences between the Gen 1 and 2. Someone may want to verify that. The difference in the gear sets is primarily the size of the pinion gear/shaft.

 

[Newport Viper]

Throw in a 3.33!