[GSX455s]

Hello all, I've been coming here for several years but never needed to post until now, this site is awsome. I just couldn't find the answer to my question. M'kay, I have an 03 with the MTX, It's my first car and I've had it for a little over 4 years. For the past year or so my trans seems to have been really getting sloppy. I'm well aware that they are noisy, and that really doesn't bug me, BUT, there seems to be a large amunt of slack/backlash that is being taken up when I begin to release the clutch after up-shifting or taking off. There is a light thud that can be both heard and felt in the car with normal driving, 2200-3000 rpm slow shifts. With the windows down, there is a distinct metallic "clak" to go along with it. thinking back, I really can't remember the car doing this when I first got it, but maybe it did and now i just really notice it? Is this an issue or normal? It dose have about 143k on it.

 

[iroc34]

Motor mounts. Usual culprit is the lower torque (dog bone) mount. In my case it was the passenger side. I checked it 3 times. Wasnt until I took it out, that It fell apart in 2 pieces. Thats the usual clunks. But also check your front sway bar end links, they will also make a clunking noise. Could be a few other things, but that would be a good place to start...

 

[S0C0nFused]

Ditto the dog bone. Stuff wears out. you have to be somewhat alert (as your are) and get this stuff replaced as part of your maintenance regime.

 

[dudeitswillis]

the matallic clak you speak of....is it more of a grind sound?

the grind is my MTX. the syncros are bad on 3rd, going bad on 4th so i have to match RPM to shift w/o grinding. so thats internal transmission. MTX trans's dont like speedshifters like i once was before i knew it messed them up(i was 17, and dumb, forgive me).

The thud you can feel is somthing(like yall said) in the suspension or other chassis components like the sway bar end links(which go from the strut to the sway bar), loose lower control arm bolt/bolts, bad control arm bushing/bushings, loose strut mounting nuts or loose strut assembly nut(nut in the middle of the 3), or some form of motor mount or motor mount bushing. IE the 'dogbone' Lower Torque Mount (going from transmission to Subframe under the car), Driver Side (under the battery tray on my 05 but not sure on 03 but will be holding the transmission near the driver side wheel well ish area from the engne bay) Passenger Side (located above serpintine belt). Even possibly(but not as likley) bad ball joints (checked my jacking the steer wheels up and grabing top and bottom of tire and trying to move it in and out.if it moves, joint is bad).

so that is this doc's prognosis. good luck my friend.

 

[GSX455s]

Thanks for the quick response y'all, I don't think it is the dog bone though because I have the poly inserts in , but I will check it anyway, it's been in for two years, maybe ploy "creep" has let it get wallowed out around the bolt or something. I've got new moog control arms and SVT suspension (Tousley) just waiting to get to installed when I have time. I looked at the pas. side mount, guess I'll have to take it off to inspect it. The upper mounts have been replace with AutoFail specials 2ys ago, I know there not good but the OEM are just SOOO expensive on a college budget it's hard to suck it up and buy them. Unfortunately, my number one suspect is still the trans because the sound that accompanies the bump/thud can be heard when up shifting, particularly on the 1-2 shift. So I here it twice, feel it once. There's no grinding fortunately, though is dose have the weak 3rd[?|]. Sway bar links are good, just replaced, its a different kind of thud that those. A better way to describe it may be...... it's like VERY gently bottoming out the mounts on a hard shift, it's a slight, deep, quick thud. Thank you all for the sugestions, I'll be checking everything listed and installing the new parts I have. I drove my friends 2000 accord back to his house a few weeks back after he had been at a party, his trans made me jellos.

 

[iminhell]

It is an internal transmission problem. Mine does the same thing.
I'm pretty sure it's due to slop in a bearing, input shaft most likely.
Mine's done it for I'm not even sure how long. Doesn't want to give out though and I'm not going to fuss with it until it does.
The part the sucks the most is it's 'jerky' right in the RPM range of normal cruising speeds 30/60 and anything below ~2,800 RPM. It's like the car forces me to speed, LOL.

 

[GSX455s]

That is exactly how mine is and what I was thinking but wanted to be sure it wasn't under Fords long list of "normal", it's very aggravating. I wonder why it seems to go away above 35-3600? On a side note, Pennzoil synchromesh works even better in my trans than the honey. It got even quieter and shifts smoother. I can even shift into third reasonably quick w/zero grindage.[thumb] Oh, and thank you all for your help.