clunk/thud on P-->R shift, and while driving...

[97tbird]

*1. When I shift from P (or D) TO "R", there is a slight delay(sometimes 1-2 seconds!); and then I feel it engage with a pretty loud thud/clunk. At the same time, the car lerches a little backward.

*2. The same thing happens when I shift from P to D, but it's not so bad, it's softer, but it happens, and the car lerches forward...

* 3. Also: When I let off gas under 50 mph, I feel/hear the thud, and feel the car lerches (forward/backward-hard to say) a little; When I put my foot quickly back on the gas pedal, it does it again...(starts going with the thud, after a slight delay). If I'm going downhill, I almost never feel/hear this.
* 4. The same thud(as in *3.) can be heard on the 1st 3-4 shift of the day.(only for the 1st time of the day, after that it doesn't do it.)
I'm not sure if this thud (3 and 4) is related to the thud/clunk that I mentioned above in *1. (when shifting P-->R etc.). or is it a different cause/thud??

What's causing this? I'm running Mercon-V in the transmission, and level is OK, and the trans performs ok, I think...
All of the above is worse when it's colder.
Please advice/help me figure this out.

Thaks a lot in advance.

 

[bdleonard]

I'm thinking... engine or transmission mount

[ October 23, 2003, 07:51 PM: Message edited by: bdleonard ]

 

[Scali62]

transmission mount's a good guess but I'd also check the U joints.

 

[sbc350gearhead]

I agree.....check your U-joints and transmission mount.

 

[Jim Spahr]

I think it is a combination of slow responding transmission and excessive play in the U joints and splines in the drive shaft.