Transmission making a noise

[SilverBullet]

So I found a 95 RT/TT for sale. It's got around 90k miles on it. The guy is selling super cheap because he says the transfer case needs to be rebuilt, that it's "making a noise".

I'd like to go look at the car and check it out. What am I looking for to determine if its the TC vs the syncros? Heck, for all I know it could be just a bad TOB.

Thanks!

[Street_Chally73]

If it truly is just the transfer case & not the transaxle, then you could always purchase a brand-new one for ~$600-$700 (I'm 5-speed, so mine was only around $375 shipped a couple years ago).

As for how to tell whether it's the transfer case or the transaxle causing the issue(s), it could be that the output shaft spool inside the T/C is severely worn, causing excessive slack in the drivetrain. If this is the case, then you would also need to budget for a new O/S & have that installed in the transaxle or do it yourself. If it clunks once you've placed it into gear & begin to apply throttle, then you have excessive slack somewhere between the transaxle & rear differential.

If you get it up to 45-60 mph & get a noticeable "thud" that's felt in the floorboards each time you go from applying the throttle to letting off it, then chances are the propeller shaft's carrier bearings are shot. FWIW: mine would really get quite violent when I did this & mine were far gone.

If it's the synchronizers, then you will have a hard time going between each gear without them grinding as you shift. If this is evident in any of the gears, then you'll be looking at around $3,000 to have everything properly fixed (including a new O/S & most all gears + new synchronizers).

Also, it may sound crazy, but many times people just have their clutch pedal mis-adjusted, which can cause the PP "fingers" to hyper-extend & cause faulty shifts...Usually the synchros have been abused & are now worn out (needing replacement), but sometimes this can fix the shifting issue.

You also should be aware that the VCU within the transaxle can also wear out over time with mileage & abuse, so that might be whining if it has lost all of its fluid & is running dry.

I know that people have also recorded excessive backlash in the rear differential housing. So if you get a clunking from the rear of the car while applying throttle then backing off again, sometimes it may need to be looked into and get re-shimmed or worn parts be replaced.

It sounds like it could be a great deal for a 2nd gen R/T TT, but just be aware that it could turn out to be much worse than you ever imagined & can be quite costly to repair.