I just got my car (1989 firebird, automatic) and whenever I floor the gas from a stop, the car starts clunking like crazy and it feels like the engine is going to fall off. My brother said it was the transmission possibly. Has this happened to anyone else before? What do I do?

 

Transmission mount

 

How much does that cost to fix and what do I do?

 

while your checking out the tranny mount you might want to check the to torque arm bushing. If worn or missing it will make alot of noise.

 

I have a new concern. My car will roll backwards on a steep hill, even if it is is drive. Is that in all firebirds or is my tranmission dying? I love this car, but I don't want to invest alot of money into one that will break. It is leaking engine coolant as well (sometimes, I think it is the radiator).

 

Depends on the stall of the torque converter. Mine is 600 above stock stall and it does that too

 

I too have this problem in my 89 Camaro RS...

When I give it alot of gas to take off, the engine clunks, and it kinda bottoms out. I am babying it until I find out. I am going to flush the transmission Tuesday and replace the seals see if that helps. Would like to hear some other opinions

 

it clunks or is clunking?

Clunking means a repeated sound over and over. Its plural.

Which is it?

 

I just get the one clunk when I give alot of gas...thats when it kinda bottoms out. I am assuming maybe its the transmission mount needs replacing or tightening...but any help is appreciated

 

Transmission mount

Cost about $25 for the mount.

Install time is about 30 minutes

Need a jack, and a couple wrenches. Get to it.

 

Yeah...tranny mount is cake. Get the car up on stands, put a block of wood on a jack and put it under the back of the tranny pan, take the one bolt out of the middle of the trans crossmember, jack the tranny up a bit, take out the 2 bolts that hold the mount to the tranny, reverse this process to reinstall. You may have to take the trans crossmember out of the car (I can't remember) but even if you do it's only 4 extra bolts.

 

I mean my car makes a clunk. It doesn't bottom out though, it just has a feel like it is. I floor it through an intersection so i don't get T-boned and I lose power becuase of the clunk, it cuases me to have to let off the gas. Everyone has told me I need to check the transmission mounts. The local garage says they will do it for $75 with parts and check everything while at it. (I am not too great with mechanics, I focus on electronics).

 

these probelms sound like tranny mounts..if your goin to replace it i recommend a poly urethane 1. i have a broken 1 right now and i have a poly 1 waitin to go in,they break alot on the 350's b/c a lot of the torque comes through the torque arm and puts all that on the mount and causes it to break.

 

If the tranny mount is bad, doesn't it thump and not clunk? Could it be the u-joints? Or maybe a suspension problem? If it were the tranny mount, wouldn't the shifter go up and down?

Akshay

 

Tranny mounts clunk...it's the whole "transmission hitting the tranny tunnel" thing. Suspension is always a possibility, but the tranny mount is more prone to failure and very easy to check. If it was U-joints it would be when you put it in gear, not when you give it gas. Automatic shifters are mounted to the floorpan, not the transmission.