My rear diff is toast & more! UPDATE

Jeffrey · 05-12-2012, 06:10 PM

I began to hear odd noises just the other day. Parked the van for a few days. Started it today to drive it just a few hundred yards into my driveway. Just when I was halfway backing in I lost all power to the wheels. Now I hear a pretty rackety sound coming from under there and none of my gears work. I tried shifting the xfer case and that moved normally but regardless of what range I was in the van would not move. In [D]rive, the engine would simply rev and I'd hear clanky sounds without moving. I looked under and the driveshaft was still in place. I had it hauled off to the tower's storage yard on a flatbed until Monday when they'll have to move it to wherever I need to get it fixed (or replaced, perhaps). Not a good day in SMB-land. Has anyone here had to replace the transmission? Is it something that a Ford dealer really should do?

**BroncoHauler** · 05-12-2012, 06:17 PM

As I was reading your description of symptoms, you investigated everything I would have; the Atlas shifters and the driveshaft. Could be the factory transmission shifter mechanism, rather than the transmission. Most transmissions don't just suddenly stop working from one day to the next, usually it's more of a progressive failure.

Here's hoping it's a simple fix.

Herb

**macmcintire** · 05-12-2012, 06:20 PM

Bummer! Whatever it is, it sounds expensive.

**daveb** · 05-12-2012, 06:51 PM

What happens when a torque converter fails?

BIGVANS · 05-12-2012, 07:57 PM

Two of the most likely sources of the noise you are describing could be as simple as splines on the driveshaft yoke or it could be a broken sprag gear in the torque converter.

**daveb** · 05-12-2012, 08:24 PM

If it was a drive shaft yoke couldn't Jeffery take it out of rear drive and go into front wheel drive and move the vehicle?

Zeta · 05-12-2012, 09:01 PM

Did you check the ATF?

Z

Jeffrey · 05-12-2012, 09:37 PM

Good points, everyone. I had it serviced recently, so the fluid levels were good then, and I didn't see a pool of any on the ground at any time. I don't know a thing about torque converters, and perhaps it's the linkages as Herb suggests. Just don't know now and won't for a couple more days. Maybe I'll get sleep tonight somehow.....

BIGVANS · 05-12-2012, 10:16 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by daveb

If it was a drive shaft yoke couldn't Jeffery take it out of rear drive and go into front wheel drive and move the vehicle?

Yes that would work with an Atlas II, did you try that?

vandiesel · 05-12-2012, 11:22 PM

My torque converter went out last summer. It sounded like a couple coat hangers wrapped around the drive line. I ended up buying a new ford hd tranny. The reasoning was that the tranny didn't have the upgraded parts done in 2003 (mine is 2001) and I would buy the tc twice if it went. $4600 later all is well. Could be that you have a fine tranny and something else going on.