Tailshaft play side to side.

[buickfreak]

Hi every one. I bought the white Buick at 22,000 miles and I stiffen the tv cable a little bit to improve the shifting, change the oil and the filter, put on a big auxillary oil cooler , and everything was perfect, now 14 years later at 32,000 miles with a Aluminum Driveshaft bought several years back, I have started a small vibration in the seat at 60 miles hrs, before and over that speed no problem. Before the vibration occur, I could ear a clunk coming from the transmission when downshifting on the kickdown, put that aside the Trans was acting perfectly. I jacked the car up and checked the yoke going in the Trans and noticed a small side play on the yoke and seal, with a extremely small leak from the seal, do not remember if there was a side play when I first put the Alu driveshaft in years back. I took the drive shaft out and saw quite some side play on that tailshaft (1/4 to 1/2 inch) is it suppose to be that loose . Going to put a new seal, but is that Vib, clunk and loose are related together, will I hurt the Trans running like that or is it already done. Thank you all.

 

[87WE4BOOSTED]

Tailshaft

I just installed my trans and noticed the same play on on both the old and new trans. I think the play is normal.

 

[mikestertwo]

The side play without the yoke plugged into the trans is normal. The yoke and rear bushing is what keeps the shaft centered. The vibration may be the resonant frequency of the driveshaft at 60mph. Try putting the steel driveshaft back in.

 

[bison]

If the rear seal is leaking there is probably a worn bushing in there. Pull it and look. The output play is normal.

 

[buickfreak]

shaft play

Do you means that I can pull on that shaft and it wil come out , so I can see the bushing at the end of it or do I have to take the transmission apart to see that bushing. thanks.

 

[mikestertwo]

You can't pull the shaft without taking the trans apart. To change the bushing there is a special puller that fits over the output shaft to pull the bushing.