help!!!! p15 clunking when letting clutch out

[Young Ed]

I need to know what I should check? Driveshaft? clutch? rear end? I'm out of town and need to try and make sure I can get back home. Limited tools etc available. I tried starting in second and that seemed to help a little but I still got a clunk clunk noise when I went to third.

[Plymouthy Adams]

check that driveshaft close...input to the third member..also could be just a simple rear motor mount lost a chunk of rubber..you best scenario

[Young Ed]

Motor mounts look ok. Driveshaft has a little movement side to side but it doesn't seem too excessive. Only other thing discovered was low transmission oil. Took almost a quart.

[JerseyHarold]

Check your lug bolts on all 4 wheels and rear axle center bolts (by brake drum) also. Maybe you sheared a key off one of the rear axles. Can somebody work clutch while you watch and listen outside of car?

[Don Coatney]

Motor mounts look ok. Driveshaft has a little movement side to side but it doesn't seem too excessive. Only other thing discovered was low transmission oil. Took almost a quart.

Did that stop or change the noise?

[Young Ed]

Nope still there. I'm suspecting u joints. So whats my plan here? Pray I make it 300 miles back home? Take the driveshaft and swap it end to end? Pull the caps and put more grease in? Do both of the last two?

Edited August 25, 2012 by Young Ed

[Young Ed]

Took the drive shaft out and swapped it end for end. Before I swapped it the clunk seemed for sure to be coming from the front u joint. When removed from the car I couldn't get it to clunk. Probably just wasn't compressed to the proper length. The rear end does have some play too so hopefully it's not that.

Edited August 30, 2012 by Young Ed

[steveplym]

Did you make it home Ed? What did you find out?

[Young Ed]

Yes and no. We technically made it home but the plymouth didn't deliver us. After flipping the driveshaft the car didn't seem to clunk anymore but it was vibrating horribly. Between that and the excessive play in the rear end we decided it best to haul it. So this is how it arrived. Further investigation of the issue will come later in the week. I'll post on this thread. Going to start a second one for just the car show pics.

[Young Ed]

First funny story of this issue. Got the car all loaded on the trailer and couldn't get the door to open. Hit the fender. So I basically dove out head first with the family kinda holding on so I didn't crash to the ground. Six hours later back at home I climb up ala dukes of hazzard and slide back in. Let me tell you chargers must have lots bigger windows than p15s. While getting ready to haul the empty trailer back I notice clips on the one fender. It swings down and I could have easily just opened the door and gotten out

[Plymouthy Adams]

ummm..you were cautious and did not let Carmen see that fold down fender I hop..they get enough ammunition as it is..no sense making it easy for them...

glad you got it back home..anxious to learn of the culprit

[steveplym]

Hate it you had to tow it home, but at least you made it home in one piece. Will be checking this thread periodically hoping to learn of what the issue was.

[BobT-47P15]

Glad to see you made it home OK, Ed.

Nothing like a mystery problem when away from home.

Some things you just gotta laugh about (later), like the

fold down fender.

[Young Ed]

Hate it you had to tow it home, but at least you made it home in one piece. Will be checking this thread periodically hoping to learn of what the issue was.

If I'm not too worn out from the MN state fair I'll be tearing into it tomorrow. Soon for sure. I'm past the disappointment of the trip and ready to fix her.

Glad to see you made it home OK, Ed.

Nothing like a mystery problem when away from home.

Some things you just gotta laugh about (later), like the

fold down fender.

Ya I did have a pretty good laugh when I noticed that fender. You guys should have seen me crawling out of that p15! At 6'1" and about 225 it was no easy task. Getting back in was a little easier I went feet first.

[John Reddie]

Good luck with the Plymouth Ed. I hope it will be an easy fix.

John R

[Dan Hiebert]

I'm thinking u-joints as well. Clunks when the bad one is at front, bad vibration when its at the differential. I've had a few experiences with exactly that.

I'm laughing myself silly over the trailer fender - because I've done the Dukes of Hazard thing ("grace" or "charm" having no place in a sentence describing those endeavors) a few times myself - and only now with this thread am I enlightened.

[Young Ed]

Ok the state fair was enough yesterday we were there from 8:30-5. So after work today I tore it all apart. Pulled the driveshaft for a second time and still can't feel much movement in it. I wouldn't think enough to cause issues. The axle keys and drums look fine. Ring and pinion look fine and now that I pulled it I can't duplicate the play it had when I was under the car. Oh and the axle splines look ok too. Little concerned I pulled the axles and diff for nothing.

[Plymouthy Adams]

not for nothing Ed..in the absence of something concrete and defined..you now have some peace of mind..

[Jerry Roberts]

ummm..you were cautious and did not let Carmen see that fold down fender I hop..they get enough ammunition as it is..no sense making it easy for them... "

My wife says that I don't talk much , anything I say can and will be used against me ...

[Dan Hiebert]

ummm..you were cautious and did not let Carmen see that fold down fender I hop..they get enough ammunition as it is..no sense making it easy for them... "

My wife says that I don't talk much , anything I say can and will be used against me ...

Ditto. "It's better to be silent and thought a fool, than to speak and remove all doubt."

[Young Ed]

Anyone got a part # for the differential gasket? Edit: did a little more digging. None of the auto place websites show a gasket for a 48. So I jumped to 54. Should be the same right? Napa is ordering me one of these.

RDS 6583

Rear Axle Gasket Set

1954 DODGE MEADOWBROOK L6 3.8L 230CID

Edit: This gasket does not fit!! Dad had an RDS 4290 that fit but when I went to replace it its apparently no longer available.

Edited September 22, 2012 by Young Ed

[Plymouthy Adams]

should be as the punkins interchange when folk retrofit 3.73 and 3.54 gear sets..if you must you could make a gasket yourself if your local stocks gasket material large enough..

[Young Ed]

should be as the punkins interchange when folk retrofit 3.73 and 3.54 gear sets..if you must you could make a gasket yourself if your local stocks gasket material large enough..

Ya I'd rather buy one ready made if available. Usually they are inexpensive and time saving. This one is under $5. They'll have it in from the warehouse after 1pm. I'll get it on my way home. Funny neither napa or felpro show this as fitting 48s.

[Joe Flanagan]

Ed, I made one for my Chevy pickup using two pieces of gasket material. I just used a little sealant on the places where the two pieces met. No leaks so far.

[Plymouthy Adams]

Ed..as the cars get newer..the cutoff for online application of parts also goes newer..parts once listed for the 48 will not make the cut off now..you have to have your own data or access to books to get further back..newer books are dropping the older data due to cut off dates to make these books cost effective for the parts houses..face it..majority of the cars on the road are 10 years or newer..