Howdy, Stranger!

It looks like you're new here. If you want to get involved, click one of these buttons!

In this Discussion

78 Nova Help!!
  • grizzlyjgrizzlyj
    Posts: 6Hitchhiker
    Hi all, hope you can help!

    I have a 78 nova, i was driving it the other day and all of a sudden i heard a grinding noise, i pulled in my driveway and the car wouldnt shift to park. i get out of the car and look, and the passenger side wheel had slid out! i jacked the car up popped open the axle housing and i found the clip that holds the wheel in. the teeth on the axle don't look too ground down, im not sure how the wheel came out though. also, i started the engine up and it runs fine, but if i try to shift to park it makes a grinding noise. any ideas? this is my learning car... so any help would be appreciated! thanks so much.
    nova1.jpg
    240 x 320 - 25K
    nova2.jpg
    240 x 320 - 29K
    nova3.jpg
    240 x 320 - 32K
    nova4.jpg
    615 x 461 - 112K
  • grizzlyjgrizzlyj
    Posts: 6Hitchhiker
    any help???
  • Oldcar_MechanicOldcar_Mechanic
    Posts: 1,786Platinum Member
    When you start the car, do you do so in neutral? Have you tried to put the trans in park before starting it and then start it?

    When the car is running, does it drive?

    Ron
  • grizzlyjgrizzlyj
    Posts: 6Hitchhiker
    the trans isn't shifting at all, i thought it wasn't for park only but when i try to shift it to park is when it makes the grinding noise. i figured out the rear axle problem, now onto the tranny problem haha. i emptied my oil and filter and ran a magnet over it, no metal residue. my next step was to take the pan off the tranny and check for anything in there, i don't think any gears busted but i honestly have no idea.
  • Oldcar_MechanicOldcar_Mechanic
    Posts: 1,786Platinum Member
    So are you saying that you can not move the shift lever? Or you can but nothing happens when you do? If you are starting the car in neutral does the driveshaft turn when the engine is running? If the shaft is turning, then when you shift to park it will grind.

    Ron
  • Terraplane33Terraplane33
    Posts: 233Gold Member
    I sounds strange to me, the loss of the wheel is one thing, the gear issue could be related to this issue but difficult to define what exactly could have happened :unsure:
    Location : France
  • SuperDaveSuperDave
    Posts: 2,376Platinum Member
    I think your problem is in the differential. The drive shaft is turning but not transferring motion to the wheels. Thats why you get a grinding sound when you shift to park. If the clip came out of the rear axle.. you have a major problem in there. Broken axle? stripped splines on the drive end ?
  • Terraplane33Terraplane33
    Posts: 233Gold Member
    or maybe damage to the gear due to a clear problem with the rear axle, could make sense...
    Location : France