EDIGREG

...My 1994 100 CS quattro has a tapping or clanking noise coming from the tranny. The transmission is strong, and shifts smoothly and tightly. My best description of the noise is if you were to take a metal hangar, bend it in half, and tap it on solid metal. Its kind of clanky tho. Hard to describe. It occurs most often when im shifting, sometimes when im just driving, but almost every time it happens im accellerating. It also happens sometimes when im shifting up, and i let the clutch out on the next gear before the RPM's have dropped to where that gear starts. The sound bothers me quite a bit, and i have a feeling it can be fixed. could it be bearings? or loose tranny or engine mounts? any input is appreciated.

moribundman

get under the car and see if you can create that noise by rattling around on the shifter linkage. The shifter linkage on at least my car has a little play, resulting occasionally in some clanking noises. You are looking for the rod that comes out of the transmission and that is connected to another shifter rod that in turn is connected to the shift stick. As far as I can tell, that noise is annoying but harmless.

I'm talking about part 37 and 39 in the diagram.

<img src="http://pictureposter.audiworld.com/50038/shifter.jpg">

EDIGREG

...im shifting, but usually right after i shift and i am accelerating. occasionally it will happen in the mid rpm range of the gear if i am accelerating hard. could it be that the vibrations cause the linkage to tap on something else? (ie. tranny or frame?) That sounds like it could possibly describe the sound. Nevertheless, i will check it out and get back to you. Thanks for your help!

moribundman

It doesn't necessarily happen when you shift, but under acceleration or deceleration. I hope that's all that's to it!