First the engine now the %#@*$ transmission.

Sorry to hear about your bad luck, but it might not be as bad as you think. The fact that your car shut down so abruptly- it'll go in gear, and the car barely moves. From the symtoms you describe, it might be your transfer case (locked up). Take that sucker apart and give it a look.

Thanks for replying Black but I doubt that it's the transfer case, because I can hear the grumbling while the car is just sitting still with the engine running. It just sounds worst when I try to drive it. I wish it was the tranfer case.

Oh...grumbling while it's sitting still. Is that neutral? In gear -clutch in?

No, it's running, in nuetral, clutch out, output shaft turning, grumbling sound in the tranny when I put my head down by the right tire I can hear it. When I put it in gear, clutch in I can't hear anything, but when I release it, it's grinding and grumbling like crazy.

Man...I was hoping to eliminate the possibility it's your tranny. But, the fact that you have the clutch in and the sound goes away, sadly, points in that direction. Sorry. I think it's time to give Frank a call. Do you need his #?

Yes please. Does he work at Kormex? Thank in advance I'm going to bed I have to catch the bus in the morning.

Frank IS Kormex. Here's the #: 800-429-5464

sounds like the first time my tranny went. It was the rear output shaft. once that goes, you can only drive the car so far before the tranny will just spin.

I agree with Matt- same symptoms I had and the fix was a Kormex output shaft. Expect to pay around $600 for it and a few hundred in labor. It sure beats paying $3000+ for a new tranny.

He says it is grumbling when the clutch is out and tranny in neutral. How can the output shaft make a grumbling sound if it's in neutral?

I can see the main output shaft spinning, (the one that connects to the clutch). Now whatever that shaft is touching while it's spinning in nuetral must be lose or broken. When I go to take off in first it feels and sounds like the tranny has some rocks in it and it's stopping the gears from turnning the shaft that makes the car go. I hope it is the rear shaft. I'm going to take this thing apart this weekend to see for sure. Thanks black.

The shaft that goes into the clutch is the input shaft. I had one of those get trashed in a T5 once and it sounded like what you are describing. Good luck man. Taking the tranny out and apart is not too bad. Take pictures!

Hate to be the one to tell you this but I had EXACTLY the same thing happen just 3 weeks ago as well.....
exactly the way you described, when the tow truck pulled the car up you could hear it grinding and it basicaly ended up dragging the front tyre because it wouldnt budge...... I was on the way to the mechanic to get the water pump/timing belt done......

I took the tranny to this jap trans place that rebuilds them, they opened it and said it was cactus, bits of metal and bearings fell out when they emptied the oil out.....
He said nearly every part needed replacing....
Sounds like you need a new tranny because its probably cheaper than a rebuild.....

It would be interesting to find out what broke first and caused the mess.

Here's my guess:

Bearing on the input shaft went. It's a caged bearing from what I've seen. One of the roller bearings (the little cylinder that acutally rolls inside the cage) came out, and jammed up the Center shaft good. That's why he can't move anymore. The car can still idle in neutral, because the input shaft is allowed to spin freely (albeit wobbling without a good bearing on one end) since nothing is in gear. The wobbling is what is making the noise you hear.

E

That sounds about right ELMO, it feels like something is jammed inbetween something causing it not to drive. Now as far as rolling in nuetral it went up on the tow truck bed with no problem, no noise or hesitation. I do thank you guys for giving me some info on this tranny problem. I'll let you guys know after I take it apart this weekend.