When shifting my 4Runner into drive or reverse I get a loud noise. Sometimes it sounds like a bang. Is that normal?
What is the vehicle? 1985 Toyota 4Runner 4wd
How many miles? 260K+
Is the fluid level correct? Yes, but it may be a little dirty.
Is the check engine light on? Yes
Diagnosis by phone: A bang when shifting into gear can be caused by a few different issues, but I would start with the easy and inexpensive issues and work to the more difficult and expensive repairs. Start with inspecting the driveline.
Inspection/diagnosis: Well in inspecting the driveline I found that one of the bearings in the rear u-joint is shot. There’s 1/16″ or more play in the u-joint which would make a noise when engaging the transmission.
Repair: I pulled the driveshaft and had the u-joint replaced. Greased it up and re-installed it in the 4Runner. During the test drive there is a lot less noise. The transmission still feels like it jumps a little when shifted into drive or reverse, but the noise is gone. We’ll look at why the transmission is still jumping in the next blog called “Hard shift“.