My 1990 240 has 85,700 miles on it. When I was driving the car and put it into neutral, I heard a noise like "a fan blade hitting metal". When the car is in drive there is no noise and seems to be fine. The noise also occurs when it is in "park".
I was about a mile or less from home when this occurred, and have not started the car since.

Can any one suggest the what the transmission problem may be?

Thanks, Phil

If it was a clear. ringing/rattling sound, then it was prob something hitting the fan, and it would have come from the front of the car. I would suspect the engine mounts of being broken and the motor loose, perhaps.
Perhaps a loose lower half torque converter cover over the bellhousing at the rear of the motor-these are cheap tinware and if loose, or bent, can make horrible noises. you'll NEED TO LOOK under the car & in the engine bay!!!!! And slowly turn the motor/fan (ign OFF) to see what might have hit. Count you fan belts etc too. If nothing obvious up front, then suspect the tinware cover-you CAN run with it off, but it's not recommended, as it keeps major dirt and fibers out, amongst other things. An hammer can be used to straighten/flatten it easily. Driving up onto a car ramp will give enough height to get under and see/fix-remove fully first, and catch what falls out from behind it. Examine, using a torch, for scrapes and wear on plate and converter faces. If holed converter, (unlikely), you'll have to replace it-major job. Check ALL bolts holding the torque converter-a loose bolt there is trouble, and will need immediate tightening. REPLACE if damaged, they are a TORX type-a special tool will be needed. Do NOT substitute!! It WILL be dirty, partic. if a seal has gone, but worry about them when you have a spare 4-5 hrs labours' money and $35 for seals-just keep topping up the oils - OFTEN!

if the noise didn't ring, and sounded muffled, (clunky) then maybe it was a badly worn torque converter having problems, but I doubt it. other muffled sources can be the gearbox itself, with something loose inside. Both unlikely.

Thank you for your response to my query. I'll take a look at the at the fan, bellhousing, belts, and such later this morning.

If it is comming directly from the transmission then it is possible that it is comming from the detent device that locks the transmission and prevents the car from moving when the transmission is in park. If this is the case it would only happen when the car is moving and the car is in neutral. The car should not be moving when it is in park.

Is it the transmission? If maybe, then, I agree on checking other things like the fan.

Detent would be an hard knock, Nicht War? Very damaging too, I fear.

Yea, you are right. The detent would be a hard knock. It is scary sounding. Problably not it. Good thing.



You scared me on this advise with me being American. But then I realized that you meant a flashlight.