Car just wants to go

[athflying79]

Whenever my car is in drive, it takes what I would consider more than normal brake pressure to keep it at a stop. Going from neutral/park to drive...it will put a load on the rear suspension. It idles at normal RPM's, regardless if it's in park or drive. My car is the only older E34 I have driven, so I have no reference.



In an unrelated problem, I have noticed some noise that I believe is from the front end. I can feel it in the wheel as well. It does get worse turning to the left....almost like a wheel bearing would, but I've heard bad bearings before and this sounds different. It is fairly subtle, I think I feel it more than I hear it. It's most noticeable at slow speeds. It's a consistent thud-thud-thud-thud that does increase with speed.

[632 Regal]

how does the car stop in general?

you should have the front end completely inspected, on a worn suspension most people replace the whole system.

[onewhippedpuppy]

A thud that increases with speed sounds tire related, it's obviously based on rotation. That or bearings, but they don't normally thud.

[Jay 535i]

Whenever my car is in drive, it takes what I would consider more than normal brake pressure to keep it at a stop. Going from neutral/park to drive...it will put a load on the rear suspension. It idles at normal RPM's, regardless if it's in park or drive. My car is the only older E34 I have driven, so I have no reference.

This might be normal. I suggest you try another E34 for comparison. My car also squats perceptibly when I put it in drive.

Could be a problem with the torque converter, maybe.

[athflying79]

Thanks so far guys.

I have all the parts for the front end that will be going in this weekend. Upper and lower control arms, tie rods, etc. I figured after all that was done, I would have a better idea where the noise was coming from.

The front end is definitely worn out, I have been underneath and the bushings are visibly shot and I get all the symptoms of being worn out...50-60 mph shimmy, clunking, etc.

The car brakes fine and doesn't make any strange noises during braking. The noise to me seems to be tire or bearing related...not suspension. The frequency increases with speed, but the noise (volume) does not. I can not hear it about 40 or so because of regular road noise. I notice it most when I get home from work, cruising through the neighborhood at 35 or so. It is a gentle thud-thud that I can feel in the wheel and pedals. Once on the highway though, the front end shimmy takes over.

The only reason I bothered asking about it before I did the front end is to have an idea of things to check while I had the wheels off and was in there already. After this weekend it will either go away or be easier to pinpoint once all the other noises and vibrations are gone.

[Randell]

i had a similar problem with mine, you'd put it into drive and it would bog down and wanna take off unless you held your foot firmly on the brake.. then when you lifted off it would drive itself for a few metres and then settle down

also when you went from drive into park the revs would jump up momentarily as the pressure was released

it was the torque converter... ended up needing a(nother) transmission rebuild

[632 Regal]

im betting on a tire, might be a bad band.