[s-cars] S6 Transmission Noise

[Dave Forgie]

I finally got around to test driving a 95 S6 at a local dealer (for
fun).   The car has been there for months (well before Christmas).   The
S6 is 04/95 build date (late 95) and has the nice three spoke steering
wheel and the six spoke Avus wheels.  However, it still has the older
radio and the infrared lock/unlock remote.  Its black on black and
cosmetically seems to be in pretty good shape.

I had been trying to help a local  fellow check out some of the S-cars
that are around town.  He had said there was something wrong with the
transmission on this S6.  I didn't think it could be true.  It shouldn't
be the pinion bearing because that supposedly was only an early 92 spec
problem.  However,  when I test drove the car there is a grindy/whiny
noise when starting out in first gear. Once you shift to second, the
noise is gone,  so I don't think its the pinion bearing.  However, it
could be a first gear (or clutch problem).  It sounds like something is
rubbing/grinding on something else -or a bad GM power steering pump (but
its not the S6 steering pump).

Anybody with some ideas?

Dave F.