Im trying to help somebody fix up their Crown Vic, and Im wondering if this is transmission failure or what.

Its making a strange grinding noise in park, and when in park on jack stands the axle/driveshaft keeps spinning. Im not sure if it is the shift linkage needing adjustment or if the parking pawl is toast.

Relevant part of this video is after the 0:58 second mark.
https://vimeo.com/422518040

Ive already explained to him that the traction control is fine and that the open diff is working as its supposed to, so dont worry about all that.

Anybody have experience with something like this?


Edit: 2000 Crown Vic, only 71k miles.

is the shift linkage damaged at all or look out of place ?

Did you check rear differential which may be causing one to spin freely, and the other to be fixed? Does it make this sound in neutral? If it makes it in park but not neutral, maybe the pawl being damaged making that noise. That's my theory because if it starts in park, looks like it doesn't make that noise. But this is just a guess.

Shift linkage looks ok, but without a side by side comparison its hard to say.

The diff is fine, the reason passenger side isnt spinning is because driver side just had axle replaced and there arent brakes installed so the drag of the caliper holds the open diff on that side.

There's no way the prop shaft should be spinning in Park or Neutral. Something is seriously mis-aligned in either the shift linkage, the DTRS, or the valve body.

Oof, that sounds like the parking pawl trying it's absolute best and failing.

I agree with RF_Overlord. There shouldn't be any prop shaft movement in park whatsoever. In neutral with the drive wheels off the ground like that some latent fluid movement and friction might cause some prop shift spin, but not that fast, it sounds like it's still got clutches applied as if it were in gear. Shift linkage issue or other valve body concern is probably to blame.