Tranny or rear end?

Sorry for the title, not very PC. But someone today asked me how I knew my tranny died. So this is what happened.
I fiiiiiinally picked up my car from the auto shop after they did some stuff on it and I was close to home on the freeway and decided to gun it a little . . .
it was fine for a while and at first it was very suttle but the car would drive fine when I was cruising with foot off the gas, with foot on the accel the car would drive as if I was putting my foot on the break intermittently. Then I heard a loud clunk in the back and that's when I was coming close to my exit. I stopped the car and the car actually turned off for some reason. I started it back up and when I was accelerating it the car barely moved forward. So then I was going through the streets and it was really struggling. I started going uphill and it almost didn't make it because even though I was in D it felt like I was in neutral. I put it in 2 and was able to continue uphill (still struggling). Haven't tried starting it or driving it yet.
I thought that was the tranny, could it have been the rear end?

 

When you break a differential it either goes boom and wont move the car again or it makes foul crunching/grinding sounds and the car wont move or moves in fits and jerks with the affore mentioned sound accompanyment.I believe you were correct the first time...trans problem.

 

I agree. Tranny.

 

That's the word I was looking for, it was kinda "jerking" when I accelerate.

 

Yah know...you could have a fuel delivery/timeing issue.How fresh is that 302 you had put in there,and what was it at the shop for recently(may have some bearing on your current problem)

 

I doubt it is a transmission problem. With the transmission in Park will the engine run right? if not then you have a problem with the engine. If it runs fine in Park then jack up the back of the car and put it on stands (or block it up with wood) and try running it in low gear - then second - then third.
Let us know what happens.

 

ok, I'll do that and I'll report back . . . I'm actually really curious and kinda excited, it's like a mystery novel . . . except mystery novels cost $10, this whole thing will set me back a mortgage

 

subscribing to find out whats wrong

 

So I finally had a moment to mess around with the car but the battery is dead, it was on it's last leg so not too unexpected. What's a really good quality battery to buy? After I get the battery in I'll do the diagnostic stuff.

 

I am very happy with my $180. 00 Die-hard Platinum. No Leak battery= no corrosion

 

ive allways ran optima red top batterys. ive never had a problem with them. ive even had one that wasnt puting out more than 11.5 volts on its best day but would crank the motor just as fast as ever. i had that one in the car for 3 years that way. the only thing with optimas is that if you drain it completely they seem to not be able to take a charge again.