load clunk and then overheating - X?$#%!

[ozarktrails]

Driving home and then it happens - I felt and heard a metal clunk and lost power or just down-shifting capability (not sure which). Drove about 1/8 mile home and the engine was very hot, boiling out of the overflow box.

I have had some trouble with the tranny lately, dropped the pan, scrapped, changed the filter and replaced the fluid and it was driving good. Then today it starts to miss down-shifting and close to home the above happens. A friend suggested the flex-plate broke...not sure. Any ideas on a sytematic trouble shooting? Can a tranny in trouble cause the engine to get that hot, that fast?

Thanks for the directions. Ken