Now that I have all these little things fixed on my 54 ton truck. I have been driving it more, actually a lot more. I have put more miles on the 54, than I have on my newer Silverado, almost three times as many this past couple of weeks.
BUT, I have NOT been able to drive it in the mornings to work becasue now that it has gotton cooler out, I can't get the thing to shift into gear. I'm scared to try to frorce it into gear for the fear of breaking a shifting fork or somthing else. I come home at noon for lunch and by that time the temp gets up in the high 40's or higher and take it back to work with no troubles. I think to myself, what's going to happen when it really gets cold out and stays cold. Yes, I plan on driving it all winter too. My 2000 Chevy "sucks" for traction in snow and I despise them darn ABS brakes.
I'm thinking of changing the transmission oil. It smells like sulfur, like my 8N did when I changed it a couple yars ago and more than likely it is the original oil that came in it when it was new in 54.
NOW, shouldn't it have something like 80 or 90 weight gear lube in it??? PLEASE! correct me if I am wrong here. I don't have any manuals what-so-ever on maintence on this old truck. All my information I get if from the Stovebolt site here.
What about the transmission itself, should I drain the old oil out and use something in the transmission to clean it out? My Model A and 8N **** manuals suggest using kerosene, let it run at idle for a few minutes to bring it up to temp, then drain it out and install the correct oil or fluid. I don't have any kerosene, but I do have 5 new gallons of parts cleaning solvent for my solvent tank.
If so what would be the procedure? Drain out the old crap drive it around the block a couple of times or just let it idle in neutral for a few minutes?
I "think" the transmission is a SM420, (4 on the floor) it has dual independant PTO outputs, I assume they both are lubed via the transmission oil too and what I could find on this transmission it takes 6 1/2 pints of oil, might need to add another pint for the extra cavities for the PTO housings.
I would guess you would fill up the transmission to where the oil runs out of the fill/check plug on the side of the transmission.
One thing I have to say, that old 235 6 banger fires right off on these cold mornings, just can't go anywhere after it starts, LOL!
Thanks for any help or suggestions.
John N.
