The Stovebolt Site Forums The Shop Area Engine Shop Crashing Gears

My 62 Chevy with three speed trans(three on the tree), 235 six cylinder crashes gears when I try to shift to low gear. Engaging the clutch doesn't seem to help. I have replaced the clutch slave cylinder and bled the system but nothing seems to help. It is worse when the engine is hot. One mechanic :confused: said it was the pilot bearing freezing up. The clutch and pilot bearings were replaced about 20k back. Any ideas before I begin tearing things down again?

My 53 crunches also... Dont know why but: from a stop, shifting into second then into first will not crunch the gears. This is NOT a solution to the problem, but it gets me by till I find a suitable replacement.
rick

I don't know about the '62 but my '55 does not have a synronized first gear. Sitting at the light in neutral (I don't ride the clutch), when the light changes, I have to wait a good five-count to shift into first from the time the clutch is engaged to avoid grinding.

However, like Whizzer, I have found that I can just touch the second gear gate (engages 2nd gear synronizer), then shift to first without waiting to avoid grinding. this is a great relief to the hotfoots behind me at the light and I don't have to hold up the "Keep honking, I'm reloading" sign in my rear window while I'm counting to five.

These things were never made for speed shifting, even when new.

That brings up a good point: When the majority of cars had column shift standards or Powerglides, traffic flow was different. Think about it, the driving manuvers like passing, taking off from a stop, cruising speeds, stop & go driving, were all different when everybody was waiting for their non-syncro trannies to stop spinning, or their 'glides to upshift.

I don't know what year syncro low became stock. But if your truck doesn't have it, there is no 2nd to 1st downshift unless you're stopped. As Yogi Berra once said: "There is no there there."

Chip

Sorry, Chiphead, it wasn't Yogi. It was Gertrude Stein, speaking about Oakland, California, who said "There is no there, there." Stein was an author and companion to Alice Toklas (of brownie fame.)

I was thinking the full-synchro tranny came at the same time as the 230 engine in 63. But I have been wrong once or twice this year, and it's only October!

Is Gertrude any relation to Ben Stein?
Toklas was a girl scout?
Berra said some funny stuff, even when he didn't.

And this has nothing to do with a transmission. Call it a non-syncro post.

Yogi Berra Quotes

My moms van did the same thing, and it turned out the syncros had gone out in 1st gear. We had to come to a complete stop before we could shift it without grinding it, even with the clutch disingaged.

chiphead, took your comedian pills this am huh?

The 62 didn't have the full-syncro trans-so Fred is correct. I always come to a complete stop before shifting and shifting to 2nd before going to 1st doesn't help. I am still puzzled as to why the truck does not crash when cold, only when I have driven far enough to warm everything up?

My guess would be that the gear lube in the tranny warms up and thins out. The gears can spin easier in the thinner lube. At least thats what I tell myself when my '54 does the same thing. And I rebuilt the tranny 4 years ago.

Chip

And yes, I did take my comedian pills. Do I need to modify the dose?

Thanks for all your replies Stovebolt owners! Chiphead what weight lube do you use? I thought 90 weight transmission was the correct one...?

Good question. Some of the shop manuals call for lube weights that aren't made anymore. You can either use a weight that is the closest to what your book calls for, or experiment. I've tried straight 90, 80W-100, and 90W-140. I find that the heavier weight oils reduce the gear clash and "spin-down" time noticably. However, if you use the heavier oil, the tranny acts "gummy" or can be slow to shift when cold. This would prolly be worse at 40 degrees F or below during the winter. But its OK when the box warms up to operating temp. Let us know what works for you.

Chip

Jeeze I thought you was all OLD TRUCK guys !? doesn't anyone hear know how to double clutch ? I have no trouble sliping into first gear or even granny gear when moving .

I must be getting too old .

Hey Jim ! let's go have coffee and grump about these kids . :p