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'54 3100

I have been having issues with my transmission the past couple days. I just had the engine redone last month. My transmission is making a "crackle" noise in low gear; my guess is a bearing went bad. Also starting last night I started hearing a "hollow grinding" sound (as described by a friend) this only occurs when the transmission is in gear (all 3 gears). When I put the clutch in, the terrible sounds stop. So the issue is the transmission.

Please take my rookie description and give me a diagnose or ask me more questions.

Ps this is my daily driver.

Get a fine screen.
Take out transmission drain plug.
Put a magnet on screen.
Strain oil through screen into pan/bucket.
Check for metal pieces on screen/magnet.
If you find metal pieces, rebuild transmission or buy a used one from junk yard.

Do you have 3 or 4 speed?
Used 3 speed will be easier to find.

I have a 3 speed

OK

First check for metal in oil.
Then proceed from there.
Check my 1st post I added more stuff.

How fine of mesh?

A little smaller than a screen door screen.
What you want to do is strain the oil.
Then look for metal pieces.
You can use a magnet, the metal will stick to it.
The tranny oil is 90 weight lube, it is kind of thick.
If you warm up tranny before pulling plug it will flow better.

The process makes sense. The question was geared towards the size of the metal shavings. I guess any size is no good but the screen needs to be of a certain size of the experiment makes no sense

If a bearing went bad.
There will be chunks of metal.
If there are fine pieces, like the size of a grain of sand that would be normal wear.

http://imgur.com/JLMAdcl

Drained the tranny, replaced the fluid with 85-140 Lucas gear oil.

Look at the link to the photo, there are metal shavings but nothing larger than a grain of salt. I drove the truck down the road and it's still making all the same noises, not that I thought changing the oil would solve it. What do y'all think?

sure its the transmission and not the rear end gears?

Probably the bearing on the input shaft. Or if someone rebuilt your engine did they pilot shaft bushing get removed? If so did it get replaced.

I just had the engine rebuilt last month. I will have to call the tomorrow and find out.

The noise is definitely coming from the transmission. It is possible the rear end is causing some issues, the rear diff has a leak and was about half empty.

How about throw out bearing, new? backwards? and, as said, new pilot Bushing? Bad throw out makes noise only part of the time as you describe.

If you took out the engine and put it back in yourself,
then take the metal pieces from the oil to a transmission shop along with the truck.
Tell them to take it for test ride.

If the same guy that rebuilt the engine,
took it out and put it back in, then take the truck back to him.
Tell him to take it for test ride.

I think they metal pieces are a little large and could be a beginning of a failure in the tranny.
Especially the elongated pieces

After replacing engine was the below performed.
Restore gear lube pool so u-joint bushings stay lubricated. Step 5
You have to disconnect speedometer drive gear and fill universal ball/bell housing with gear lube until lube comes out of tranny filler plug.
If there was no gear lube put in the universal ball housing, what you are hearing may be non-lubercated u-joint bushings.
Unscrew torque tube retainer ring.
Remove the 4 ball collar bolts.
Slide universal ball housing back,
then check for presence of gear lube in ball housing.
Inspect u-joint and check for play.
picture of u-joint and yokes And instructions.
picture of universal ball housing And instructions.
If you replace u-joint/trunnion, Don't forget to use new u-joint/trunnion bolts locking plates.

Also while you have it apart its a good thing to check torque tube front yoke and rear propeller shaft bushings for play.
If there is a wiggle in the rear yoke and propeller shaft wiggles you might have wore torque tube bushings and the rear oil seal could be leaking gear lube into the rear end. That is why the gear lube pool is not staying in the universal ball/bell housing. Check Note: Inspection step 1. If clearance exceeds .010" the bushings and oil seal should be replaced. You could squirt oil down the torque tube if it disappears then its time to replace bushings and oil seal.
The other thing to check is the rear axle filler plug, if you take it out and gear lube comes pouring out then you know the seal is leaking.
If the rear axle is overfull gear lube usually leaks into the brake drums. Not good
If this is the case then you will want to install a Okie bushing info here.
Where to buy Here


No sense putting in new parts unless you first have found what caused the old ones to fail.

Let me know how it goes,

Looks like gears 2&3 are bad. I'm having it replaced. It was the original transmission in the truck so it was about that time anyways.

would this also apply to a 1950 3100 with a Muncie 4 speed? I had Patricks gears installed After about 400 miles sence instalation I am getting a noise !

Paul

What Patrick's gears were installed, rear end or tranny?

They installed the rear end gears. But I was there when they reattached the torque tube. I know for a fact that they didn't pull the speedo gear and fill with lube. and the noise is coming from right under the cab. I pulled the transmission and sent it to the shop. they said it was fine. there was some wear on the yoke but they said it was not bad enough to replace.

What did the shop that installed the rear end gears have to say?

I had a friend who is a retired a heavy truck mechanic do the install.He contacted Patricks to make sure every thing was installed correctly. and it was.We reinstalled the transmission today. Added gear lube through the speedo gear hole. I drove it 10 miles home with no noise.If it comes back we will change the bushings and seals.