VCCA Home Forums TECHNICAL - 1945 AND EARLIER 1912-1928 1927 CAPITAL AA GRINDING GEARS

HI
ABOUT TO REPLACE CLUTCH (3 PIECE CHANGE TO RIVETED) AND I WAS WONDERING, SOMETIMES, B-4 CHANGE ABOUT TO TAKE PLACE, IT WAS HARD TO DOWNSHIFT 3-2 GEAR ALMOST HAD TO STOP AND UNLESS I WAITED FOR IDLE DOWN IN BETWEEN UP SHIFTS 1-2-3 I WOULD GET GRIND. IF I IDLE DOWN COMPLETELY AND COUNT 1-2-3 BETWEEN UP SHIFTS NO GRIND. AFTER REMOVAL I DISCOVERED THAT MY NOISEY CLUTCH DISC WAS PROBABLY OK BUT WILL REPLACE WITH NEW ANYWAY AND I WONDERED, HOW TO REDUCE THE GRIND, SUGGESTIONS PLEASE.

THANKS U GUYS AND GALS
KEN45145

You will have to learn the correct engine speed increase when down shifting. If you match the speed of transmission input shaft (engine rpm) with the speed of the gears (from the rear end) then there will not be any grinding. Either double clutching or hesitating for a couple seconds in neutral position (counting 1-2-3) will help with matching the gear speeds.

If the trans oil is too thin it will let the gears spin fast when in neutral and they take a while to slow down enough to mesh. Same thing can happen between shifts. Book calls for 600wt gear oil. Be sure to use gear oil that is compatable with bronze (no sulfur additive) or the transmission shaft bushings can be attacked and look like worms chewed them up. Don't shift it like a modern car. These ol gals don't have syncromesh trannys. As for down shifting you will have to double clutch. in other words, when in 3rd and slowing to a stop ahead. Take foot off gas let car slow down to the point where the RPM sounds like where it would be when you would shift up into 3rd. Then push in clutch and put in in neutral let clutch back out to speed up the trans gears and push clutch back down and gently push gear shift lever back into second. All it takes is a gentle push of the lever and when the tranny is at the speed the lever will usually slip right into second. If you have to force it up, the speed isn't right. With practice you can do it and never grind a gear but it takes paying attention to the sound of the engine. By the way. Lubriplate makes the 600 wt oil that has no sulfur. I got mine from restoration supply in San Diego but you should be able to get it locally. Be warned, it is high $$ but it is the slickest stuff I have ever put in a tranny . The rear end also takes the same oil. It is a good idea to flush the trans with kerosene for a few minutes at idle to clean the case of tiny chips of gear teeth. I flushed my 24 olds tranny 3 times before it came clean. (It has worn bushings and is a bit noisy)

HEY

THIS SITE IS THE BEST AND THANK YOU BOTH FOR INPUT I WILL PRACTICE THIS WHEN I REINSTALL MY NEW RIVETED CLUTCH DISC. DO NOT WANT TO PUT THE OLE 27 AWAY YET, GETTING TO COLD TO DRIVE T BUCKET. THANKS AGAIN GUYS

KEN 45145

Don't let the cold stop you, I have driven my Olds touring car with no side curtains with the snow flying and it wasn't too bad if dressed for it. Now the back seat was a different story! My girlfriend at the time liked to ride in the back because of the leg room and that day she lasted about 3 min back there and wanted to come up front. It was a 30 miles trip we went on that day for her birthday and she acually had fun! Years ago I rode with Dad in his 28 AB landau coupe but it had the manifold heater. It was dead of winter and below freezing out but that car got so warm and toasty inside we had to roll the windows down some! I was on the pass side and really cooked! If you don't have a heater the worst thing that may happen is the windows fog up. Long johns may be nescessary, but half the fun is seeing what people went through back then. Lap robes, coal filled foot warmers, soapstone bed warmers etc were carried over from the horse and buggy days to the early cars. Drive it and have an adventure. (Just stay off the road in salt)

Bob
anytime you are ready to go for a ride give me a call, I am ready to drive my 27 aa all winter. fun, fun, fun till the grandson takes the t bird away.
Your friend,
Ken