Reproduction Parts for 1916-1964 Chevrolet Passenger Cars & 1918-1987 Chevrolet & GMC Trucks


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So just got my first Fleetline. I've spent my life working on vintage VWs (and various other cars, including a '72 C10, a '72 Impala ((my first car ever)), this and that.

Suffice to say, I'm quite an experienced mechanic with 35 years turning wrenches, building motors, you name it.

But now, this Fleet has me baffled...it didn't do this in Seattle when I test-drove it. And it didn't do it when I finally got 'er fired today. But after about 10 minutes driving it around the neighborhood, a horrible scraping, grinding, milling noise is coming from the bell housing area, as if the clutch is falling apart.

STRANGEST thing is, it's intermittent. I get no change in sound by pushing in the clutch, and no change with engine RPM changes (whether it's in the silent state or the grinding state).

Could this be something like the T/O bearing falling apart, or something I'm just not familiar with that goes in between the engine and the transmission?

Where should I get a service manual? Should I join the VCCA to get access to the tech articles? (I had planned on doing that anyway.) I'm just trying to figure out where to start...and, of course, assuming that the 216 needs to come out to get to the clutcheroo!

Thanks as always!

Filling Station - Chevrolet & GMC Reproduction Parts


Filling Station


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Sounds like it's time to pull the tranny...I wouldn't start it again...In case the clutch plate is coming apart...Wouldn't want to do too much damage to the flywheel, if that's the case...Perhaps this was the precursor to the "shaking"...

Maybe loose or broken bolts on the pressure plate...?


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The first thing I would do is fill the transmission with 85W-140 gear oil. Its probably empty, holds 1 1/2 pints.
Then drop the flyweel pan and look at the T.O. bearing.Pack a little grease in the grove of the bearing where the fork rides. and observe the fingers on the pressure plate. The pressure plate has a diaphragm spring and the spring "fingers" should all lay against the bearing evenly.


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You can remove the plug on the side of the transmission and insert you "pinky" to see if the level is near the top...I've run the transmission completely dry for hundreds of miles without a sound...Still works fine, although it's full now... laugh

How much clutch pedal play do you have...? The throw out bearing shouldn't be touching the pressure plate "fingers"...I would imagine you would just hear "screeching" sound when you push on the pedal if'n it was just the throwout bearing...

But, like Gene says,"remove the pan and have a look see..."

Last edited by kevin47; 01/31/14 11:33 PM.

1947 Fleetmaster Sport Coupe VCCA # 47475

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manual you can read here while waiting on your copy. Even though it only list to "47, "48 is the same.


Russell #38868
'48 4 door Fleetline
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Oh my gawd Gene, you nailed it! Everything is fine up there except the tranny...IT'S BONE DRY!!!

Pulled the pan, T.O. brg and fork/clutch are fine and true. End play looks fine, I can slightly engage the clutch from underneath while it's running and all's quiet. But then out of nowhere this screeching kicks in from the tranny, like a pilot bearing on the input shaft or something. Man it screams.

Now I just pray it isn't ruined. I'm off to get some oil.

Russell, thanks for the link.

Kevin, now that she's in the California sun, the tires are rolling true-n-round and the wild vibrations are gone.

Update coming soon!
Thanks all.

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Alright, the jury's in: The transmission is now hush after a fresh fill-up of gear oil (thanks again). I've never seen such a thing - maybe ten drops came out when I removed the drain plug!

I drove the car around the neighborhood for about five miles, keeping it under 45 mph, and there was no more grinding noise. Whew, I thought I was in for a bunch more work.

So now my only hope is that this didn't cause some latent damage that's going to crop up later. I just wanna dial in the mechanicals and enjoy this car for a while until I finish remodeling my house.

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You might also want to check the level of the oil in the rear axle.


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When I found my transmission had gone dry...I went and checked the rear end right away...Yours must have been dry for awhile...I got away with it's for a long time...Probably something every one should check soon after you buy the car...


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And check the transmission level every 1000 miles or at least evvry year.


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Good advice....

Who rebuilds these trannies? Anyone on the west coast?

I don't have a good feeling about this...that car must've been driven for years like that. In all my years working on cars, I've never seen such a thing.

Utter, inexcusable neglect.

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I've had my car for 10yrs and have never been able to get that big giant bolt loose on the diff. Havn'e noticed any leaks so I hope it's fine...

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If it was my car I would make an effort to get the level checked, especially if you have added to the transmission. The seal in the torque tube leaks and over fills the rear end.

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I have had to heat a differential cap more than once to get different ones loose. I also would definitely check the level of lube in the differential or you risk the contamination of the brakes.


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48heavy, I assume you are talking about the large, round plug with the square "shoulder" on it on the back of the diff housing that, when removed, allows one to check and/or add the "dope" to the differential. If so, you might try this.

Get the proper sized "crows foot" (like an open end wrench) that fits on a ratchet or extension (mine are 3/8" drive). Adapt it to your 1/2" impact wrench. Adjust the air wrench to its lowest setting, hold the crows foot securely on the square shoulder and turn the air wrench on and be patient.

This is how I remove a stuborn spark plug from these late model aluminum cylinder heads to prevent stripping the aluminum threads. 'Works like a charm on the spark plugs.

I haven't encountered a diff plug stuborn enough to use this method (although I have had to use a "cheeter bar" on 'em). However, turned down low, the tap,tap,tap of the air wrench should get the plug out, if you are patient. Hold the rig tightly on the square shoulder to prevent damage to the plug.

When you get it out and check your lube level, remember, those plugs only need to be "snugged" with a wrench. (If your vent is open, there will never be any pressure in the diff.) Then, you can get the plug out easily the next time.
Good luck - - -

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Originally Posted by donsbigtrucks
If it was my car I would make an effort to get the level checked, especially if you have added to the transmission. The seal in the torque tube leaks and over fills the rear end.
That's where I thought the transmission fluid might have ended up...And why I went straight to it to check...But, it was fine...I have no leaks...I figure the last idiot drained the transmission and forgot to fill it...Hard to believe I drove for so long without any fluid or noise...Knock on wood... laugh


1947 Fleetmaster Sport Coupe VCCA # 47475

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Originally Posted by kevin47
That's where I thought the transmission fluid might have ended up...

Okie doke, I finally checked the diff oil (I haven't been driving it due to ongoing work with the intake/exhaust manifolds, etc). The oil is approximately 1/2" below the hole. So I don't think my tranny leaked out and down the torque tube.

So, from what I've read above, it sounds like the tranny can leak into the tube can leak to the rear end can leak to the brakes??

Where are the normal sealing points? Doesn't the differential seal at the input yoke? It sounds like it would take multiple seal failures to get to that point.

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Sorry I didn't see this posting earlier, but I recently had my '41 Chevy SD tranny completely rebuilt at "All Standard Transmission" (AST) in Campbell, CA. Kevin, the owner, is extremely knowledgable, and great to work with. He does all the work himself. He even had authentic NOS parts - not NORS parts, but actual NOS - in his shop the very day I brought the tranny to him: synchronizer drum, second gear, cluster gear w/shaft, and bearings. All authentic NOS! Thirty five years ago I had a local, well respected, shop overhaul my tranny the for the first time. He put new bearings and a new 2nd gear in it (I didn't know enough back then to ask for NOS parts). But after the overhaul it no longer down-shifted from 3rd to 2nd without grinding. That first guy took it apart a second time, couldn't determine what was wrong, and I've been driving it for 32 years that way. Then three years ago I took it to another well respected tranny shop and was told I needed a NOS synchronizer drum, which a fellow Chevy Club member found for me on the internet, and it was installed. But the same down-shift-grinding problem persisted, and this tranny guy was also stumped. And I was out another $520! Then this year, while I was having the engine rebuilt, I learned about AST, and decided to give them a try. When Kevin took the tranny apart he quickly determined that neither the second gear nor the 'supposedly' NOS synchronizer were in fact original NOS parts! I had Kevin put the real NOS gears, shafts, sync drum and bearings in it and it now shifts/dwonshifts just like the General engineered it to shift - PERFECTLY! And I still have a working vacuum shift on the car! Kevin, in retrospect, determined that 2nd gear installed 35 years ago was probably the primary culpret because the energizer spring on it did not function properly. Had it been an authentic NOS GM part, the tranny probably would have operated fine. He further speculated that the synchronizer drum installed three years ago would not have fixed the down-shifting-grinding problem either bacause it was still working in conjunction with a defective 2nd gear. And to boot, it had some imperfections of its ownwhich the guy who installed it didn't notice! To sum it up:I can't recommend AST highly enough! Google All Standard Transmissions, Campbell, CA and give Kevin a call. Tell him Roy with the green '41 Chevy coupe sent ya.

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Hi Roy,

Thanks for sharing your transmission rebuild experience with us. It is especially nice to know of a reputable rebuilder. What was the service cost? So much for parts and so much for labor???

Thanks, Mike

P.S. A lot of us are chasing the perfect shifting car!!!

Last edited by Mike Buller; 03/29/14 08:24 AM.

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Hey Roy,

No worries, it's never too late to resurrect a thread!

Your input is most appreciated, and as a matter of fact, it turns out that AST is about 5 miles from my home.

And actually, I haven't driven the ol' girl since these posts, cuz I took 'er down to restore the wheels, install my wide whites, and sort out some engine issues.

Meanwhile, I'm on Patrick's list for a new 3.55 gearset when they come in, so when I pull the rearend out to do this work, I'll pluck the tranny out and run it up to Kevin to have a look see inside. Since I resolved the noise with the oil fillup, it didn't exhibit any more issues on the road. It shifts quietly and smoothly, and I too still have a functioning vacuum canister...I'd like to keep it in use as long as possible...from what I'm hearing, once they go, the standard fix is to put that mechanical linkage in it's place and be done with it. According to C-of-40's, it was actually a factory fix for the failed canisters.

We'll see, I hope to have her back on the road in a couple weeks, then I can really get a good listen of the engine to try and determine if that noise I was hearing was just an exhaust leak or if it's a rod knocking down there.

Thanks again!


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