I bought a 55 Chevy a few months ago with a 235 and PG in it. It's been sitting a couple weeks while I get the carb fixed. I put the carb back on today and tried to start it and ran down the battery so on with the charger. I just went out to check on it and there is a big puddle of tranny fluid on the driveway. I couldn't pin point the leak source but I pulled out the dip stick and it's covered in tranny fluid like it "burpped" up the tube. It has never done this before and was running fine up til now. Does anyone know what may have happeded to cause this? Like I said I tried to start it, however, it ran the battery down before it would run on it's own. WTF? Any ideas tranny guys? Oh, I did recently replace the radiator if that helps with the diagnosis. Thanks.
Here you go, man...It's standard operating procedure on a powerslide.... http://www.chevytalk.org/fusionbb/s...post/1508316/hl/burping/fromsearch/1/#1508316
Thanks Special Ed for the tip. I wonder if I should leave the tranny as is, you know, about a pint low on fluid to keep this from happening? I had never heard of this before but it makes since. When I first got the car I was going to change the tranny filter so I went to the parts store and asked for one and they gave me a typical pan gasket. I went home and crawled under the car to drop the pan and change the filter and much to my amaze, there was no pan! As the article Special Ed referred to states, it is a sealed transmission. Wow, this is a whole new ball game. I had one of these years ago, late 60s, and don't remember having this problem. It wasn't long after I got that car that I put a BBC and TH400 in it so I never saw the problem. Well, guess I'll get the oil sorb out and get this mess cleaned up. Do you know if this will continue or does it stop once the fluid reaches a certain level? Thanks guys for the help.
Later transmissions will make a mess too. There's a filter (screen) in there you get to it from the side cover, on the pass side of the bellhousing. The converter O ring will get tired and leak all the oil out too. Best thing is to drive it every day or two....
I found that the cast iron powerglides can't breath so they build up preasure internally most tranny's have a vent or breather on top old powerglides do not. pull off the tailshaft housing drill and tap a hole with a npt tap install a brass fitting and route a piece of hose from fitting up to bellhousing area. good luck
Well I went out and got it started and it went into reverse and drive just fine so I think the tranny is OK. I was beginning to wander about it but, it's fine. Does anyone have pics of PGs with the holes/vent drilled in them? I like to see where this is located on the tranny. Thanks.
It's pretty simple to modify, I've done the job and it only took a few minutes. Pull the driveshaft and speedo gear. Remove the tailshaft housing. Drill a hole in the top of the housing and tap it for a 1/8" NPT fitting. Re-assemble and install a piece of hose. There's plenty of room inside the tailshaft housing, the small amount that the fitting will project inside is no concern. Shawn
Fraid i cant help you on the leak ,but i had a cast iron glide in a 60 Belair once that did the same thing .Mine liked to leak out of the front seal when it was driven at highway speeds for more than a few miles.Any other time it wouldnt leak a drop .When i say it leaked ,it leaked.Looked like a water fall.I carried a case of cheap trans fluid in the trunk the month i drove it with the 235/glide and kept my ass off the freeway until i changed them for a 350/350 setup ...
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