I have a 1950 oldsmobile that runs fine for about 5 minutes but after that it doesn't want to shift into 2nd. I don't know why this is happening! It drove fine and all of the sudden after parking for class i got in to drive home and it started this issue. I have done everything I can think of which isn't much since I'm not a mechanic. I'm lost and my wife wants to light the car on fire. i need to get it fixed! any help is welcome!
If nobody answers first, i can look in a manual for trouble shooting,... in the AM when i go to the shop.
fluids good, it does have a small leak but i check it everyday. I am lost right now, checking the manual would be awesome!
The first thing I would do is check the adjustment on the transmission throttle lever, the long lever that goes from the throttle linkage to the transmission. Disconnect that lever from the lever that comes out of the trans. by disconnecting the clevis pin at the trans end of the lever. Hold the lever that comes out of the trans the whole way back, towards the back of the car, and readjust the clevis pin so the pin fits freely through the hole on the trans. lever, then drive it to see is that helped...
Here is what the motor manual says is it slips in or misses 2nd gear............. 1. front unit coupling cover seals leaking. 2. front unit coupling cover exhaust valves sticking or missing. 3.front unit coupling cover feed restriction or leak. 4. front unit coupling cover signal restriction or leak. 5. low oil pressure. 6. coupling valve sticking. 7. sticking valve or dirt in the valve body.
Don't forget to check the rear engine mounts - if they're broken or oil soaked & collapsed it throws the throttle pressure linkage out of adjustment.
this troubleshooting chart sounds like the dual coupling hydramatic, not the single range or dual range single coupling type used 56 and back. No shift to 2nd sounds like the G-1 valve in the governor is sticking. Might want to check that and or the 1-2 shift valve in the valve body for it sticking.
Does your 50 Olds start in 2nd when in DR or LO? I have a 50 Olds 98 that does that. I was told that there was a missing spring, probably the G-1 spring. This supposedly was done for the plainlands cars and snow/ice.
Hey teufelhund, Here's a quick round-up of early Olds sources in case you need to contact them for parts and/or advice: Oldsmobile Club of America Northern California Chapter 556 Greenview Place Manteca, CA. 95337 email: [email protected] Tanson Enterprises Sacramento, CA. (916) 752-8790 Kanter.com Fusick.com Best of luck from another FNG!! mr50s
Thank you for all the tips. I have also been told that it could be the filter because it had sat for a good 5 yrs? any thoughts. and either way i would like to get a filter, so any knowledge of where to purchase one?
I have a '49 Olds that had been sitting since 1966, the last time it actually was started was mid 80's. We got it going and the car wouldn't shift out of low. I put it up on the lift pulled the pan and it was full of a thick slim that had grown to the filter. It almost looked like a piece of cheese. It had to be peeled off of the pan and the filter... It also had all kinds of crap growing from every thing, it looked like a cave inside... Anyway I took a bunch of carb cleaner and a soft brush and cleaned the crap out of what I could see/get to. Put a new filter and gasket on. Filled it like the the manual said (there are a few steps, it not just a fill and go thing), along with fluid I added some of that LUCAS trans honey. It took a few laps around the block the trans started shifting at first really hard, but the more I drove it around the block the better it got.... Now it seems to shift just fine, very smooth. I don't know if I just lucked out, or if it was a fix. It works anyway. I got the new filter and gaskets from fatsco trans... fluid and Lucas from a local auto parts store. Good Luck...
Thanks for the help guys! So i dropped the pan and found that a set of bolts had backed out or had never been tightened down after the rebuild. Now Im trying to find the rear trans seal. Im gonna try the shops listed. thanks!
Thank you for all the help. I went through fusick to get the seal and now she is back on the road again!
Good News: Olds runs & drives again. Bad News: Wife probably still wants to light the car on fire. Just kidding, man. I hope she doesn't Good job on the fix and glad you get to enjoy your '50 again!
BAD NEWS! the tranny is jacked again! I think i want to replace the tranny! Its too much work for me! I am looking for an adapter to hook up a turbo 350! any ideas?
An adaptor is probably $900 plus a turbo 350. Plus driveshaft work, plus mounts, linkage, etc. A rebuild kit for your Hydramatic is $350 from autotran.us maybe another $100 to include new bands You live in Sacramento, I'm SURE there's a tranny shop there that can rebuild an early Hydramatic. What's the worst case scenario? $800 for labor? Hell, a grand? That means that for a turbo 350 to cost the same any mounts you'd need to buy or make and getting the driveshaft lengthened or shortened would have to cost no more than about $600 including a rebuilt Turbo 350. Not gonna happen. Im having tranny issues with my Lincoln right now (because the fucking car is possessed) and I thought Bout going to a C6 and that's darn near a bolt-in on my car but decided to keep the stock trans. Those old Hydramatics are VERY strong transmissions, but ya forget that your car is now 62 years old and stuff just wears out.
Hey teufelhund, Just trying to get your situation clarified. You say your 1950 Olds Hydramatic transmission is "jacked again". Does that mean totally gone, or what? What is the transmission doing or not doing? I'm only trying to determine if the root of the problem is external (some error in manual adjustment of the bands or the engine to trans. shift linkage) or internal (some functional breakage or failure on the inside to the point where the car is not driveable and the trans. has to come out in order to be repaired). Do you have time to give us more detail on what you think is wrong? mr50s
x2, more likely that something has been out of adjustment, which caused other problems. No different than not bothering to set the cable correctly on a 700r4. Many issues start when the original Olds carb is tossed for a Edelbrock, and then the linkage is all wrong for the Hydramatic.
The bolts keep backing out of this gear in the rear of the trans! I think the old skool star lock washers are worn out! I'm actually gonna pull out the rocket motor and put a 327 in, i need it to be a daily that i can drive to Reno and back! I have the motor in the classifieds if any one is interested! http://www.jalopyjournal.com/forum/showthread.php?p=7741594#post7741594
Hell that amc 327 is more rare than the 303! A simple fix like new lock washers on the transmission and you are abandoning the Olds! No guts, no glory! My 50 Olds 98 still runs great. I drove it home over 1500 miles. I drive it on various activity runs. I am confident with it! Guess, you, not so much. Good luck with that AMC mill.
Hi, If you want to get the real info. Try this guy Gene in Ca. He's an older Trans fellow, and all he does is rebuild Hydromatics from the 50's. He's forgot more then any of you ever knew... A little long winded, but can tell you the prob over the phone.. His E-mail = [email protected]