The car is a 51 Chevy Styline with a 54 235 from a truck and a stock tranny. I need to see if you guys know the answer to these symptoms. If I start off in 1st gear the car chatters and shakes really bad, so bad that I cant really use 1st gear. If I start in second its WAY better, but still does it a little. I thought it may be bad motor mounts allowing the motor to rock back and forth, but after installing side mounts instead of front mounts its the same issue. Any Ideas?
Might take a look at the rear U joint, This was sent to me online, dont know the source, but have you ran over any mattresses lately? A woman ran over a mattress on the highway. She decided not to worry, and kept driving. The ensuing jumble finally whipped around enough to tear a hole in the fuel tank. The subsequent lack of fuel is what finally brought her vehicle to its knees. She had still managed to drive 30 more miles with a 60-pound tangle of stuff wrapped around her drive shaft. She had it towed to her dealership and complained that the vehicle had a sort of shimmy when she was driving at high speeds. Below are photos of what they found at the dealership the last photo is by far the best. A sort of shimmy?
Its got a torque tube, though the joint in it may be bad. The tranny also pops out of third gear, which I think isnt related.
The jumping out of third gear could be related. Many times this is caused by a bad input shaft bearing being worn out which allows the input shaft to move up and down. This can cause the clutch disc to be off center. If your "U" joint does not slide easily on the tail shaft this can also cause a clutch problem. Had a friend with a '54 Chevy that has a twisted spline on the shaft and it caused clutch problems because it couldn't move freely giving the correct clearance for the clutch.
So theoretically, a tranny rebuild and a fresh clutch should solve all. Is there a way to change the rear main with the motor in the car if the trans is out?
It has been a long time since I worked on a 235 but I think you can change the rear main in the car. I think it has a rope type seal that can be pulled into the top with a special tool and then trimmed to length. It isn't an easy job and I have never done it.
The rear main would have to really pour out for it to get enough to get on the clutch. If it just leaves a small spot LEAVE it alone. Rope rear seals are a PITA even if you know what your are doing and HAVE done them before. Pull trans and clutch and see what things are looking like. My best guess is a lot of the prob started in the trans, bad bearings etc. My first car was a 54 Chevy and I'll bet I killed 20 trans over the 6 years I drove it. There was not a piece from the fan to the rear tires I did not destroy at least once.Never left home without a spare pair of axles in the trunk and needed tools.
Most likely a glazed clutch surface or flywheel. I'll bet if you remove trans & inspect clutch you'll find shiny fibers and a a blue colored flywheel. A simple clutch and resurface of flywheel should do the job. And by the way the 235 uses an old rope style seal need to drop crankshaft for PROPER replacement which means yanking the engine otherwise it may leak if not in right. proper adjustment of clutch and proper use will make a clutch last a LONG time.
The rear main leaking won't get on the clutch unless the bottom of bell housing is all clogged up (very unlikely)) which might allow the oil to accumulate up to a level to get on the other side of the flywheel. Yes you can change the rear main seal. It's not easy. It dont require the removal of the crankshaft, just remove the rear main bearing cap and pull the new rope in with a special tool that comes with the seal, it's in a kit. NAPA might still carry the kit. Used properly it works great. A skilled mechanic will have no problem changing it. I've done a few. But, if the drip isn't bothering you that much I wouldn't mess with it.
Ya the drip isnt that bad, I dont really care about it. There is no cover on the bottom of the bell housing, so there is no way its pooling up in there. What should I expect to pay for a tranny rebuild and a flywheel resurfacing?
You'll neet to get it out of the car. Look at the pilot bushing, that's where the tranny input shaft fits into the back of the flywheel, and the end of the shaft for slop/wear. Check and make sure the clutch disc splines slide freely on the input shaft splines. T/O bearing shouldn't bind either. If all that is free, then, try to wiggle the input shaft in the front of the tranny. If it wiggles, it's either worn bearing or needs shims removed to snug it up. For your problem where it's jumping out of gear, might be a biggie, might be something simple. Tranny mechanic (shop) varies, $60 an hour, or find somebody like me to help you for free. With a snug tranny input shaft, no slop, and good fit on pilot bearing, a new/rebuilt pressure plate and disc $100,(look for a clutch kit with new t/o bearing, pressure plate, clutch disc all in one) would be my choice, and the resurface of the flywheel, about $50, or less. Shop around.
Just for grins, change the oil in the transmission. Make sure no shrapnel is present. The real problem is in the clutch/flywheel area like the other guys have said.
clutch chatter is 90% of the time foreign material on the frictin material. Like whe you get brake fluid or grease on a brake shoe and it locks up the whell when you brake.
Now we're getting somewhere. Might be that the clutch disc splines/ T-O bearing are binding, caused by water splashing up, getting wet with subsequent minor surface rust that prevents free sliding. Flywheel/clutch mating area might be rusty too,,,,,,,,,,,
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