Hot Rods Cracked tranny case!

No, this isn't a police cold case story. So, today I do a little tweaking on some minor **** on my T. Well, I cruise around a bit and make a run to the hardware store. I get home and decide to go see a buddy up the street. I'm cruising along, enjoying the day and..... suddenly, the engines going, but the car slows to a stop. I pushed it to a safe spot out of traffic and look to see what's up. No gears, except for park. So, I look around and notice a crack in my transmission housing! It's about a foot log and 1/4" wide at the widest point. It's about 2" past the mounting bolts, if you were looking from the front of the car. Going from the bottom, right tab, up along the case.

Well, I get a wrecker friend to tow me home and tomorrow I'll be looking to score a transmission. I've got a good source and some spare cash, so that's not the problem. I'll disconnect everything tomorrow and call a friend to help me remove and replace the transmissions, when I get the new one. Should be back on the road by the weekend. Hopefully.

I sat here and thought about what could have happened. I remembered that when I left the hardware store, the exit was a little steep. I kinda s****ped a little, but not as bad as I've done before. Usually, it's the bottom of the oil pan. I guess it was the ******, but it wasn't that big of a s**** and I wasn't going fast.

Man, today started out as such a nice day too. ****s major ****. I just put this one in about 8 months ago and it's been working great. Oh well. Just a part of hot rodding, I guess.

Things should go pretty quick. I have to remove the body to get to the ******, but no big deal. Just a minor bummer. Jeez.

Has anyone ever seen this or know of it happening?

 

bummer!

Check for loose trans to engine bolts. Also...you're not running a solid rear mount are you?

 

want type mounts? may want to install some mid mounts

in photo your T looks like long traction bars............

 

****** bolts were snug (still are). And I use rubber mounts. Those "bars" are the radius rods.

If I had some spare coin, I'd get the body painted while it's off.

 

Also, make sure the locating dowels between engine and trans are intact and not worn funny. Very important!

 

Thanks. They should be okay and they were okay when I put this one in.

 

and don't drag the trans over bumps!

Enough scolding, hope you get it fixed soon....painting the body might slow you down

 

Yup...... the more I think about it, that had to have been it. So, a $5 pack of bolts is gonna cost me about $450! Lifes lessons are a *****!!

 

That doesn't happen to be the same transmission that was in the car when it got wrecked? I never did find out how you came out when the trans wouldn't work right last year.

It looks like you have side mounts on the engine so that should eliminate the front mount/aluminum ****** flex thing.

When I had my T in the mid 70's the wheel base was just right for the oil pan to slam down on speed bumps if I hit them too fast. JD Fikes and I managed to pull the pan, weld it and have it back on and running in an hour once after I caught one of the speed bumps at McClennan Community College. Your might be just right for the trans pan to hit rather then the engine pan.

 

I blew a four speed in half once. Crack ran from one side to the other from the bell housing, around the tailshaft and back along the other side right along the middle. Apparently one of the shift tabs worked loose so it went into two gears at the same time during a 6500 RPM speed shift. Luckily I was close to home and pushed it the rest of the way, dug into my four speed pile and was back up and running.

 

No, this wasn't the same ******. Usually, the oil pan rubs. But even that's been only minor and only a couple times. The exit out the hardware store was steep and normally I would have come out at an angle. But there was street construction, so I had to come out straight. The ****** may have moved up and then back down. Just enough to put stress on it. It probably got a small crack when it flexed and got worse as I drove. Well, that's just a theory. I know it wasn't cracked before today. So....

 

We've got a 4L60E in the shop now, with a crack just like that. It has a failed transmission mount. They don't always look broken when at-rest. Pull out he mount and inspect it.

When I got the one off of the 4L60E in question, it was in two pieces. It looked okay when it was installed.

 

Good idea. Thanks.

 

I was gunna ask the same question ........." was it the same ****** when you had the wreck with the cop car " .....but you've answered that ......

Fred ..........I would be thinking about some rub bars under the new ****** ....attached to the ch***is

Good luck with it mate

Steve in Oz

 

That's what I had and that's what I'm going with. Shouldbe picking up the new ****** tomorrow.