edgy
Sharpest Tool
Fitst thing first this is not a Willys Transmission issue. I put my 59 wagon boody on a 2000 chevy blazer frame and drive train.
The details:
The drive train I used had nearly 100,000 miles on it. I drove it home and everything seemed to be working well so I decided to reuse it without rebuilding it.
The transmission cooler is integrated into the new aluminum radiator that I installed in my build
In the teardown I damaged the electronics connector on the transmission, so I replaced the wiring harness on the transmission. I ended up replacing one of the solenoids as well because it was broken either before I took it apart or when I dropped the pan.
I learned later that I did not seat the electronics connector on the new harness properly in the transmission body. I was unable to get the connector vehicle wiring harness to completely seat on the transmission connector. There were a few intermittents on it, but I was anxious to shake-down the rest of the build and drive it a little, so I promised myself that I would drop the pan again soon to be able to seat the fitting properly. It would occasionally go into 'limp-home mode where it would be limited to 2 and 3 gear.
I drove it that way for about 200 miles until one day I heard a click (snap?) that sounded like a rock hitting the undercarriage and I lost all power in all gears, forward and reverse.
I was reasonably confident that it wasn't the transfercase because the wheels were locked in Park.
I had the transmission rebuilt. Replaced it this time there were no intermittents and all the gears worked perfectly, and the downshifts were perfect as well All seemed to be in order.
A couple of days after I replaced the transmission (I had driven it just 40- 50 miles) I heard a noise that I thought was a exhaust leak. (Phwit, Phwit Phwit phwit) that later developed into a more prominent noise more like squish, squish squish. The noise would go away temporarily after shifting into another gear, but would return are a few seconds. I called the rebuilder and asked him about the noises. He said that was a new one on him. He recommended that I continue to drive it- because sometimes the fittings were quite tight and it took a few miles to get them to wear-in. He said the problem would either resolve itself or the transmission would fail and I could then bring it in for replacement under warranty.
50 miles later, i had exactly the same experience driving up the very same gentle hill at 45 MPH. This time there was a louder snap, and noises like gears grinding and I lost all Power to the wheels, but the wheels still lock up in Park.
I spent four hours on Saturday dropping the transmission,( I'm getting pretty good at it. -Unfortunately)
I am looking for some thoughts from the forum if there is something basic that I have overlooked in installing the transmission that my inexperience is causing me these problems, or is it just a couple of instances of bad luck?
Some of you may remember the Maniaci brothers on the Car Talk radio program on NPR. This kind of problem would have been right up their alley, I hope there are some good detectives in the forum who might be able to identify a good course of action for. I would just as soon never have to drop the transmission again.
The details:
The drive train I used had nearly 100,000 miles on it. I drove it home and everything seemed to be working well so I decided to reuse it without rebuilding it.
The transmission cooler is integrated into the new aluminum radiator that I installed in my build
In the teardown I damaged the electronics connector on the transmission, so I replaced the wiring harness on the transmission. I ended up replacing one of the solenoids as well because it was broken either before I took it apart or when I dropped the pan.
I learned later that I did not seat the electronics connector on the new harness properly in the transmission body. I was unable to get the connector vehicle wiring harness to completely seat on the transmission connector. There were a few intermittents on it, but I was anxious to shake-down the rest of the build and drive it a little, so I promised myself that I would drop the pan again soon to be able to seat the fitting properly. It would occasionally go into 'limp-home mode where it would be limited to 2 and 3 gear.
I drove it that way for about 200 miles until one day I heard a click (snap?) that sounded like a rock hitting the undercarriage and I lost all power in all gears, forward and reverse.
I was reasonably confident that it wasn't the transfercase because the wheels were locked in Park.
I had the transmission rebuilt. Replaced it this time there were no intermittents and all the gears worked perfectly, and the downshifts were perfect as well All seemed to be in order.
A couple of days after I replaced the transmission (I had driven it just 40- 50 miles) I heard a noise that I thought was a exhaust leak. (Phwit, Phwit Phwit phwit) that later developed into a more prominent noise more like squish, squish squish. The noise would go away temporarily after shifting into another gear, but would return are a few seconds. I called the rebuilder and asked him about the noises. He said that was a new one on him. He recommended that I continue to drive it- because sometimes the fittings were quite tight and it took a few miles to get them to wear-in. He said the problem would either resolve itself or the transmission would fail and I could then bring it in for replacement under warranty.
50 miles later, i had exactly the same experience driving up the very same gentle hill at 45 MPH. This time there was a louder snap, and noises like gears grinding and I lost all Power to the wheels, but the wheels still lock up in Park.
I spent four hours on Saturday dropping the transmission,( I'm getting pretty good at it. -Unfortunately)
I am looking for some thoughts from the forum if there is something basic that I have overlooked in installing the transmission that my inexperience is causing me these problems, or is it just a couple of instances of bad luck?
Some of you may remember the Maniaci brothers on the Car Talk radio program on NPR. This kind of problem would have been right up their alley, I hope there are some good detectives in the forum who might be able to identify a good course of action for. I would just as soon never have to drop the transmission again.
