Re: 500 Caddy into El Camino
I’ve mostly been sorting out wiring and plumbing the last couple of weeks. Besides the factory wiring that came out of the Monte Carlo parts car I added factory wiring for the cruise control and delay wipers that were the 2 options the Monte didn’t have. I also built an additional harness to add the circuits I needed for the aftermarket AC, Tach, electric choke, additional idiot light, electric kickdown for the TH 400 and electric fuel pump. Then there was the security system and stereo wiring. The factory wiring from the SB Monte could have stood to be a couple of inches longer to lay nicer around the passenger side valve cover, but I can live with it. The biggest time eaters have been a couple of bad circuits in the factory harness I had to track down and I’m currently fighting a couple of non working gauges.
As I got most of the electrical straightened out (still trying to get the oil pressure and gas gauge to work). I decided to give myself a Christmas present yesterday and take the El Camino on its maiden test drive.
I made it about 1/2 mile taking it real easy just checking the way the trans sifted and listening for any strange noises etc, slowed down to turn a corner and there was a slight pop and a whining sound and it felt like the transmission went away. You could feel it try to pull a very little bit in low and reverse (it would move the truck on level ground, but would not make even a slight grade.
I was able to get a hold of a friend of mine and we towed it back to the shop. I was about ready to move it into the shop when my friend looked under it and told me the drive shaft was turning, but the wheels weren't!!!!!
I've blown up enough rear ends over the years to know the catastrophic sounds that normally accompany it and other than the whining there were no big bangs, grinding or other associated sounds.
On the bright at least I didn’t pull the transmission out to find there was nothing the matter with it LOL.
Anyway I got the 3rd member out of the 9” and took the traction loc apart. Other than the clutches being smoked I really didn’t see any damage or problems, so my initial thoughts were at some point someone had put in an axel that was long enough to engage the clutch hub, but not too short to go into the side gear and that it probably worked ok with an open carrier but not the POSI (it was a hub to hub 59 Ford wagon rear so who knows what it had been thru in 40 years). It was the only explanation for it not acting like an open rear end and getting me home.
I discovered the real problem this morning when I went to assemble the 3rd member so I could start measuring the axels. The guy who had put the traction loc together had used a 31 spline side gear instead of a 28 spline (basically all the power was being sent thru the clutches instead on the side gear). Anyway I have a new side gear and new set of clutches coming so I can get it back together and try it again.
I’ve mostly been sorting out wiring and plumbing the last couple of weeks. Besides the factory wiring that came out of the Monte Carlo parts car I added factory wiring for the cruise control and delay wipers that were the 2 options the Monte didn’t have. I also built an additional harness to add the circuits I needed for the aftermarket AC, Tach, electric choke, additional idiot light, electric kickdown for the TH 400 and electric fuel pump. Then there was the security system and stereo wiring. The factory wiring from the SB Monte could have stood to be a couple of inches longer to lay nicer around the passenger side valve cover, but I can live with it. The biggest time eaters have been a couple of bad circuits in the factory harness I had to track down and I’m currently fighting a couple of non working gauges.
As I got most of the electrical straightened out (still trying to get the oil pressure and gas gauge to work). I decided to give myself a Christmas present yesterday and take the El Camino on its maiden test drive.
I made it about 1/2 mile taking it real easy just checking the way the trans sifted and listening for any strange noises etc, slowed down to turn a corner and there was a slight pop and a whining sound and it felt like the transmission went away. You could feel it try to pull a very little bit in low and reverse (it would move the truck on level ground, but would not make even a slight grade.
I was able to get a hold of a friend of mine and we towed it back to the shop. I was about ready to move it into the shop when my friend looked under it and told me the drive shaft was turning, but the wheels weren't!!!!!
I've blown up enough rear ends over the years to know the catastrophic sounds that normally accompany it and other than the whining there were no big bangs, grinding or other associated sounds.
On the bright at least I didn’t pull the transmission out to find there was nothing the matter with it LOL.
Anyway I got the 3rd member out of the 9” and took the traction loc apart. Other than the clutches being smoked I really didn’t see any damage or problems, so my initial thoughts were at some point someone had put in an axel that was long enough to engage the clutch hub, but not too short to go into the side gear and that it probably worked ok with an open carrier but not the POSI (it was a hub to hub 59 Ford wagon rear so who knows what it had been thru in 40 years). It was the only explanation for it not acting like an open rear end and getting me home.
I discovered the real problem this morning when I went to assemble the 3rd member so I could start measuring the axels. The guy who had put the traction loc together had used a 31 spline side gear instead of a 28 spline (basically all the power was being sent thru the clutches instead on the side gear). Anyway I have a new side gear and new set of clutches coming so I can get it back together and try it again.
