62 Daytona Auto Trans Clunk

[bailsout]

I think I have a pretty good clunk when I first put the car into forward or reverse gear. This is my first Studebaker AT. How smooth should that first engagement be? Did they all start in any gear or does mine do that because I have no key and just use a starter button and ignition switch?

[jjones]

Your car should not start in gear. I suspect the starter button is wired directly from a power source to the solenoid. The best fix is to repair the key switch and wire it correctly. In this case, the easy fix is probably to run the power wire through the neutral safety switch. I don't know where that is on your car, but the manual should tell you. As for the clunk, check your U-joints first, both front and rear.


Jeff Jones
Tucson Arizona
1947 M-5

[r1lark]

Besides U-joints, clunk could be:
bad tranny mounts,
loose rear axle hub,
too high of an idle

Paul
Winston-Salem, NC
Visit The NEW Studebaker Skytop Registry website at: www.studebakerskytop.com

[rockne10]

It should only start in neutral or park. If it will start in other gears your neutral safety switch is suspect or has been by-passed.

[bams50]

Brad, he said his car has a push button and switch, which would bypass everything.

Robert (Bob) Andrews Owner- Studebakeracres- on the IoMT (Island of Misfit Toys!)
Parish, central NY 13131

"Some people live for the rules, I live for exceptions"- 311

"Do they all not, by mere virtue of having survived as relics of a bygone era, amass a level of respect perhaps not accorded to them when they were new?"

[StudeRich]

All of your wires for the Neutral switch should be there, from the Ignition Switch to the steering column right side, just forward of the dash face. That wire has been bi-passed.

If it has back-up lights, which a Daytona should, there will be a output wire to the rear harness for that also on the Neutral switch.


StudeRich at Studebakers Northwest -Ferndale,WA

[bailsout]

As many problems as I have had from the moment I started with this car, I am really beginning to enjoy the start in gear option since I have stalled a couple of times in motion and it's convenient to restart on the move! Good for quick getaways too. I've been trying to just get this car to move and stop so I can sell it. Of course the more I tinker with it the more I bond with it and the less I want to sell it. Based on all the questions I've asked you can see that I wasn't up to investing 60 bucks or so for a manual.
Again thanks for all the help on all the questions. Tomorrow I'll drop the driveline and inspect the u-joints which I knew I should have done anyway.
These are really pretty cool cars and this one has got a lot of potential since the body is so clean and rust free, but I have way too many more cars sitting on my property that I need to move along.

[bams50]

I don't think you need to drop the shaft to check the universals- just raise the rear of the car and put in neutral; grab the shaft and wiggle it all around, looing for movement. Any play whatsoever would indicate a bad universal; and a joint bad enough to cause a clunk will have play.

Robert (Bob) Andrews Owner- Studebakeracres- on the IoMT (Island of Misfit Toys!)
Parish, central NY 13131

"Some people live for the rules, I live for exceptions"- 311

"Do they all not, by mere virtue of having survived as relics of a bygone era, amass a level of respect perhaps not accorded to them when they were new?"

[HAWK64]

Dennis, The clunk may only be due to high throttle pressure which can be externally adjusted on the auto. Presuming it is a V8 it starts in intermediate gear & will should change to top at around 24 mph on a flat road & normal throttle. If much higher, then reduce the throttle pressure which will reduce the clunk if that clunk is auto related.


"QUIGLEY DOWN UNDER"
MELBOURNE.

[nels]

I'm almost sure you will find the clunk is from too much end play in the axles. Jack it up and take off the wheels, pull and push each drum axially and see if there is some movement. I remember this problem many times back in the old days. You should have about .005 axial movement and you probably have .020, 030 or even more.
Pretty much an easy fix if you follow the shop manual.

[bailsout]

Thanks for all the tips everyone. I didn't remove the drive line, but I did put it in neutral while the back wheels were raised and the U-joints seemed very solid. It seemed that there was about a 1/4 inch movement on the turning of the shaft before it felt resistance from the wheels- the quarter inch measured by eye watching the movement of the top of one of the u-joint caps in relation to the differential case. Probably not a shop manual test.
How do I reduce throttle pressure? Is that the same as idle speed?
Also, in regard to another one of my postings, I found my engine ID number! It was right where everyone said it would be, but only after I used carb cleaner and backed the oilfilter line away from the top of the block where it was hidden. 259 confirmed.