Transmission / Overdrive: 1950 Commander, Automatic Transmission problem cropped up today...

[deco_droid]

Hey guys, as the title says I have a problem with my Stude. I was out for lunch and on the way back, I had to hit the brakes kind of hard for a quick yellow-to-red light, and as I came to a stop, the car stalled out on me. (Now previously, it has had this related issue where, when I hit the brakes to stop, the engine stumbles a bit as it downshifts, but it's always leveled out, and been fine. I thought maybe it needed some carb tuning, but it never really bothered me that much, so I've put off getting into tinkering on it.)

Anyway, so when it stalled out, I put it in park and cranked it back up, no problem. The problem was when I shifted back into drive, it stalled out on me right away. I couldn't understand what was going on at first, so I again, shifted to park, cranked it up, and again went back into drive, and it stalled out a second time.

So when I started it up a third time, I instead shifted into low and the car was fine with that. I drove off the main road into a parking lot and drove around a bit, to make sure it was okay. Shifted into reverse, no problem, low, no problem, then again into drive, stall. Ugh! So I ended up driving (luckily a short drive) back to the house in first gear.

Since I've never had any trans issues pop up, I am unsure what may be wrong. Is there some kind of solenoid or something on these cars that may have died on me, that I can replace? Anyone have anything similar happen? I searched the forum but did not see any similar topics posted. Thanks for any help...

[57pack]

Had a problem with a 1950 Land Cruiser I owned years ago. I was coming to a stop and as the transmission was downshifting it began to shift up and down violently and stalled out. Once I restarted it was fine, drove over to our local Sinclair station and changed the fluid and added a pint of K&W Trans X. Never had a repeat occurrence.

[bezhawk]

Sounds like one of the band apply servos is sticking, applying two bands at once will cause the engine to stall. It could be a broken return spring, or band lining sheared from the band. you will have to drop the pan to see the bands. The servos are accessable from the outside of the case.

[SN-60]

Sometimes those old 'DG' units will come back to 'life' and begin working properly again....I've seen it!....But if that doesn't happen, be very cautious who you allow to work on it, as there are very few mechanics around today that really understand that unit. (Actually, there were very few mechanics around FIFTY YEARS AGO that really understood it!) So, if you get the speech "We can fix ANY transmission" from your local Aamco manager, best hide your wallet......and get the heck out of there!..Good luck

[rkapteyn]

Jerry Kurtz work on these DG transmissions and really knows them.
He is widely recommended.

http://forum.studebakerdriversclub.com/archive/index.php?t-60738.html

Robert Kapteyn

[studegary]

I first thought that perhaps your torque convertor stayed locked up. Was low and reverse operation normal (smooth operation)? If so, it probably wasn't the torque convertor.
The quick stop may have just caused the fluid to surge forward and compromise some operations by replacing fluid with air. I would first try a complete (convertor and transmission pan) fluid change and properly check the level.

[deco_droid]

Thanks a lot, guys. I will change out the fluid and check for any damage while I have the pan off. Maybe I will luck out and it will indeed "fix itself"! I'll report back later today hopefully. Thanks again.

[studegary]

Thanks a lot, guys. I will change out the fluid and check for any damage while I have the pan off. Maybe I will luck out and it will indeed "fix itself"! I'll report back later today hopefully. Thanks again.

Be sure to drain the convertor. It has a separate drain plug.

[TWChamp]

My 1950 shop manual calls for motor oil for the automatic. Is that what everyone still uses?

[StudeRich]

NO! Valvoline (Ford) Type "F" will work the best.

[jclary]

One other item to look at is the neutral safety switch. Just musing (since I've never encountered the problem) if it is loose, or has a frayed wire. Wondering...if the sudden stop threw it out of adjustment. Could that switch, if out of adjustment, kill the engine when the gear selector is placed in drive?

[studegary]

One other item to look at is the neutral safety switch. Just musing (since I've never encountered the problem) if it is loose, or has a frayed wire. Wondering...if the sudden stop threw it out of adjustment. Could that switch, if out of adjustment, kill the engine when the gear selector is placed in drive?

No, that switch simply allows power to get to the starter at certain times (position). It does not involve the ignition.

[jclary]

No, that switch simply allows power to get to the starter at certain times (position). It does not involve the ignition.

Thanks for the comment, Gary. I'm housebound due to my (apparently) annual vertigo episode. Aside from being dizzy, and the attending nausea, it is obvious that my thinking is also somewhat scrambled. The engine "stalling" is also different than an abrupt "kill" that would be experienced with an ignition current short or failure.

However, I'm not done speculating. (Keep in mind...I'm dizzy.) If the car is equipped with an operational "anti-creep" system (the electric "no-roll" version for automatics)...could it be not releasing, causing the stall in drive?

[SN-60]

Thanks for the comment, Gary. I'm housebound due to my (apparently) annual vertigo episode. Aside from being dizzy, and the attending nausea, it is obvious that my thinking is also somewhat scrambled. The engine "stalling" is also different than an abrupt "kill" that would be experienced with an ignition current short or failure.

However, I'm not done speculating. (Keep in mind...I'm dizzy.) If the car is equipped with an operational "anti-creep" system (the electric "no-roll" version for automatics)...could it be not releasing, causing the stall in drive?

On the 'anti creep'....good thought, but probably not the issue, since the poster said his Commander accelerates normally if shifted into 'Low'.

[deco_droid]

Hello again, sorry for the delay. That drain plug on the torque converter was really stuck on there so I sprayed some pb blaster fluid on it and let it soak in. It took awhile but finally came loose. Got all the pan bolts off easy enough but I didn't realize the emergency brake linkage was in the way, so I need to pull that apart tonight and look at the filter screen. By the way, the 1950 shop manual doesn't mention the automatic drive at all, and I didn't see any special manuals for it for sale on the Studebaker Intl. catalog site. Is there something like that available for sale somewhere?