51 dies when placed in gear.

[lelshaddai]

This may be a related issue to the fuel pump. I rebuilt the correct carb I now have (thank you Rich) and she idles nicely. However when she it put in gear she promptly dies. I have the fuel pump working now but only keeps the glass bowl half full. When I crank it without starting it will fill the bowl. I am correct to think this is a fuel delivery problem or am I missing something? It did back up all right but died once in drive. It would move 5 feet. Will not idle in gear.

[RadioRoy]

It's possible that the clutch on the torque converter is not releasing. That means the torque converter cannot slip and it kills the engine. Does it shudder/shake rather violently before it dies?

[lelshaddai]

It shakes a little but not violently. It just moves forward about five feet and dies.

[gordr]

The glass bowl should be full of fuel, no air. It fills from the top, and it empties from the top, too. So any air contained in it should eventually find its way to the carburetor, and out the bowl vent. For it to be half full of air, there has to be new air being sucked in. Does your car have the original type of black-lacquered flex hose, with fittings, running from the fuel line on the frame to the fuel pump? These were notorious, back in the day, for developing cracks and leaking. And when you put the car in gear, the engine moves a little due to torque reaction, and makes the crack open wider, starving the pump for fuel. Of course a pinhole leak in the steel line could cause it, too, but that flex hose, or whatever replaced it, is the first place to look.

[rstrasser]

Are you able to increase the engine RPM while it is out of gear. I would think that even with a fuel flow problem the engine would not die the minute the vehicle was placed in gear.
Radio Roy might be correct that the torque convertor is not releasing
Or Gordr might be on the right track, but rather then loosing the fuel; when the car is put in gear the engine shifts cutting off the electric to the distributor.
Ron

[lelshaddai]

Yes, I can increase RPM's while out of gear but the bowl is still half full. The line going into the fuel pump is a new type fuel hose. Right now I have the hose in a spare gas can. Not the prettiest site but works.

[StudeRich]

Do you have a good 650 RPM or more Idle speed in Neutral? Is the Automatic choke working when Cold? It should be almost closed.

[6hk71400]

I had a 50 Packard Standard eight with Ultramatic that the direct drive would not disengage. It would die and restart in neutral. I would shift into drive while I feathered/blipped the throttle and that would work to disengage the direct drive clutch.

I know the DG is different but thought I would pass this along to see if it would help in diagnosis if the clutch on the torque converter is sticking.

Bob Miles
Tucson AZ

[StudeRich]

That is true Bob, that the DG Automatic does have a lockup Torque Converter with a one-way Sprag Clutch.

I do think the chances are greater that it is a Fuel or Electrical issue though.

But since we ARE talking about it, IS your Trans. FULL of Type F ATF?
Check it running in Park, since you can't do it the correct way in Drive, to get an idea how it is doing.

[lelshaddai]

I will check that Wednesday. The idle is at 675. It did drive in low but had trouble in drive.

[lelshaddai]

So here is where I am at. It runs fine. Fluids are good. Tranny needs to be manually shifted start in low. The reason it seems to die is when in drive it trys to start in drive and it is too high. If I start in low it has acceleration. Stomp on it and it goes. I then have to manually shift into drive. Floor it and does not downshift. It then stays in drive so when you stop it wants to die. You have to shift manually to low again.

[StudeRich]

So what that tells me is, 2nd. Gear is non-Op. It is starting in High Lockup and killing the Engine.
High and the Converter MAY be OK, but a throttle Pressure adjustment is needed or Band adjustment to get 2nd. back. (You don't want to hear the "Other" possibilities!) start with the "Easy" stuff.

As always, armchair analysis is not always perfect from a distance, but sometimes helps!

[6hk71400]

If you don't have the service manual on the DG get one. Otherwise, hopefully, there is someone in the Phoenix/Glendale/Mesa/Tempe and surrounding areas that does work on the DG so you can have it towed and try to get the items fixed.

If you do find someone, let me know. Phoenix area is just 125 miles away and I can use their services on my 2 55's.

Bob Miles
Tucson AZ

[lelshaddai]

I was looking for manual as we speak. I will order one tonight. It does drive. You just have to use some finesse.