It Went Bang!

[Nitram]

I was running my 57 Transtar down the road last week. On my way home from a PA State BB-gun competition with my son. We were running down a "secondary" road going about 55 mph with the overdrive engaged.
All of a sudden there was a "bang" and I no longer had overdrive, thought the tranny fell out the bottom by the way it sounded.
I was able to get her home. The tranny shifted ok in all three gears it's just that I didn't have overdrive. I didn't hear any further grinding etc. Now prior to this "bang" the engine bogged out like I was running out of gas (not sure how this would have anything to do with the overdrive). Keep in mind the engine has been completely rebuilt and tranny gone over by a very reputable garage in the Stude community. They know their stude engines etc.

Can anyone tell me what might have happened?
Did I possibly ruin anything further by trying to get her home?


[img=left]http://farm1.static.flickr.com/158/360197307_8639ee4a46_m.jpg[/img=left]
~Nitram~
57 Transtar

[Tom Bredehoft]

You probably did no harm driving home.

What happened (ask BAMS) was your overdrive gears got hot and one stopped going around a shaft and the three running in it chewed it up.

Did you verify that both transmissions had 40 wt mineral oil in them?



[img=left]http://www.alink.com/personal/tbredehoft/Avatar1.jpg[/img=left]
Tom Bredehoft
'53 Commander Coupe (since 1959)
'55 President (6H Y6) State Sedan
....On the road, again....
'05 Legacy Ltd Wagon
All Indiana built cars

[jackb]

low oil level = hot = failure....

[50starlite]

I believe that's 90w. I just changed mine from 60w non-det. to 90w mineral oil last week.


Dick
Mountain Home, AR

http://www.livingintheozarks.com/studebaker.htm

[Tom Bredehoft]

Whatever you use, don't use the recommended 80/90 gear lube, it will do chemical things to the inside of the transmission that you don't want done.

[img=left]http://www.alink.com/personal/tbredehoft/Avatar1.jpg[/img=left]
Tom Bredehoft
'53 Commander Coupe (since 1959)
'55 President (6H Y6) State Sedan
....On the road, again....
'05 Legacy Ltd Wagon
All Indiana built cars

[warrlaw1]

Another suggestion: when the overdrive engages the ignition is temporarily disengaged for a moment, as well. That's the way we purposely used to create a backfire (turn it off and back on again + boom).

[bams50]

Tom is right. You described my exact experience with mine. It was how I learned that one has to fill both the trans. AND the OD reservoir.

I'll bet an R2 you blew the OD cluster. You will likely find this:



Tom, along with Gord Richmond and Doc Garbarino, rebuilt mine as an informal tech seminar at the 07 Int, Meet in SB.

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

GOD BLESS AMERICA
Ephesians 6:10-17

[FlatheadGeo]

Bams50,

That does look very NASTY!!!

1957 Studebaker Champion 2 door. Staten Island, New York.

[barnlark]

Originally posted by bams50
I'll bet an R2 you blew the OD cluster.
...and he has one to back that up!Uh oh.[)][:0]

[comatus]

Now, was that a BB gun match, or an air rifle match? How'd the kid do? You weren't at Palmyra, were you? [Leaving tonight for Jr. Olympics at OTC CoSpgs]

[53k]

quote:Originally posted by bams50

Tom is right. You described my exact experience with mine. It was how I learned that one has to fill both the trans. AND the OD reservoir.
I'll bet an R2 you blew the OD cluster. You will likely find this:
Tom, along with Gord Richmond and Doc Garbarino, rebuilt mine as an informal tech seminar at the 07 Int, Meet in SB.

When I drove my '64 Wagonaire away from the factory in Hamilton, they had failed to fill the od part of the tranny. I got a week out of it before it did exactly what your truck did. It was even more violent though. The od case was cracked too and the whole tranny had to be replaced (under warranty, but aggravating still).



Paul Johnson, Wild and Wonderful West Virginia. '64 Daytona Wagonaire, '64 Daytona convertible, '53 Commander Starliner, Museum R-4 engine, '62 Gravely Model L, '72 Gravely Model 430

[62SY4]

quote:All of a sudden there was a "bang" and I no longer had overdrive, thought the tranny fell out the bottom by the way it sounded.

[B)]
Mine went by way of BANG followed by a WHRRRRRRRLLLLL. Sorry to hear of your misfortune. I'll have to find my trophy and post pics of the busted sun gear.

Jon Krimm
1962 Lark Sedan

1961 Champ