Fluid drive question?

[normanpitkin]

hi

the other day when i was driving my 48 new yorker it stopped downshifting and would only run in top gear ,however it was fine apart from the terrible smell of overheating clutch.When i got rolling at about 55 it was fine and when i got to my town it behaved itself and shifted perfectly again >I have just driven the car and its shifting perfectly!! What could it be?

[Don Coatney]

Was your emergency brake on?

[normanpitkin]

Ha ,nope.

 

[Dodgeb4ya]

Check your fuse in the trans relay on the drivers sideinner fender panel.

The trans needs 6 volt power to be able to downshift normally.

[knuckleharley]

Since you have already said your ebrake wasn't on,I am guessing you have a poor connection  to the solenoid that got better as the heat made things swell or you hit enough bumps to make a connection again.

[dpollo]

I would still check the emergency brake.  Chances are it is not releasing completely  or the lining has folded back on itself and got very hot.

Nothing else would explain the smell.

[Dodgeb4ya]

Burn't old oily cloth wiring smells just like clutch facing material or E-Brake band material that's burnt.

Shorted or open circuit in the M-5 transmission wiring will cause a no down shift..

[Tom Skinner]

Dodgeb4ya and Knuckleharley are probably right. Replace those old wires and away your troubles shall be.

[normanpitkin]

Thank you all ,i will check the solenoid ,am guessing its a short or bad earth as the car was rewired from top to toe about 4 years ago with a brand new loom from RI wiring.

 

[Dodgeb4ya]

You should hear a moderate  click when you just turn the key on... that's the sound of both the trans relay and the solenoid operating normally.

A couple easy tests....first you will need to remove the right side transmission floor pan access panel /6 bolts  ..and have a voltage meter or 6 volt test light.

The transmission  solenoid should have a voltage reading of 6 volts with the key on-- .this reading drops to zero above approx 13 MPH accelerating in high range.

If you have no 6 volt reading with the key on possibly the relay fuse or governor points are oily and causing a loss of ground for the relay which supplies voltage to the solenoid.

No voltage to the solenoid at any speeds under 13 MPH means no downshifts!

If you do have normal 6 volts at the solenoid and hear and feel a heavy click at the solenoid turning the key on and off it's most likely operating normally.

More deeper diagnosis required... hopefully you won't need to go there!

 

 

[normanpitkin]

How the HELL do i get the cover off the trans relay????

[Dodgeb4ya]

You have to remove the relay..turn it over and then carefully bend up the 5 or 6  tiny retaining ears up.

Do you think the relay is the problem?

Edited October 22, 2016 by Dodgeb4ya

[normanpitkin]

I thought i had to take the cover off to check the fuse?

[Dodgeb4ya]

As you see the fuse holder is right next to the cover....

[normanpitkin]

yes ,mine appears to be fine ,but there is no click from the !solenoid!

 

[normanpitkin]

Hi all ,many thanks for all the advice ,I have taken everything apart ,cleaned and put back again ,it now seems to work perfectly .Fingers crossed!

[Tom Skinner]

Rah!

It was faulty electrical!

I'm glad it works!

[Dodgeb4ya]

That's great!

The fuse holders sometimes lose contact with the fuse and can cause your issue.

Rob