Eddietoronto49 Posted September 7, 2020 Report Share Posted September 7, 2020 I have a 1949 Chrysler new Yorker. I bought about a month ago. Drove around town with the seller, even had him drive it up to place of purchase. Drove it home that night and parked it in the garage. Ordered new freeze plugs because some were bad, also changed the oil. Installed freeze plugs this past weekend went for a drive to test and now it wont shift into second when letting off the throttle I can shift between low and high but seems like it only wants to stay in first. Shift to low it will go again then just high rev. I made it to a gas station down the street and back home. Any ideas what's going on with the transmission? I have checked wiring to governor, solenoid and interrupter switch, and connections look good bit saturated in oil that's it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
keithb7 Posted September 7, 2020 Report Share Posted September 7, 2020 One guess is your idle speed possibly. Too high of idle it won't shift. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Eddietoronto49 Posted September 7, 2020 Author Report Share Posted September 7, 2020 It idles great even at a stand still nice and quite. It's just high reving because I'm trying to feather the throttle to get it to click into second but it doesnt want to then after I shift it to low gear it will take off again like it's normal, then hi rev and shake doesnt want to pick up any more speed. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dodgeb4ya Posted September 7, 2020 Report Share Posted September 7, 2020 Oily points in the governor.. They are silver contacts...don't file them ..use electric contact cleaner on them. Too high idle speed...should be 450 to 500. Check the transmission10 weight fluid level. It's the middle filler plug on the pass side of transmission. Any wire that grounded that is in the governor circuit will cause no upshifts. Also a faulty carb kick down switch... Kickdown Plunger jammed in the depressed KD position...that would keep it in low range....never seen one do that though. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dodgeb4ya Posted September 7, 2020 Report Share Posted September 7, 2020 Normally you always take off from a stop in the driving range....shifter pulled down...accelerate to 20 or more let up on the gas...trans auto upshifts. Those eight cylinder cars will drive 70 or more easily. 3.54 rear axle ratio std. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Doug&Deb Posted September 7, 2020 Report Share Posted September 7, 2020 The Imperial website has a troubleshooting manual available for download. It’s easy to follow. It’s usually something simple that causes a problem with that trans. Set idle to 450-500 first. That’s the most common problem for not up shifting. Good luck. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Doug&Deb Posted September 7, 2020 Report Share Posted September 7, 2020 To add to what Dodgeb4ya said. Most driving is done in high range only. Especially with the 8 cylinder engine you should have more than enough torque to pull away. If you don’t have an owner’s manual for your car they are available either original or reprint. There is a section dealing with operation of the trans. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tom Skinner Posted September 7, 2020 Report Share Posted September 7, 2020 (edited) Check your Transmission Linkage. Service Booklet (Transmission Fundamentals Volumn 2 No.6 Page 20 and 21) tells how to adjust. It could be loose. There is also a rubber bushing at the Control Rod that could be worn there as well. Booklet Dated 1949. Tom Edited September 7, 2020 by Tom Skinner Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Eddietoronto49 Posted September 7, 2020 Author Report Share Posted September 7, 2020 The awkward thing for me is that everything was fine when I drove it home. It was all working properly. I parked it for about a month and the only thing I did was change the engine oil and the freeze plugs. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dodgeb4ya Posted September 7, 2020 Report Share Posted September 7, 2020 To change the freeze plugs did you move the steel "J" tube on the side of the block...it has all the trans wiring in it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Eddietoronto49 Posted September 7, 2020 Author Report Share Posted September 7, 2020 The wiring is kinda loose on the side of the block going behind the oil filter housing. To circuit breaker and across the top to the carb. There are wires that were "repaired" prior to purchasing the vehicle. But if I can post pictures I can show you exactly all I removed. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Eddietoronto49 Posted September 7, 2020 Author Report Share Posted September 7, 2020 Nope wont allow me to attach photos. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dodgeb4ya Posted September 7, 2020 Report Share Posted September 7, 2020 I was just getting at if you possibly moved damaged or caused a wire to be chafed, shorted to ground etc. The transmission harness wiring usually is in bad shape on the old Chryslers. I've replaced many because it is such a important harness. I have had this same no upshift for no apparent reason on a couple of my cars. Both were caused by oil on the governor points. Another related one was low trans oil on a customers car. There is a oil pump in the trans that needs oil at all times to cause the upshifts. Even though it worked the day/week before flawlessly things change even when sitting. Seen that situation way too many times. Certainly frustrating. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Eddietoronto49 Posted September 7, 2020 Author Report Share Posted September 7, 2020 It has been certainly frustrating these past couple days. I've gone through the workshop manual so many times trying to.come up with a solution. I'll definitely try cleaning up the governor and solenoid contacts, and check the fluid level. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dodgeb4ya Posted September 7, 2020 Report Share Posted September 7, 2020 Do the simple things first. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
greg g Posted September 7, 2020 Report Share Posted September 7, 2020 (edited) Are you starting out in low range. If so it's only good for about 20 mph. You may notice the up shift. Select high range for normal driving. Up shift should occur above 18 mph or so. Are your pics on camera or phone. If camera put a new file folder on your desktop save your pics to it. On the post or reply on this site click the select attachment tool and select you pic it should copy from the desktop file to the site. If it says file to large, select a lower resolution on you camera. Less resolution less to post. Edited September 7, 2020 by greg g 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Eddietoronto49 Posted September 7, 2020 Author Report Share Posted September 7, 2020 It's off of my phone. I'll have to see if I can bring the resolution down. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Eddietoronto49 Posted September 7, 2020 Author Report Share Posted September 7, 2020 Thank you for the tips dodgeb4ya I guess you can overthink it very quickly. Also this is my first pre 60s car. All very new to me. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
James_Douglas Posted September 8, 2020 Report Share Posted September 8, 2020 Eddie, The odds are that you shifted something in the engine bay that caused the issue when you were doing the freeze plugs. I would call one of the wiring companies that make harnesses and get a transmission harness which is separate from the main harness. Then you know you have all good new wire to the trans-engine connections. Along with that take the advice on cleaning the governor and all the other parts. If that does not fix it then I would look to the linkage adjustments. If that does not do it then you have to follow the EXACT process in the booklets on the Imperial Site to run down the problem. That is a PITA but it works every time to find the issue. James. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Eddietoronto49 Posted September 10, 2020 Author Report Share Posted September 10, 2020 Its says 10w oil only. Does anyone know where to pick up this oil Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
49WINDS Posted September 11, 2020 Report Share Posted September 11, 2020 6 hours ago, Eddietoronto49 said: Its says 10w oil only. Does anyone know where to pick up this oil I had a hard time finding it but eventually came across some online from O'reilly's. https://www.oreillyauto.com/detail/b/non-california-4604/chemicals---fluids-16461/oil-16865/motor-oil---conventional-25267/2673028dc6c2/pure-guard-non-california-motor-oil-10w-1-quart/nd10qt/6319898/ When I drained the old stuff I could tell by the smell that it was definitely standard gear oil and not motor oil. Chances are you'll notice the same with yours. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Eddietoronto49 Posted September 16, 2020 Author Report Share Posted September 16, 2020 Finally found the problem after thinking way to hard about it. Juat retraced all my steps. Found the wiring to the kick down plunger were frayed and hitting against the oil bath air cleaner. So she is finally shifting. After driving it today it wanted to stutter and actually died in my work parking lot. Started back up. Feels like a miss almost, stumbling on its face kinda and not gathering alot of speed. Got it up to 50mph but took a little bit. With light throttle it seems to run a little easier but trying to floor it it falls on its face. Ignition system is fairly new. Could it be a carb problem? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
greg g Posted September 16, 2020 Report Share Posted September 16, 2020 Could be insufficient fuel quantity. Collapsing inlet hose, sticky needle and seat, plugged fuel filter. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Eddietoronto49 Posted September 16, 2020 Author Report Share Posted September 16, 2020 First start up its blowing black and a rough idle I'm talking almost like a diesel black with soot. They were running lead additive in the fuel. I started using just premium no more additive the black smoke isnt as bad after running all the lead additive gas out of it. But still there a little plus still rough idle on start up then levels out after it has warmed up. Also smells like its running rich as hell. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
greg g Posted September 16, 2020 Report Share Posted September 16, 2020 Is the choke opening all the way, is the base of the carb wet with raw fuel?? What do the plugs look like? Maybe the float is stuck or might have a leak that would not close the needle and seat. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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