Loose transmission

bobbydamit

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I bought a 51 Pacemaker last fall and the transmission came loose from the bell housing on the 100 mile trip home on the freeway. The bolts coming in from the inside of the bell housing to the trans. have lock washers on them but are all loose. I had to remove the floor, and transmission to fix so I am curious if there is any other reason that this could happen, other than not properly torqued, so I can put back together without worry of it ever happening again. I did apply Lock tite to the bolts, and used new star-washers, but am still am leary. Oh, :eek: it is a single lever stick with O.D. and it all works.

Unknown

You should be ok with the locktite and new washers. However, I would have suggested that you chase the threads in the transmission with a good tap as well as replacing the bolts themselves. There's probably a lot of reasons that those bolts would back out but the biggest would be debris, grease and oil in the threads which could loosen the torque settings.

Park_W

My guess is that someone who installed that tranny just did the bolts finger-tight initially, then forgot to tighten them before installing the assembly onto the engine. Never heard of these bolts coming loose if tightened properly.

SuperDave

Last week I replaced the front seal in a 54 Hornet with Hydramatic. I found the top rght hand bolt very loose. I mean like a 1/8 inch fom being near the lock washer.All others tight. I can't begin to imagine what kind of racket that would have made a few thousand more miles from now! Sure glad I checked!!

Dave W Fl.

bobbydamit

Park W wrote:

My guess is that someone who installed that tranny just did the bolts finger-tight initially, then forgot to tighten them before installing the assembly onto the engine. Never heard of these bolts coming loose if tightened properly.

Thanks Park. Dave and the rest. I had guessed as much since it came to me last fall from an older guy, 80's, that did all his own work, up till now. I just wanted to hear it from someone else, since I use to race them in the 60's and never had a stick tranny, single or double lever, STD or O.D. come loose on me. I will do a thread chase, cleaning with degreaser, and loctite and use new washers. I don't want to pull this one ever again. Gettin to old myself to lay on the floor inside, and remove a O.D. stick from above.