Engine Pulling Time

Hi,

LOL--in 1955, rust prevention consisted of zinc-chromate primer and a hard enamel paint. I'm not sure Rust-O-leum had been invented yet.

The green color came about because that's what my dad had most of a quart of!

--Tom

Tom_Parkinson wrote: See pix of 1509A here: mbcurl.me/YCSE

--Tom

Other than looking really cool Tom, why did you leave your engine block green?

Happy Memorial Day to all and a special remembrance to all that have served in our Armed Services and those that have passed.
I also have found this day to be a Happy Memorable Day. The engine/transmission in 1752A finally been pulled. It put up a fight until the end and as my wife stated there is a foreign language of engine pulling that she had never heard of. After a little bit of negotiating the leaf spring, struggling with the front drive axles, etc., it is resting on wooden blocks in our garage raised floor area for final disassembly with the engine headed to the engine rebuilder west of here and the transmission heading a little south of Grand Rapids for its rebuild. It is one greasy mess (greasiest of all engines I have ever worked on) and I have to comment that even after emptying all the fluids prior to pulling, the transmission just kept pouring out more oil than ever imagined. So, far, the trans axles look really in good shape, transmission gears look good, no metal in the oil, etc. The engine was a known problem with a head gasket seal blown and one piston frozen. Other wise it is not in bad shape.

I am curious what the weight is of both components together, and our them separated. Any ideas or facts, figures on this?

Happy Memorial Day and Happy Memorable Day.
Bill

On the question of do it or don't do it, I'm dissenter...I'd advise you to DO the thick washer conversion now, while the tranny is out and the pricy guts are presumably intact. The cost is chump change compared to a possible catastrophic event. I experienced the splined washer breaking in my Cord back in the dark ages when I was a fuzzy cheeked lad and Cords were $300 cars. Fortunately I knew what was happening because I had a mentor who was an early Cord expert and he had warned me about it. Had I not known it could have been a disaster. As it was, everything was useable afterwards, except for the washer of course. Here's the symptom; when the washer breaks the sensation is that a phantom passenger has reached his foot over and put it on the brakes. This is the trans. trying to go into 2 gears at once. It lets up, then does it more. Don't shrug it off, it'll cost ya! I was one block from home when it happened, but the day before I had come from 120 miles away!
I also had a modification done by the late Tom Pendergast to the synchronizer ring to prevent it from malfunctioning and allowing the spring loaded balls to pop out and mangle the gears. I haven't looked, but that too should be in the trans manual and can be done for little cost. .

I have re-read the transmission removal steps in the Cord Transmission manual. This is very good and walks you thru the process with lots of tips. Again my recommendation is to pull the engine and trans as one unit. Trying to pull the transmission and leaving the engine in the car may be fine for someone that is 25 and in very good shape. The transmission weighs somewhere around 130 or 140 lbs (and has been getting heavier every year). Trying to slide that back 3/8". rotate it 180 degrees and then pull it out is asking for trouble.

One more point to note is that once you slide the trans back the 3/8" off the dowel you MUST support the transmission at all times, you can not let it rest on the input shaft. If you do you run the risk of bending the input shaft (I have seen several of these bent). It's much easier to do it on the floor where you can slide the transmission straight back. Also if you think pulling the transmission is by itself may be hard, try putting it back in!

Gary - if your mind is like mine... you are in deep trouble

Some years ago, at a West Coast Meet, a club member from Reno, NV had a handout on removing the engine and transmission. I have a copy but we just moved and everything is a jumble. You could contact this fellow, Adrian Greive whose contact info is in the ACD Directory, and see if he could provide you with a copy. If he can't, then get back to me and I'll see if I can locate my copy. As I remember it was pretty complete and would be helpful.

You'll have to remove the oil pump and shifting assembly from the front of the transmission to remove it. Just take it slow and be sure everything is unhooked. You don't want to damage the lines for the engine temperature or oil pressure.
.

Tom... I really wanted to tell you exactly what Jim has told you but I'm not that knowledgeable about these transmissions. Had I said what Jim said it would have been a guess at best. Now I know I am of like minds with Jim. Removing the complete top shaft and gears is what has to be done. Also driving your car like you suggest will not be an issue. But like Jim suggests. Doing the upgrade for long term reliability is a thing I plan on doing. I suspect my trans will be completely town down to the last nut and bolt. What concerns me most of all is the differential gears. No amount of reading how to do that is the same as actually doing it. I'm going in just the same and sure will document it with stories and picks. If I can help others thru this I will feel a little better.

Hi,

Thank you, Jim. You have given me a precious gift: peace of mind.


--Tom

Tom,

Get some sleep. if yours is already done and you are only going to do light driving it will be fine. The original thrust washer will last especially if you are careful on the shifts. I think George has been running the original for years in his phaeton. I've pulled apart several transmissions with the original thrust washer still intact (working on one now).

But they do fail, So while someone is rebuilding a transmission it's worth while to upgrade and remove a known problem. I figure I never know how the car will be driven in the future. Most start off as trailer queens or very light driving. but if they ever get an owner like me, they get driven hard. I'd rather be safe.

Also to answer your question you can not do this modification without removing the transmission and disassembling the entire upper shaft.

CORDially,
Jim

Sorry Tom. I can't add anything to help make the decision for you. Not actually seeing your trans internals or how it was rebuilt leaves me with too many questions. Having the trans out of the car is most of the work done already. I have no idea where this thicker thrust washer fits either nor do I know if removing just some of the gears will make this job doable. I'm thinking this thicker washer is somewhere on the main upper shaft. Still not sure if the main shaft can be partly removed with a few gears to install this.. I will be watching the answers to this good question.

Hi,

I am losing sleep over that thrust washer that I am sure my dad and brother did not upgrade back in 1955. I mean, who knew back then that such an improvement should be made?

1509A's engine and transmission assembly are currently out of the car. Can this shaft be removed and the parts upgraded without separating the transmission from the engine? The other side of the coin is that 1509A will never see more use than parading and local pleasure trips, and presumably that thrust washer can be expected to last through a lifetime or two of such light use.

Decisions, decisions. Any input?

--Tom

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