First drive Transmission prep?

[jim1932]

Is there anything I need to do/check on the transmission before I drive a 32 that has been sitting for a long time? I am mainly looking to prevent damaging anything as oppossed to being sure it is all set up for cruising. Fortunately where the car is I have a driveway that circles my neighbors business so I will not be out on a real road. If I get it going, is there anything to look for while driving to indicate repairs or adjusments are needed?

[Karl Wolf]

Change the oil... I fill mine by removing the shifter, look for overflow from the fill hole, be sure to not drop the pin that orients the shifter if you pull up the shifter... Karl

[Bruce Lancaster]

And remember that '32 first and reverse are straight-cut gears and hence somewhat noisy. How much noise is OK--??, but don't be terrified at a little.

[David J]

On 33-34 cars I have brought out of long slumber I pull the speedo gear cap off and put 4 ounces of tranny fluid { S.A.E.140 } in the u-joint cavity to be sure you don't ruin your driveshaft bearing , u-joint or speedo gears . This is probably a little more difficult on a 32 but you should be able to get it in there . DO NOT use the zerk to fill this with chassis grease . Bruce - the sounds from first-reverse when all is right is music to the ears . When all is not right it is a growl . Yeah I know ya nose dis but mebbe others don't .

[Bruce Lancaster]

Easiest way to get some nectar of life into the Ujoint on a '32 might well be to pour in an excess through the shifter hole, then yank the fill plug and let it drain down to proper level! Glug-glug...once you have gotten a bit of 140 on you, you will have to sleep on newspapers in the garage for a week or so before the wife lets you back in the house. For some reason, many people don't like the delicious odor of dead whale.
After it soaks through your skin into your chromosones it doesn't come off with any washing known to man...

[DavidG]

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Jim,

Further to the comment about straight cut gears, you need to come to a complete stop to shift into either first gear or reverse gears. It helps to always shift from third to second before downshifting into either first or reverse as it slows down the speed of the gears and makes for a smoother transition and quieter transition to these lower gears.

Have fun!

Dave

[PeteVS]

Originally Posted by DavidG

Further to the comment about straight cut gears, you need to come to a complete stop to shift into either first gear or reverse gears. It helps to always shift from third to second before downshifting into either first or reverse as it slows down the speed of the gears and makes for a smoother transition and quieter transition to these lower gears.
Dave

One more thing- If you have the car idling in neutral, depress the clutch and shift into 2nd or 3rd before you go to first or reverse. When you're idling in neutral, the cluster gear is spinning and if you try first or reverse without stopping the cluster, it will grind. Putting it into 2nd or 3rd allows the synchros to stop the spinning cluster. No grind.