What the heck is that noise?

[Diablo de la Noche]

Well, I took my 67 GMC out for a spin yesterday. It's the first time since I bought her, and the good news is that once I put in a new battery she started right up. The 350 runs a little rough and smells pretty bad (a little rich), but no real problems. I put her in gear and the worst noise came from under her. It was a scraping noise, like the torque converter was a rock tumbler full of scrap metal! I took her up the street and back. When I put it in reverse, she stalled and after I started her again, I had to keep the RPMs up to get her back into the garage.
Well, I drained the tranny and pulled the pan and filter. It was full of silver glitter and about 1/4 inch of sludge. I should have checked the level before I pulled out, but I think it was just really low and neglected. Probly less than a gallon drained into the pan. I guess I will put in a new filter and fluid and see what happens. There were leaks all around the gasket (it just fell off after I pulled the pan) and from the speedo cable.
I still had fun, until the wife got home and saw the mess! Now I have to spend an hour cleaning the garage everytime I work on the truck! I don't mind, though.

[vectorit]

I don't know what kind of rig ya got, but from what you described. I'd check the flex plate to see if it's cracked, also check to see if the flex plate is firmly secured to the torque converter mounts.

I'd also check the hanger bearing on the drive shaft.

If those two things check out, and you are pretty sure the trans is toast. Then save your money on the oil and filter, and just take out the trans and get it fixed.

Hopefully it's something easy and cheap, compared to getting the whole trans redone.

Good luck!

[mclairmo]

I would not trust that trans to get me to the gas station and back home. I would pull it and have it rebuilt.

[tecky11]

i second that, glitter and sludge = rebuild. glitter means u have some serious gear grinding, and sludge well that is just plain BAD

[Diablo de la Noche]

Glitter and Sludge, sounds like a bad cop movie! I think I will just save all the trouble and put in a good manual tranny, for fun of course. I can work on those better. Might hold on to the old one to take apart and figure out, like an "auto-taupsy".