Old Suburban transmission help

[Gracie's Dad 155]

Need suggestions on how to free up a transmission that is stuck in gear, soak of some type. Need help...it's hard to push!!! 

[953 nut 55,874]

Is this a problem that just occurred or is this something you just picked up this way?

[Gracie's Dad 155]

It's been that way all four hours I have owned it. 😊 The tractor is a basket case, but its hard to turn down a tractor, blade and deck for less than $50!

[953 nut 55,874]

38 minutes ago, Gracie's Dad said:

hard to turn down a tractor, blade and deck for less than $50!

Great buy, we will be looking for  

Is it below freezing at your location? Might be full of frozen goooo, water/oil mix.  

[WHX?? 49,189]

Pull the shifter and look down in it to see how bad it is. You can try flushing it with diesel but more than likely the shift rails are froze up and it will have to come apart and be gone thru. If the rails are stuck bad enough no telling what the bearings might look like. 

[Gracie's Dad 155]

It is not freezing here. I don't know if there is a drop of fluid in it. I got the shifter to move after putting some oil at the base for a few minutes, but she is still locked up. Been sitting in a shed for at least fifteen years, but I suspect it has been more like 35 or forty years...just what I needed, another project😊

[WHX?? 49,189]

11 hours ago, Gracie's Dad said:

...just what I needed, another project😊

We hear ya there... thing to do if you can't get at it right away is give it a quick flush with the diesel or kerosene. Put a quart or so of ATF in it and store for future. Don't try and force things, you can break irreplaceable shift forks. If you think there was water in pull in apart and try and get it dry. Put all the parts in a bucket with a lid & some oil for storage. Might be some good parts in there for donor use.

[stevasaurus 22,881]

There are 2 or 3 different transmissions out there on what people call suburbans.  If you know the year of the horse, that would help.  A picture of the transmission would really help. 

[Gracie's Dad 155]

Here is the tractor in all its splendor. You tell me, what have I got?

[Gracie's Dad 155]

Her is a couple more pictures of the tractor

[stevasaurus 22,881]

Looks like it has the swept front axle...makes it a 1960/1961  400/401.  What I wanted to know is what transmission you had.  You have a 3 piece...probably #5010 transmission if the 1960/1961 is correct.  To drain that trans and find out what if anything is in there...take out one of the bottom back bolts.  If nothing comes out, poke in an awl and try to loosen up the gunk.  Keep doing that if stuff comes out.  Let us know what it looks like and how much you get out of the trans.  Put the bolt back in (snug)...take the 2 bolts off that hold on the seat and fenders.  Depending on what you got out of the trans, (that means letting us know)...fill with about 1 gallon of diesel fuel through one of the bolt holes.  Depending on what came out of there...you might as well figure on opening it up.  The diesel fuel will make it a better project when you open it. 

[953 nut 55,874]

401 for sure, very nice.

 

[wallfish 17,084]

9 minutes ago, 953 nut said:

401 for sure, very nice.

 

Not so much "for sure" Dick.

It's a 1960 model 550. Steel foot pedal (not cast) definitely a 1960 hood with those controls, 1960 foot rests, Tecumseh engine with the correct Tilloston carb.

A 401 would have a cast pedal, push/pull controls and a Kohler among other things.

[Racinbob 11,238]

 Definitely a 550 and a very nice one. I'm thinking you have a true survivor there. You absolutely stole it.

[953 nut 55,874]

17 minutes ago, wallfish said:

Not so much "for sure" Dick.

  You are so right, I was having a senior moment!  550 for sure.  

[Gracie's Dad 155]

Thanks for all the help. It's amazing what a little bit of fluid will do, put some ATF

in the transmission and it freed it up. So I rolled it over to the hose to wash it up a little bit, and tucked it in. 👍

[slim67 2,735]

5 hours ago, Gracie's Dad said:

Here is the tractor in all its splendor. You tell me, what have I got?

For 50 bucks? Id say evidence for robbery

[WHX?? 49,189]

7 hours ago, Gracie's Dad said:

Here is the tractor in all its splendor. You tell me, what have I got?

What you got is a very nice tractor!!!

 

Here I was thinking all you had was an 3 piece transmission. ...you got the whole nine yards!

[stevasaurus 22,881]

She sure is pretty when she is wet.    So, did you see if there was any oil in her and what it looked like?  I wouldn't park her on the grass with just ATF in her.  Those seals are probably pretty old and dried out. 

[Gracie's Dad 155]

I have not drained the tranny yet, I don't want to leave it drive while I am rolling it in and out of the garage.  We freed up the piston tonight, and the insides look pretty good. Not getting any spark but everything else is looking good so far. Need to get a couple of gaskets to put her back together, and get on to the next step(s).

[953 nut 55,874]

6 hours ago, Gracie's Dad said:

Not getting any spark but everything else is looking good so far

You need to take a look at the ignition points to see if they are clean. You could remove the condenser wire for testing, if it is bad it could be quenching the spark.

[WHX?? 49,189]

and get yourself a new shifter boot as that one looks pretty knarly... that's how water gets in the tranny... @wheelhorseman1000 has them by the dozens.

[Gracie's Dad 155]

Points got cleaned. As for the shifter boot, that is on the list...thanks

[Gracie's Dad 155]

Round hood got one step closers today!

20170513_194814.mp4

[AMC RULES 37,134]

  Sounds really good too.