1950 Chrysler Fluid Drive seems to disengage after 5mpg

We purchased a 50' Windsor a month or so ago and she drove perfectly fine up until 2 weeks ago. Fluid Drive never gave us any warning signs. That's also when i learned how complex and unique these units are. I've spent days reading several forums but none seem to match the symptoms we're having. Finally decided to register and ask for help. I'm praying for a simple solution.

A few weeks ago we drove to a friends house and as we were leaving the car would not engage high range, low range or reverse. Engine simply revved. We could hear fluid building pressure but it wouldn't budge. We then decided to push it into my friends garage and when we moved it a few feet we hear what seemed to be like gears engaging. Jumped it, started it and what do ya' know. High Range, Low Range and Reverse worked. So we drive away down the alley and came to a stop before entering street. At that point it would not move again. So we rolled it back a few feet and this time it made no sound but did engage. We decided to tow the car to my house a few days ago. After several links i began to suspect that perhaps we had a wiring issue or low fluid. Both the fluid coupling and the gearbox were full to specs. I decided to drain both and refill. While i was down there i noticed that the wiring was frayed and one of the wires from the solenoid was broken. So i replaced all the wiring from the governor, solenoid and interruptor to the resistor box. I noticed that there was no wires connected to the anti-stall solenoid or the kickdown switch so i went ahead and wired that.

Unfortunately all of that didn't work. Yesterday we started the car and it caugh reverse fine. It'll take off fine but when you come to a stop it refuses to move unless we roll it back a few feet until something engages. Then it's the same thing all over again. I can drive around my neighborhood at low speeds just fine. But as soon as I come to a stop it won't move anymore.

Could it be the linkage that needs adjustment?

Thanks in advance for any help you guys can provide

Am I right in assuming that you replaced the fluid with 10wgt oil as specified in the manual?

Any grinding jumping feel or noise? Check shifter linkage. Remote possibility a damaged or missing rear brake drum key/keyway. The other possibilities you won't like to hear!

cpwalter- yes i used 10w oil

C49er- Yes and no. read below

We had the opportunity to replicate the exact problem yesterday. Here's what it's doing time and time again.

-Start car

-Clutch and engage high range (down from neutral).

-Drive off. At about 5-10mph i lift off the gas pedal and ease back into it expecting it to engage the next gear automatically like the manuals say it should do. Needless to say it won't. So i press clutch, go up to neutral and back down to high range. That seems to help it "engage". At this point i can drive 65mph easily.

Here's where the problem starts.

-I come to a complete stop (intersection or stop light) using only the brake. I should be able to simply step on the gas to take off again. Assuming it has downshifted automatically correct? Well the only thing it does is rev up. Nothing happens. At this point i can go into low range or reverse and it just revs up when i hit the gas pedal. I've even let hit sit there hoping it's the fluid building up but after 2 minutes it wont do anything.

-In order to get it driving again, we have to roll the car (either direction. In reverse if going back. High range if pushing fwd). After about 3 or 4 feet it bites hard and the car jerks. At this point we can repeat it all over again.

I think the problem is that it wont downshift.

based on the literature found on the Imperial website, i'm beginning to suspect the issue lies with the Governor, interuptor switch or solenoid.

This is good news. The governor plays a role in both upshifting and downshifting. Which as i stated earlier it won't upshift "automatically".

I found a used governor on ebay two days ago but it's not there anymore. Anyone have one laying around?

Here's a pic of the Windsor for those interested in seeing it.

http://i1320.photobucket.com/albums/u521/SevensGarage/Mobile%20Uploads/CAM01249_zpsa3b599b5.jpg' alt='CAM01249_zpsa3b599b5.jpg'>

Try driving it with all the wiring disconnected from the solenoid, interupter and governer on the transmission. Tape the ends of the wiring when you do this. If the trans and Fluid Drive coupling are good it will always upshift but be slow to downshift when you come to a stop unless you push the clutch in. Try this and reprt back. Easy enough to do. I do this on all parts cars to check the M5 and M6 transmissions.

Bob

Will do that today and report back. Thanks!

Okay so i disconnected the 3 units (interruptor, governor, solenoid). Put it in Reverse and backed out of my driveway. Put it in high gear and drove approximately 100 feet to the stop sign. Hit about 10 mph. Came to a stop by pressing the clutch and brake. Released clutch and gave it gas and it's doing the same thing. Just revs up and won't move. I can go back up to neutral but it will not engage reverse or low gear. I pushed it forward a few feet, jumped in the car, pressed the clutch and released it and it bites. Threw it back in reverse and pulled back up my driveway.

I'm frustrated and stumped.

I think your issue is inside the transmission. Mainly in the direct speed blocker and sleeve or more likely the free wheeling section of the countershaft gear-free wheeling rollers are not locking up to transmit drive power through output shaft. With the wiring disconnected all the trans will do is imediately upshift and automatic downshifts wont happen. All the electrical just controls at what speed the trans will upshift or when it will down shift.

afraid of that but glad i can rule out the wired components. Is the retainer easily accesible for purchase?

I'm not saying that for sure the free wheeling retainer or rollers is the problem but it does require total disassembly of the transmission to access. You said after stopping it will not go into low or reverse gears? Do you mean it will not actually shift completely into those gears- wont go into gear or just grinds when attemping to go into low or high range or reverse? Does the engine just fully and easily rev up in reverse or low/high range?

Does the transmission E-Brake release fully? There is an early and a late type. Early is a band type and late is a enclosed E-Brake type using a drum and 2 brake shoes inside of the drum like on regular car drum brakes. If the ebrake hangs up going forward you will feel a jerking rattling noise if the ebrake is dragging and sometimes they can hang up enough so the car will not go forward untill you back up and then go forward again. But you will feel someting is wrong when trying to take off from a start. It is caused by oil on the band or shoes and semi tight adjustment.

Over a long period of time the points in the governor can become gummed up, covered in oil and stop working. You need to take the cover off and clean the points. Be careful they are a soft silver material not hard like ignition points. Some contact cleaner or brake clean spray and draw a strip of white typing paper between them until it comes out clean.

I drove my 1950 Royal with out any transmission wiring for a month and it worked fine except no automatic coast downshifts or full throttle downshifts.

Check this out...

and this...

hope it helps I have one also

Whats up with your car and trans SevensGarage?