1965 delta 88 at a stand still

bigchris20022 · March 15th, 2009, 04:33 PM

i bought this car about three years ago and so far all i have accomplished is a major tune up. when i first got the car it had been in a flood but to my suprise the only real rust problem that i had was the fuel tank being rusted completely. the car has 28,000 miles and the 455 runs great but my trany is stuck in first gear. i have changed the governor,the modulator, the vacuum lines and the passing gear switch but still no shift. but the trans is the least of my problems because i have another 400 in the garage, though i would like to know what is stopping it from shifting. the real problem that i am having is finding a fuel tank in houston,tx. nas gave me a good feed but the guy is in california. if i cannot find one closer then that is the direction that i would have to go.

if anyone has any info that would help speed this project please feel free to interject

Dapapadon · March 16th, 2009, 01:04 AM

I know very little about auto trans. but I'm wondering if water got in it during the flood? A little bit of rust could be a big problem. Have you tried the old trick of starting out in low gear, then manually up shifting. It won't fix the problem but it might get it to shift.

Try these guys for a used gas tank: www.allamericanclassics.com I'm sure they have one but I'm not sure they'll ship it.

Nice car, hope you get it going.

Don

Olds64 · March 16th, 2009, 05:26 AM

Have you taken the old tank to a shop? Perhaps it can still be restored.

citcapp · March 16th, 2009, 08:42 AM

You can also check out the after market tanks in both plastic, steel, and alumimum. Thats what I am going to do for my 1948 Olds

bigchris20022 · March 25th, 2009, 09:01 PM

Hello all. Thanks for all the insight I have been out of town and I couldn't get to the computer. The trany did get water in it but the car was never driven with water in it. I trailered it and began the full tune up when I got it home. The funny thing about it is that the first time I drove it, it shifted fine then I parked it and it never shifted again. Though the trany won't shift it will blow the tire up in first gear. I have invested allot of time in the trany so I finaly gave up on it and I will be instaling the new trany shortly. I'll photograph the process and let you'all know how it went.The problem with the gas tank is that I cannot find one in houston and out of towners say that they cannot ship a used tank.

bigchris20022 · March 25th, 2009, 09:03 PM

I did take the old tank to the shop and it was rusted beyond repair.

Kennybill · March 26th, 2009, 08:20 AM

Don't feel bad, I have "several" projects that have been "stalled" for years.

It has a 425 engine if it original. Take the trans pan down and "clean" the filter and put new fluid in it. Filters are unavalible for this trans so take care when cleaning it. I would clean it out soon and if it works beter redo again after a thousand miles or so. Great transmission though. I think any gas tank from 1965 to 1970 including 98, Starfire,Delmont,Dynamic will fit. You should be tripping over them in Texas seeing how the cars don't rust away like up here in Ohio.

Good luck, Ken

jaysun · March 26th, 2009, 10:08 AM

My guess is the valve body got water / dirt in it. you could take it out and clean it while tranny is in the car. kinda a PITA tho to get the check balls back in since your fighting gravity. If you do take the VB out there is a small screw that hangs off the bottom of the (early) valve body that is factory set. either dont remove it or measure how far it sticks out and reinstall at exactly the same height.

I thing i recall seeing aftermarket early style filters on epay awhile ago. or the tranny can be converted to accept the latter style.

The early trannys have some nice parts inside. Dont just ditch it.

/not a tranny expert. just know a few things. Doing my first tranny build in spring

Jason

bigchris20022 · March 26th, 2009, 03:51 PM

hey dapapadon;
thanks for the info, I contacted all american classic and they had exactly what i needed. the tank will be to me in about a week or so and they also had the decorative rings that go around lights.YOU FU--ING ROCK!!!!!!!!!

bigchris20022 · March 31st, 2009, 04:52 PM

jaysun;
are you shure you are not a trany expert because the valve boby was exactly the problem. One of the check balls was stuck and it had rust in it i guess because of how long it sat without fluid in it after it was drained after the flood. i got in touch with one of m old friends that has a trans shop and he cleaned it out for me and now my trans shifts with the best of them. i honestly dont know what i would have done if i would not have found this site, i have literally gotten more accomplished in the last month than i have in the last couple of years. THANKS TO ALL!!!!!!

jaysun · April 1st, 2009, 11:15 AM

Glad to see you get it going.

Thanks for the kind words, but I'm still not an expert...yet . lol

March 16th, 2009, 05:26 AM	#3 (permalink)
Olds64 Landyacht Club President Join Date: Jul 2007 Location: Lawton, OK Posts: 4,286	Have you taken the old tank to a shop? Perhaps it can still be restored. __________________ Ferris, my father loves this car more than life itself... Apparently, you don't understand! Ferris, he never drives it! He just rubs it with a diaper! Cameron Frye Ferris Bueller's Day Off 1986

March 16th, 2009, 08:42 AM	#4 (permalink)
citcapp Super Moderator Join Date: Nov 2007 Location: Bothell, WA Posts: 3,445	You can also check out the after market tanks in both plastic, steel, and alumimum. Thats what I am going to do for my 1948 Olds __________________ Pat 1957 Super 88 with a 455 1948 2dr series 76 with a 455

March 25th, 2009, 09:01 PM	#5 (permalink)
bigchris20022 Registered User Join Date: Feb 2009 Location: Houston,Tx. Posts: 15	Hello all. Thanks for all the insight I have been out of town and I couldn't get to the computer. The trany did get water in it but the car was never driven with water in it. I trailered it and began the full tune up when I got it home. The funny thing about it is that the first time I drove it, it shifted fine then I parked it and it never shifted again. Though the trany won't shift it will blow the tire up in first gear. I have invested allot of time in the trany so I finaly gave up on it and I will be instaling the new trany shortly. I'll photograph the process and let you'all know how it went.The problem with the gas tank is that I cannot find one in houston and out of towners say that they cannot ship a used tank. __________________ 80's Baby Lovin 60's Rides

March 25th, 2009, 09:03 PM	#6 (permalink)
bigchris20022 Registered User Join Date: Feb 2009 Location: Houston,Tx. Posts: 15	I did take the old tank to the shop and it was rusted beyond repair. __________________ 80's Baby Lovin 60's Rides

March 26th, 2009, 08:20 AM	#7 (permalink)
Kennybill Registered User Join Date: Aug 2005 Location: Youngstown, Ohio Posts: 287	Don't feel bad, I have "several" projects that have been "stalled" for years. It has a 425 engine if it original. Take the trans pan down and "clean" the filter and put new fluid in it. Filters are unavalible for this trans so take care when cleaning it. I would clean it out soon and if it works beter redo again after a thousand miles or so. Great transmission though. I think any gas tank from 1965 to 1970 including 98, Starfire,Delmont,Dynamic will fit. You should be tripping over them in Texas seeing how the cars don't rust away like up here in Ohio. Good luck, Ken __________________ A man has to know his limitations, especially with an Oldsmobile

March 16th, 2009, 01:04 AM	#2 (permalink)
Dapapadon Registered User Join Date: Jan 2007 Location: Portland, OR Posts: 364	I know very little about auto trans. but I'm wondering if water got in it during the flood? A little bit of rust could be a big problem. Have you tried the old trick of starting out in low gear, then manually up shifting. It won't fix the problem but it might get it to shift. Try these guys for a used gas tank: www.allamericanclassics.com I'm sure they have one but I'm not sure they'll ship it. Nice car, hope you get it going. Don

March 26th, 2009, 10:08 AM	#8 (permalink)
jaysun ate glue as a child Join Date: Feb 2009 Location: madison wi Posts: 75	My guess is the valve body got water / dirt in it. you could take it out and clean it while tranny is in the car. kinda a PITA tho to get the check balls back in since your fighting gravity. If you do take the VB out there is a small screw that hangs off the bottom of the (early) valve body that is factory set. either dont remove it or measure how far it sticks out and reinstall at exactly the same height. I thing i recall seeing aftermarket early style filters on epay awhile ago. or the tranny can be converted to accept the latter style. The early trannys have some nice parts inside. Dont just ditch it. /not a tranny expert. just know a few things. Doing my first tranny build in spring Jason

March 26th, 2009, 03:51 PM	#9 (permalink)
bigchris20022 Registered User Join Date: Feb 2009 Location: Houston,Tx. Posts: 15	Found The Tank!!!!!!! Woo Hoo!!!!!!! hey dapapadon; thanks for the info, I contacted all american classic and they had exactly what i needed. the tank will be to me in about a week or so and they also had the decorative rings that go around lights.YOU FU--ING ROCK!!!!!!!!! __________________ 80's Baby Lovin 60's Rides

March 31st, 2009, 04:52 PM	#10 (permalink)
bigchris20022 Registered User Join Date: Feb 2009 Location: Houston,Tx. Posts: 15	jaysun; are you shure you are not a trany expert because the valve boby was exactly the problem. One of the check balls was stuck and it had rust in it i guess because of how long it sat without fluid in it after it was drained after the flood. i got in touch with one of m old friends that has a trans shop and he cleaned it out for me and now my trans shifts with the best of them. i honestly dont know what i would have done if i would not have found this site, i have literally gotten more accomplished in the last month than i have in the last couple of years. THANKS TO ALL!!!!!! __________________ 80's Baby Lovin 60's Rides Last edited by bigchris20022; March 31st, 2009 at 05:01 PM..

April 1st, 2009, 11:15 AM	#11 (permalink)
jaysun ate glue as a child Join Date: Feb 2009 Location: madison wi Posts: 75	Glad to see you get it going. Thanks for the kind words, but I'm still not an expert...yet . lol

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