Powerglide problem

racerron5 · 06-07-2010, 04:53 PM

Does anyone know what is wrong with a powerglide that all of the sudden started jerking and seeming to be out of gear rather than working normal. The car moves but while moving either seems to be in neutral at times and quits moving or moves but real jerky like. Fluid seems to have a burnt smell to it now. Also can the converter cause this?

Thanks in advance.

Alan Roehrich · 06-07-2010, 04:58 PM

The converter might do it. The planetaries might do it as well.

63corvette · 06-07-2010, 06:26 PM

If the fluid smells burnt you have major issues in the trans and converter parts are probably inside the trans if the converter went first.
Drain the fluid and look in the pan first. That will tell you a good deal if parts or gears or just pieces are there.
Just pull it and get started it won't fix itself with those type issues.
Just My 2 Cents And Best Of Luck With The Repairs
Just a part of racing and we have all been there.

chevy620 · 06-08-2010, 01:52 PM

63 is right,

Take it out, it will not be something you want to try to fix with it in car. Be sure to flush the cooling lines before you put it back in.

Good luck,

Mark Yacavone · 06-08-2010, 02:33 PM

Forward clutch is probably burnt up and slipping.
Not the converter. Either it moves or it doesn't.

Alan Roehrich · 06-08-2010, 02:48 PM

The reason I say what I said is this. A PowerGlide has a band for low gear, and clutches for high gear. Rarely do you see either fail suddenly, and you usually just get slippage under power. It will usually slip in one gear, and not the other, and they just won't hold, rather than jerking as described.

The planetaries will fail suddenly, especially the stock planetaries, and more so if the input shaft being used is not a torsional shaft.

The converter could also break suddenly, and broken pieces may cause it to jerk as described, when they bind up. It may also overheat the fluid and make it smell.

racerron5 · 06-09-2010, 10:32 AM

Thanks for all of the replies. I've had a converter break before and the car would still move so I know that can happen but I don't remember it jerking then. I did take it out but haven't had a chance to look any further yet. Mostly it acts like it's not in gear, then you rev it up and it will catch and move, that's when it jerks and it stays jerky like it grabs then slips then grabs then slips, that's the best way I can describe it.

Only had a chance to try out low and then figured I better stop trying things in case it was making it worse. So it does it in low if that helps at all. The converter looks fine, sprag goes only one way and nothing is inside of it.

Jeremy K · 06-09-2010, 01:44 PM

Definitely sounds like what happened to my Powerglide two years ago. It ended up being busted planetaries. Mine drove back the return road and was very rough, but then locked up trying to drive it in the trailer.

06-07-2010, 04:53 PM	#1
racerron5 Junior Member Join Date: Aug 2009 Posts: 15 Likes: 0 Liked 0 Times in 0 Posts	Powerglide problem Does anyone know what is wrong with a powerglide that all of the sudden started jerking and seeming to be out of gear rather than working normal. The car moves but while moving either seems to be in neutral at times and quits moving or moves but real jerky like. Fluid seems to have a burnt smell to it now. Also can the converter cause this? Thanks in advance.

06-07-2010, 04:58 PM	#2
Alan Roehrich Veteran Member Join Date: May 2006 Location: Murfreesboro TN Posts: 5,101 Likes: 1,554 Liked 1,780 Times in 405 Posts	Re: Powerglide problem The converter might do it. The planetaries might do it as well. __________________ Alan Roehrich 212A G/S

06-07-2010, 06:26 PM	#3
63corvette Senior Member Join Date: Mar 2007 Location: Canyon, Tx Posts: 551 Likes: 127 Liked 353 Times in 102 Posts	Re: Powerglide problem If the fluid smells burnt you have major issues in the trans and converter parts are probably inside the trans if the converter went first. Drain the fluid and look in the pan first. That will tell you a good deal if parts or gears or just pieces are there. Just pull it and get started it won't fix itself with those type issues. Just My 2 Cents And Best Of Luck With The Repairs Just a part of racing and we have all been there.

06-08-2010, 01:52 PM	#4
chevy620 Banned Join Date: Mar 2009 Posts: 188 Likes: 0 Liked 0 Times in 0 Posts	Re: Powerglide problem 63 is right, Take it out, it will not be something you want to try to fix with it in car. Be sure to flush the cooling lines before you put it back in. Good luck,

06-08-2010, 02:33 PM	#5
Mark Yacavone Veteran Member Join Date: Mar 2002 Location: Miles From Nowhere Posts: 7,806 Likes: 2,893 Liked 5,106 Times in 1,946 Posts	Re: Powerglide problem Forward clutch is probably burnt up and slipping. Not the converter. Either it moves or it doesn't. __________________ "We are lucky we don't get as much Government as we pay for." Will Rogers

06-08-2010, 02:48 PM	#6
Alan Roehrich Veteran Member Join Date: May 2006 Location: Murfreesboro TN Posts: 5,101 Likes: 1,554 Liked 1,780 Times in 405 Posts	Re: Powerglide problem The reason I say what I said is this. A PowerGlide has a band for low gear, and clutches for high gear. Rarely do you see either fail suddenly, and you usually just get slippage under power. It will usually slip in one gear, and not the other, and they just won't hold, rather than jerking as described. The planetaries will fail suddenly, especially the stock planetaries, and more so if the input shaft being used is not a torsional shaft. The converter could also break suddenly, and broken pieces may cause it to jerk as described, when they bind up. It may also overheat the fluid and make it smell. __________________ Alan Roehrich 212A G/S

06-09-2010, 10:32 AM	#7
racerron5 Junior Member Join Date: Aug 2009 Posts: 15 Likes: 0 Liked 0 Times in 0 Posts	Re: Powerglide problem Thanks for all of the replies. I've had a converter break before and the car would still move so I know that can happen but I don't remember it jerking then. I did take it out but haven't had a chance to look any further yet. Mostly it acts like it's not in gear, then you rev it up and it will catch and move, that's when it jerks and it stays jerky like it grabs then slips then grabs then slips, that's the best way I can describe it. Only had a chance to try out low and then figured I better stop trying things in case it was making it worse. So it does it in low if that helps at all. The converter looks fine, sprag goes only one way and nothing is inside of it.

06-09-2010, 01:44 PM	#8
Jeremy K Junior Member Join Date: Nov 2009 Location: Bridgewater, NS, Canada Posts: 79 Likes: 0 Liked 1 Time in 1 Post	Re: Powerglide problem Definitely sounds like what happened to my Powerglide two years ago. It ended up being busted planetaries. Mine drove back the return road and was very rough, but then locked up trying to drive it in the trailer.