THIRD GEAR HOWL ,COAST OFF THROTTLE.

[partshunt]

Looks like I need to go back into my rebuilt trans. a four speed fiftys FL. This unit is a very quite transmission in all ranges under load. No noise decelerating in any gear except, third gear. That one cog is the problem child. During closed throttle or when the load decreses to coast, I get a noticeabkle objectional howl and kinda "hashing" noise. I was told I may have the wrong third gear, possibly shovel er something. My parts listing does not refer to the number of teeth third would have been in a fiftys stock box. Should it be a 24 tooth third? I used gear dye on all the gears before I closed it up, contact pattern was normal. By the way, bushing clearance and end play was checked on assembly. The proper shifter guage block was used to centre/shim the slider forks. Its not slider gear centering, its more like a mesh problem. Possibly worn teeth? but visually they were fine. Anyone been there with this kinda nagging backhowling dawg???

[Pete]

Partshunter, You might check to see if its not your generator howling, They do a very nice howl if not spaced/shimmed correctly for the gear. Just a food for thought!

[john HD]

what are you running for oil in it?

might try something different before tearing it apart again.

john

[partshunt]

Thanks fellas:- As mentioned, the noise comes in third gear only. Any engine noise would occur in neutral and all ranges underway or stopped. There is no howl in neutral, 1st, 2nd and fourth. Not even third under load but off load off throtle coasting. What number of teeth should third gear and third counter gear have? Would like to do a tooth count first and bring in the correct cogs before this tranny is spead all over the bench. Neeg the number of teeth on third and third counter shaft on a stock original gear set....tooth numbers are not shown in my parts listings....Joe

[partshunt]

Hi; been reading Palmers book, page 285-286 re third gear. Its possible to mix a later 24 tooth third with an earlier cluster third. Maybe thats where the problem is. The later third gear is identified by the lack of the bushing, however, how in giminy can ya Id the cluster?.Apparently Palmer sez by the speedogear only?.. Looks like I better just cracker apart and check the cogs......Joe

[partshunt]

Well, here it is, about 2-1/2 months later and I finally got around to cure my third gear howl. I changed the 3rd & 4th countershaft gear. It didnt look like it was meshing the drive gear properly, worn some. I installed another gear and the big road test today was good. Trans sounds nice, no howl. I think the old cluster was running with a bady worn main drive gear bearing because the tooth pattern was at a slight angle when I run yellow gear dye on it. The pattern didnt contact the new main drive gear even or all the way across the tooth face. Problems you can expect I quese when new and used gears are meshed together....

[fourthgear]

partshunt
You didn't say what year your tranny was . In 59 HD changed third gear to make a noise similar to yours go away . Since you were in there , did you check to see which third gear you had ( old type had a bushing and new did not and was supported better with in the first ,second gear on the main shaft. Sounds like you only pulled the counter shaft . I use 75-90 wt. syn. gear oil in all of mine and you will see much better shifting and cooler running tranny and of course quieter , not to mention if you have a leak-er , it will slow it down a bit ,some almost stop.

[partshunt]

Thanks fourthgear for your suggetions, as well as all others advise in this topic. I mentioned fiftys trans when I opened this topic originally at the start, its the yellow 54 in my photo album. I have the later third gears but chose to ebush the original when I rebuilt the transmission last winter. . Its in very nice shape and properly fitted. I may have poorly explained the fix but the cluster I had in it had a bad contact pattern on the coast (or back side). Howled only at light throttle or coasting slightly. I was also told that the later gear without the bushing has a slight diffent tooth angle and people suggested that was my problem. I had all the guts out and all I could find was the cluster. It seems really good now, hope it stays that way and thanks again to all...