Tranny Trouble - the dreaded governor gear gremlin

[Russell]

Based on info read here and elsewhere, I'm 90% sure its the governor gear.

1. I have headers, does the drivers side have to come off completely, or just loosened? Do I need a new gasket to reinstall?

1a. My dipstick tube extension goes through the header, does it have to come off?

2. Can I do it all from the cockpit, or do I pull the fender well cover?

3. I have fender flares, do I need to remove the flare to remove the fender well cover?

4. Should I also replace the speedo cable, in case it was the culprit?

5. My tranny is a Danny Dunn rebuild from the 90's, if that matters.

6. I do not know the origin of the headers. (probably installed by Ken Frey)

7. My records from the PO show the governor gear replaced in 2009.

We are not stranded on the side of the road. We limped it back to storage, very slowly. This is not urgent, I can't work on it again until Saturday. I
just need an efficient plan of attack.
--
Russell Keith

1978 Eleganza II

Dunedin, Florida

 

[Ken B]

> Based on info read here and elsewhere, I'm 90% sure its the governor gear.
>
> 1. I have headers, does the drivers side have to come off completely, or just loosened? Do I need a new gasket to reinstall?
>
> 1a. My dipstick tube extension goes through the header, does it have to come off?
>
> 2. Can I do it all from the cockpit, or do I pull the fender well cover?
>
> 3. I have fender flares, do I need to remove the flare to remove the fender well cover?
>
> 4. Should I also replace the speedo cable, in case it was the culprit?
>
> 5. My tranny is a Danny Dunn rebuild from the 90's, if that matters.
>
> 6. I do not know the origin of the headers. (probably installed by Ken Frey)
>
> 7. My records from the PO show the governor gear replaced in 2009.
>
> We are not stranded on the side of the road. We limped it back to storage, very slowly. This is not urgent, I can't work on it again until
> Saturday. I just need an efficient plan of attack.

Are you positive the governor is bad? If your speedometer does not work, then your problem is probably a bad plastic gear on the governor. If the
trans is refusing to upshift until a very high RPM, then your problem is probably a loss of vacuum to the modulator or the modulator itself.

Question #1 Yes, you need to take all 5 bolts out, but not the exhaust pipe end. You do not need to replace the gasket unless the old one is
damaged. I have had mine apart many times without replacing the gasket.

Question 1a. Remove the dipstick and split the dipstick tube. It is only one fitting.

Question #2 Yes. Do it from the top.

Question #3 #4 #5 No.

--
Ken Burton - N9KB
76 Palm Beach
Hebron, Indiana

 

[sgltrac]

Carefully inspect the shorter of the speedo/cruise cables ( shorter is the
cruise)as the cruise cable can melt and jamb or twist up which can cause
damage to the governor as per Manny. The cruise cable is especially prone
with headers. Manny recommended not using the stock cruise set up once his
new Manny switch was installed.

Sully
77 eleganza 2
Seattle

> > Based on info read here and elsewhere, I'm 90% sure its the governor
> gear.
> >
> > 1. I have headers, does the drivers side have to come off completely, or
> just loosened? Do I need a new gasket to reinstall?
> >
> > 1a. My dipstick tube extension goes through the header, does it have to
> come off?
> >
> > 2. Can I do it all from the cockpit, or do I pull the fender well cover?
> >
> > 3. I have fender flares, do I need to remove the flare to remove the
> fender well cover?
> >
> > 4. Should I also replace the speedo cable, in case it was the culprit?
> >
> > 5. My tranny is a Danny Dunn rebuild from the 90's, if that matters.
> >
> > 6. I do not know the origin of the headers. (probably installed by Ken
> Frey)
> >
> > 7. My records from the PO show the governor gear replaced in 2009.
> >
> > We are not stranded on the side of the road. We limped it back to
> storage, very slowly. This is not urgent, I can't work on it again until
> > Saturday. I just need an efficient plan of attack.
>
>
> Are you positive the governor is bad? If your speedometer does not work,
> then your problem is probably a bad plastic gear on the governor. If the
> trans is refusing to upshift until a very high RPM, then your problem is
> probably a loss of vacuum to the modulator or the modulator itself.
>
> Question #1 Yes, you need to take all 5 bolts out, but not the exhaust
> pipe end. You do not need to replace the gasket unless the old one is
> damaged. I have had mine apart many times without replacing the gasket.
>
> Question 1a. Remove the dipstick and split the dipstick tube. It is only
> one fitting.
>
> Question #2 Yes. Do it from the top.
>
> Question #3 #4 #5 No.
>
>
> --
> Ken Burton - N9KB
> 76 Palm Beach
> Hebron, Indiana
>
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[Russell]

Thank you Ken and Sully.
--
Russell Keith

1978 Eleganza II

Dunedin, Florida

 

[george beckman]

> Carefully inspect the shorter of the speedo/cruise cables ( shorter is the
> cruise)as the cruise cable can melt and jamb or twist up which can cause
> damage to the governor as per Manny. The cruise cable is especially prone
> with headers. Manny recommended not using the stock cruise set up once his
> new Manny switch was installed.
>
> Sully
> 77 eleganza 2
> Seattle

Good points made by Ken and Sully.

I was able to tickle the governor out without taking the dip stick apart, but it requires someone above to help the the manifold up and flared out.
The dipstick placement seems to be a bit random from coach to coach so perhaps I was lucky.

While you are checking the cruise cable make sure the rest, going to the speedometer is very free as well.

Now if the governor won't pull up then things just got complicated. But... you do not have to pull the final drive down to get the pin out of the way.
Manny gave me a very simple way of pulling the final drive back enough to get in between the transmission and the final drive. I am a weakling and I
did it by myself. Took time but it was a very slick technique. Hopefully the governor comes right up and out.

When pushing the pin out I would not drill it. You can enlarge the hole and cause the pin to be a loose fit.

When putting the new gear on the following is very important: The smart guys call it "staking" the pin in, meaning take a modified chisel and bugger
the ends of the hole the pin goes in so it can't come out. The PO made a weak attempt at staking the pin. I could see the marks but they are not much
and the pin slid out.

If the governor will not come out... goes up maybe an inch or so and stops hard, look here:
https://groups.google.com/forum/#!topic/gmcnet-archive/T-eeBK6c-fQ

The technique also works if you needed to replace the gasket between the FD and transmission.

--
'74 Eleganza, SE, Howell + EBL
Best Wishes,
George

 

[Russell]

Thanks for the tips George
--
Russell Keith

1978 Eleganza II

Dunedin, Florida

 

[Ken B]

On my coach with headers, I have that lower cable covered with insulating foam and reflective aluminum tape. Covering the end foot or so with a piece
of aviation "firesleeve" and reflective aluminum tape might be a good idea. I used that on my Onan gas line to elimminate a vapor lock problem when
the OAT exceeds 100 F.
--
Ken Burton - N9KB
76 Palm Beach
Hebron, Indiana