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I’m brand new member late last year after buying my Desoto. I’ve only driven it a few times due primarily with Ohio winters. Today was a beautiful warm Ohio day so we went for a ride. I pulled out of a parking lot in 2nd gear and was speeding up to put it into high gear. I did that and very soon after that the tires started grabbing fiercely like the transmission had shifted into another very low gear and it stopped on the road. It felt like trying to start a standard shift car by pushing it. I could smell rubber the braking was so abrupt. After coming to this abrupt stop it wouldn’t move forward. I shifted it into reverse and backed up slightly then put it back into low gear. I drove a very short distance and it happened again. I know this is a very poor explanation of what happened and I am hoping someone may have had similar experience and can direct me to a solution. I have not checked transmission fluid level yet but will soon. Last week I noticed a puddle of differential fluid on the garage floor which was new. In order to get home I ran it in low gear most of the way and only shifted into high when we were on our road. I was wanting to avoid this happening again. So, I will check fluids in transmission and in differential. Any other suggestions for me to do?
Checking fluids is definitely a good place to start. I am not as familiar with the drivetrains of that era, but the symptoms of locking up and releasing in reverse almost sounds like when brakes hang up. Did you by chance hit the brakes at any point shortly before that?
Good Morning, Greg-
I had a couple of braking issues with my 59 that may relate to yours. Check the parking brake- it is a drum on the back of the transmission. If adjusted too tight it can grab. Mine would grab while decelerating, making the car surge.
The other issue could be the brake shoe materials at the wheels. My left front would lock when applying the brakes, going in reverse freed it. Sanding the surface of the brake pad gave temporary relief. The final solution was taking the brake shoes to a local brake materials shop and having new pads put on. The old pads must have been somehow contaminated.
I hope this helps. We need to be able to drive our cars without worry.
Glenn Colburn, 1959 Firesweep
I understand situations like this can be quite stressful so you may not remember all of the details. Could you tell if it seemed like ALL 4 wheels locked up, or just the rear wheels? Do you recall pressing the clutch pedal at any point while the wheels were locked up, and if so, did it have any effect?
As David and Glenn suggested, it is a good idea to look over your service brakes and parking brake. Since your issue might be transmission related, here is some information regarding the Tip-Toe shift transmission that might be helpful. The fluid level in the transmission can greatly effect how it shifts into the higher gear (2nd or 4th) depending on what range you are in. If the fluid level is too low, the oil pump in the transmission cannot build enough pressure to complete the automatic upshift. Usually, when the oil is too low and it cannot build enough pressure, the transmission either does not upshift at all or it intermittently drops out of the higher gear and back down to 1st or 3rd, again, depending on what range you are currently in. However, I have not personally heard of too low of pressure to cause the entire transmission to lock up and result in what you are describing.
If you are not aware, the fluid for the transmission, and the fluid for the Fluid Drive coupling are separate from each other. The hole to check and fill the Fluid Drive coupling is on the top right of the bell housing between the engine and transmission. The hole to check and fill the transmission is on the right (passenger) side of the transmission. The oil level should be even with the bottom of the filler plug. It is usually easiest to check the level by simply removing the filler plug and sticking your finger in said transmission filler hole. For now, I would say to leave the Fluid Drive coupling alone. There is no mechanical connection with the Fluid Drive that would cause the rear wheels or engine to lock up. Which is the whole point of the Fluid Drive!
Also, when you were driving back home staying in low range, were you only using 1st gear, at which you could only go about 6 to 8 mph. Or did you briefly let up off of the gas after gaining some speed to get the automatic upshift into 2nd, allowing you to go about 20 mph, but you refrained from shifting into high range via pressing the clutch and moving the shifter lever down?
