‘39 Merc light grinding sound through shifter
 

Thanks to you guys, I solved an annoying acceleration issue in this low-mile ‘39 Merc. I’ve been packing miles on it the past few days and i’m impressed with how smooth the car operates generally...but there is ONE THING...(isn’t there always?)

I’m getting a light grinding noise that radiates through the shifter. If I grab the shift knob tightly, I dampen the sound to something barely audible. It does it in neutral and in all gears including reverse.

When I press the clutch in it gets VERY slightly louder, but not much.

The transmission shifts effortlessly and the action is one of the smoother manual transmissions I’ve ever had in any car. It’s an OG ‘39 transmission with 33k miles on it, so that part doesn’t really surprise me. I drained the old oil and replaced it with the correct weight GL-1 (I forget the exact weight at the moment, but it was recommended here)

Anybody have any experience with this? Pilot bushing? Starter gear not disengaging?

Any help appreciated.
Thanks.

Re: ‘39 Merc light grinding sound through shifter
 

Lurk, I think you are experiencing something that all Fords with a floorshift do. The length of the shift lever is acting like an antenna in reverse, and transmitting noise into the cab of the vehicle. This is why column shift cars are quieter. I discovered this years ago when I had a super quiet 46 ford that the trans blew up in. I was unable to find at the time, a replacement column change box, and instead put in a floorshift 39 box. The difference in noise was very noticeable. Also, the ends of the shifter forks that run in the grooves of 1st gear and the 2nd-3rd synchro were originally white-metalled, and this wears off, also adding to the noise. Interesting that you changed the oil, did it only start to make the noise after you changed it....or was it making it before?

Re: ‘39 Merc light grinding sound through shifter
 

Open the top of the transmission and pour a can of STP in it. You think it shifts smooth now and it will be super quiet!! My dad has done this for years on all of our V8's and WWII Jeeps!!!

Re: ‘39 Merc light grinding sound through shifter
 

Love your Merc by the way!!! Not hard to see why though. Ours is a three time Rouge un-restored and Oct of 38 production.

Re: ‘39 Merc light grinding sound through shifter
 

could be throw out bearing going, remove inspection cover and see if bearing is touching the clutch fingers if so adjust clutch linkage so bearing has a little clearance there

Re: ‘39 Merc light grinding sound through shifter
 

It was making it before. The reason I dug in at all honestly was the noise. If it isn’t a catastrophic issue, I’m not very concerned with it. Other than the noise, there isn’t really a negative symptom related to it.

Thanks.

Re: ‘39 Merc light grinding sound through shifter
 

Nice car! How did you find out when it was produced?

Re: ‘39 Merc light grinding sound through shifter
 

next time it is making the noise, move/ slightly rotate the shifter a little and see if that changes the noise, had a trans with a worn shifter pin that did that, caused a vibration because of the worn pin

Re: ‘39 Merc light grinding sound through shifter
 

The shifter lever isn't much different that holding a rod against a component and listening to the other end for noise. It is firmly seated in the shift tower. If it gets slightly noisier when the throw out bearing is in play then that is a separate problem. It could be a bearing going bad in the transmission or in the drive line. Cars that set up for a long time can get corrosion pitting in the bearings where moisture or air makes contact. If it continues or gets worse then it's talking to you and trying to let you know.

Re: ‘39 Merc light grinding sound through shifter
 

Rockfla's dad puts STP on his pancakes. Swears it works.

Re: ‘39 Merc light grinding sound through shifter
 

Try using GL-4 instead of GL-1.

Re: ‘39 Merc light grinding sound through shifter
 

Lurk
All the glass is "bugged" 10-38, it came with Ford/Mercury hub caps which ran for about 3 weeks after start of production....Production started the last week or so in September. There are several "minor" differences on the early cars.

Re: ‘39 Merc light grinding sound through shifter
 

Interesting. Here my glass “bug.” 5-39

Re: ‘39 Merc light grinding sound through shifter
 

Lurk
So its a good indicator yours is mid year car. By this time in production it could be May to Early June depending on the time schedule from when the glass was produced to when the car was built.....I would imagine that "early" on in production the "bug" date was pretty well on as the production date as the rush to get them out on the car lots and the need to have materials to quickly get the cars out!!!! If you go on my profile I have a few more pictures of our Merc in my photo album.

Re: ‘39 Merc light grinding sound through shifter
 

Re: ‘39 Merc light grinding sound through shifter Rockfla's dad puts STP on his pancakes. Swears it works.



I use nothing but MMO on mine.
Bruce

Re: ‘39 Merc light grinding sound through shifter
 

Lurk
What's your body # ???

Re: ‘39 Merc light grinding sound through shifter
 

I modified the main shafts to not leak and run synthetic GL4.