63 R1 A/T Stalls and there is no 1st gear

[Jim 63R3984]

Well upon start up the car runs very nice, but once we hit 180 degrees the car will stall when coming to a stop or if you go from P to D or P to R. If you rev it up you can prevent it from dying, but it acts powerless.

Also it never clicks in to 1st, PRND2 is all that engages.

Any thoughts?

63 R1 A/T A/C P/S

Thanks

Jim

[Gunslinger]

It's not designed to start out in 1st...it starts out in 2nd gear. If you want it in 1st you manually put it in 1st then up shift. If the shifter lever itself won't go into 1st, then the linkage must need adjustment. If you don't have a copy of the Avanti shop and parts manuals...get them. If you, refer to it on accessing and adjusting the shifter linkage.

The carburetor issue isn't uncommon. Studebaker had a service letter regarding that. There was a modification kit if I remember correctly for dealers to install in an attempt to correct it. Maybe your car never received the update...the '63 R1 I used own was like that.

There could also other causes...maybe a vacuum leak, maybe the anti-stall dash pot is bad, maybe the carb is in bad need of adjustment.

[Jim 63R3984]

As of right now I don't have a dash pot but will be getting one during the KC meet. What is this factory update that I keep hearing about? Is there an update kit still available?

Yes, the shifter will not go into 1st almost like there isn't a 1st gear position. I will be going underneath to check it out.

I've gone through the carb and replace all jets back to factory specs. It does this after it warms up, in the first 5 minutes it runs great.

Vacuum lines all look great but will be going over them very close here.

[dynolou2]

To check the vacuum booster you can pinch off the hose with a pair of vice grips. You can also use carb or brake clean sprayed around carb and intake manifold to check for leaks. Have you put a vacuum gauge on it to check pressure, should read 15 to 18 inches.. As for the shifter not going into the 1st gear slot, some of the cars had a bushing on the manual lever that can deteriate , possible that previous owner adjusted it to get a full park engagement but throwing off shifter. Another thing,how are motor and trans mounts? failure or collapse can also change settings. Lou Cote

[Rob Dudley]

On the shifter issue another thing to look for is the 3/8 spacer under the left rear motor mount.

Rob

[Gunslinger]

There were a couple of service bulletins...two are limited strictly to R2 engines but I don't know whether that applies to your car.

The first bulletin is for cars with a/c. The "idle improvement kit", part #1563542, was to minimize higher coolant temps. It included a different water and fan pulley, belts and a carburetor idle speed-up adapter.

The second bulletin is for high altitude operation for R2 engines. This kit include different carburetor step-up rods.

There was also a bulletin to address flat-spotting on acceleration or rough operation with R2 engines. That involved removing and modifying the carburetor.

It sounds more like yours is likely be the first. I'm also still thinking a bad anti-stall dashpot has something to do with it. With a fifty plus year old car, there could be other issues that cause the problem. It will take following basic diagnostic procedures to find the problem(s) and to fix it or them.

[fred88]

Sounds like linkage adjustment is in order, also may have to remove the console top to readjust the neutral switch and reverse switch, and check the mount holes in the shifter, make sure they haven't torn the fiberglass and it's mounted correct to allow the stick enough motion in the selector slot to engage it. As to the stalling--remove your air cleaner, in the very top back of the secondaries, you'll see a bimetal strip if that is bad and doesn't unseat when hot it goes lean and stalls part 1558458 thermostatic valve.

PS There is a test in the manual somewhere, but as I remember it requires you to get the engine warmed up and pushing it closed by finger pressure on the button end to set the idle speed, then releasing it the engine should speed up, or something like that, check the fuel section of the workshop manual-I think in the carburetor rebuild section.

Edited August 31, 2016 by fred88

[mtgibby]

(Slight thread hi-jack)

Rob, what is this 3/8 inch spacer under the left rear engine mount? I didn't put one in. Does it go between the cross member and the mount? Was this from the factory? What is the purpose?

Thanks, Mike

[mfg]

(Slight thread hi-jack)

Rob, what is this 3/8 inch spacer under the left rear engine mount? I didn't put one in. Does it go between the cross member and the mount? Was this from the factory? What is the purpose?

Thanks, Mike

It's a 3/8" steel spacer that Studebaker used under the left rear engine mount (driver's side) on all '56-'66 Studebaker passenger cars with automatic (Flightomatic) transmissions and LHC.....If you lived in Australia, your Studebaker would be RHC, and that spacer would be placed under the RIGHT rear engine mount....It simply 'lines' the driveline up properly with the rear end....and this info, of course, also applies to Studebaker Avantis!

[mtgibby]

Sooooooooo, I probably need to put something under there before the body goes back on, right?

Is it just a large round washer?

[mfg]

Sooooooooo, I probably need to put something under there before the body goes back on, right?

Is it just a large round washer?

That's correct, and you definitely need one there!....If you can't find an original Stude one, you can make one out of several 'stacked' large washers....No big deal!... (go about 1/4")