[66chevyIISS]

driveshaft update *part 3*

Well I finally got the car in the air and got to give it a full inspection. I think I found the culprit! Tranny blew before the drivehaft? Looks like I got more work ahead of me then I was hoping for.

I don't think you're supposed to see the converter through the transmission housing!

______________


Here is the other damage:

 

[novas4life]

GOOD LORD!! WOW, sorry about the carnage.
Brandon

 

[66chevyIISS]

ya, thanks I'm scared about the engine now too! Guess I will be removing everything now to fully check things out.

 

[69NovaSS]

Man oh man....you just inspired me to add the installation of a driveshaft loop to my list of upgrades...hopefully the motor surived undamaged

 

[novaboy009]

66ChevyIISS, you are why I got a loop.

Kev

 

[FunkyNova66]

Did the rear or front u-joint break? Looks like the rear came apart in which a drive shaft loop wouldn't help much. How did you crack the trans casing? You might check to see if a weight came off the flex plate. I have seen this cause tranny casing carnage.

Let us know what you find out.

Good luck
Dave

 

[69NovaSS]

Im not sure either ujoint broke...the drive shaft did break in 3 pieces which allowed the back and front peice to beat up the floor pretty good...

first thread:
http://stevesnovasite.com/forums/showthread.php?t=32939

Second thread:
http://stevesnovasite.com/forums/showthread.php?t=33341

 

[66chevyIISS]

Both joints are still intact as you can see in the pictures of the other posts. It all went haywire just as I was lifting at the finish line. The only thing that would have saved the underside of my car would of been a shaft loop towards the rear. The rear u joiint and shaft were still bolted to my rearend so when it snapped it just whipped around until I could get the car stopped. I don't know what went first. I guess it's possible when the driveshaft snapped it got wedged in the transmission tunnel and tweaked the tranny? I will drop the transmission pan today and see if parts drop out....

 

[FunkyNova66]

that's right! I forgot it twisted it into 3 pieces...I remember the first thread. WOW. I would have shat my pants. Keep us posted on what you find. It may help put this mystery together.

Dave

 

[JRChevy]

Both joints are still intact as you can see in the pictures of the other posts. It all went haywire just as I was lifting at the finish line. The only thing that would have saved the underside of my car would of been a shaft loop towards the rear. The rear u joiint and shaft were still bolted to my rearend so when it snapped it just whipped around until I could get the car stopped. I don't know what went first. I guess it's possible when the driveshaft snapped it got wedged in the transmission tunnel and tweaked the tranny? I will drop the transmission pan today and see if parts drop out....

I'll come by and gawk and drink beer while you check it out :beer: :beer:

Let me know if there's anything I can help with

 

[Real McCoy]

The same thing happened to my brother with my old Nova in Ohio. The theory he had was the trans cracked when it launched. He said there was parts of the bell housing laying on the track around the 60 ft clocks so that's what he thinks hapened. It stayed under power with no vibration til he got to the finish line then it all exploded. He thinks the trans dropped down finally which shifted it into reverse and that's when the driveshaft twisted up and also broke in 3 peices. He was running 130 MPH when it broke. That car has front and rear loops but the driveshaft still took out all the mid floor and tunnel plus gashed a hole in one of the 2X3 frame connectors. He said after he changed his drawers due to his bowels discharging unexpectedly he started to have people bring him all sorts of parts found on the track. The rear of the shaft was still bolted to the rearend which kept turning and whipping which did most of the damage. He now has an Ultrabell, motor plates and a moly driveshaft. This happened to him about 3 yrs ago. RM

 

[69NovaSS]

He said after he changed his drawers due to his bowels discharging unexpectedly. RM

RM, that is one of the funniest and cleanest ways I have ever heard that described...ROTFLMAO.....lol

 

[JRChevy]

Depends should be a mandatory part of the safety equipment requirements!

 

[66chevyIISS]

I think we get the point John !!


Real McCoy,thats real interesting. The way you describe it sounds almost identical to my situation.

 

[JRChevy]

Waddya mean 66??

 

[LIL NOVE]

sorry 66, but i havent read the other threads. what RPM's did u leave @ and were u on the bottle, (do u even have one??). im about to take my car to the track, and u seriously got me scared. im about to crawl under the car, and check for any weak points. sorry to see that happened......

JOHN

 

[66chevyIISS]

I launched from idle and not at full throttle. It broke at the finish line around 111mph. No nitrous on my car. What happened to my car I wouldn't call normal. I would definitely check all nuts and bolts on the car its always a good idea. I always try to tighten everything before I go to the track.

----

I got my pan off and it looks better then I was thinking. There was only 4 piece of really thin metal in it and I guess that could have been from anything at anytime. I have a spare th-350 thats just stock. Should I swap out all my salvagable parts from my current th-350 (hd sprag, steel gears, shift kit etc..) and rebuild my spare or do you think I need to upgrade to a th-400?

pan metal 4 pieces top right:

 

[1BluII]

I'm glad for you that your exhaust took the hit and not your fuel line. My setup is very similar (except I have a Muncie) and now I'm rethinking the whether I should convert to the L79 style fuel line routing instead of the "regular" routing. Of course, I just bought the new stainless line last year...

I'm thankful you weren't hurt - mechanical stuff, though expensive, is a drop in the bucket compared to what could have been.

Keep us apprised of developments - it's helpful to many of us to learn this stuff.

 

[66chevyIISS]

yes, if my wheel had ran over the parts falling out from under my car it could have been a very different outcome. Thankfully I only have the problems I have.

my fuel line is routed along the outside of my subframe connectors away from moving parts. The line you see in the pictures is my rear brake line It was saved by my muffler!! If that muffler wasn't there I am positive it would have been taken out.

 

[1BluII]

ah, I forgot the 66 - 67 brake line routing is different (my 67's goes down the driver's side inside rocker), I now see the fuel line attached to the inside of your passenger side rocker. Either line would be bad, though!

Glad you're ok, thanks for sharing the pictures and info.