51 Merc-O-Matic
 

Anyone have success in removing a merc-o-matic from a 51? Right now in my garage 18 in off the floor on stands.
Any help?
thanks

Re: 51 Merc-O-Matic
 

That transmission is big and heavy.
Laying on your back on the garage floor will be an experience you will remember forever.

Re: 51 Merc-O-Matic
 

Right don't want that feeling anymore at my age!! It's not the laying down it's rolling around and getting back upright!!
I thought about lowering it down through the passenger door with an engine hoist and go from there. I see in the original shop manual that they had a trianglular winch which they used to lower the tranny through the floor.
Any thoughts?

Re: 51 Merc-O-Matic
 

I had a 51 Nerc auto trans in my 47 PU for years, and just loved it. I also had the 3.3 rear as well. Shuda kept it???

Re: 51 Merc-O-Matic
 

I've never removed one from a 51 since my 51s have overdrive transmissions. My 1953 revision of the Merc-O-Matic transmission manual gives instructions but they used a special tool to secure the aft end of the engine. It is a cross beam that attaches to the frame with two long bolts and then supports the engine by the use of two long bolts to support it from the oil pan rails. This allows clearance to remove the starter as well as some of the other components. The car is raised until the tires are 12-inches off the floor so it sets pretty high. This allows clearance to drop the transmission and converter housing after all the attachments and drive line are removed or disconnected as applicable. The text calls for draining the converter and the transmission pan as well. With the 1951 cars, the transmission cover plate can be removed from the floor but it is a chore to do so. I'm not sure how the rear cross member is set up for the automatic but it should be removable.

There may be other ways to support the engine in situ. If a person uses another jack set up then it will have to be out of the way for removal procedures and be kind to the oil pan. I figure it can be done but it's no walk in the park.

These transmissions have a different type of flex plate than later cars have. It has to be bolted in correctly so that the converter drain provisions are accessible. This will become apparent when you disconnect it from the torque converter.

Re: 51 Merc-O-Matic
 

From under the car it is a pia but doable when I was much younger (17). Motor mounts suffered a bit until I realized to put a jack and a piece of wood under the engine and don't forget the speedo cable like I did. The crossmember and drive shaft have to be removed also. No drain on the pan, but the fluid did come out the tail shaft and made a mess. Then everything has to go back in again and lifting that transmission up and in required a friend to help. There was at that time a transmission jack with four wheels and adjustments for lifting and angling and lowering but I didn't have one. Maybe they rent them now.

The next time I started the night before and removed the hood, front hood support with latch and radiator, disconnected the engine wires and linkage. Next day, I pulled the engine and trans as a unit being carful when lifting the tail shaft over the front of the car. This part was less than an hour and I was able to push the car back and drop everything on the floor safely. Going back in was just the reverse of coming out. This method was slow and steady but still required some carful jockeying around since I was doing it alone and not experienced. The transmission mount is on the tail shaft housing (two bolts).

Re: 51 Merc-O-Matic
 

I have not removed that transmission, but I have removed a lot of later model ones. Will the scissor style transmission jacks not work here? I've had good luck with them on C4s, C6s, AODs, etc. Of course I prefer using a lift and the lift type transmission jacks, but I have done a lot on the floor with a scissor jack.

Re: 51 Merc-O-Matic
 

I took an old driveshaft yoke and cut it off. Welded a plate on it to keep the oil from coming out of the back of the trans. You might be able to get away with an old yoke but this was my convertible with the X frame and there is no room with the overdrive. If you have a straight drop it should be fairly simple with a floor jack. Any other type of jack can be used to support the motor. Even the scissor jack out of your modern car with a block of wood my do it.
Not sure how good you are at fabrication but I made a jig that fit in my floor jack that I was able to bolt my overdrive to. Kept it from slipping off the jack and held it at the right angle.
Good luck.

Re: 51 Merc-O-Matic
 

Frank

Why not remove hood and pull out engine with transmission attached. I did this on my 1953 Ford flathead with fordomatic attached. Had to support tail shaft on floor jack but engine and fordomatic came out without a problem.pulled

Re: 51 Merc-O-Matic
 

Sounds like pulling a flattie standard tranny .... need friends for sure. Support back of engine with scissor jack, get three friends, unbolt tranny and pull back and out. For reinstalling, one guy under to guide spline onto clutch and two guys upstairs, one each side to support tranny and push into place.