The Ford Barn

RKS.PA · 03-06-2025, 09:06 AM

Perhaps a "stupid" question, but that's not stopped me before!

I have an early '56 T Bird with the air cooled converter. When I replaced the left exhaust pipe off the manifold, I failed to leave enough space between it and the air intake "scoop" on the transmission case, and I get a very annoying vibration at times. If I turn the scoop around so that the opening faces the front of the engine and the air is forced into the cooling path, I pick up the needed clearance. The cooling air flow remains the same...in the scoop and out the discharge on the right side. Am I going to cause an unanticipated transmission cooling problem by what I've done?

KULTULZ · 03-06-2025, 11:40 AM

There is no stupid question(s) as if you need to know, you need to know.

But I did personally answer two dumb questions -

1) You wanna join the ARMY, and

2) Do you want to get married?

Any who,

I would think reversing the intake duct would allow a lot of moisture and road filth to be ingested into the bell housing, maybe working on the rear seal, trans front seal and the torque convertor seal..

RKS.PA · 03-06-2025, 02:00 PM

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Thank you very much, KULTULZ!

I never considered the road dirt that's shielded by the inlet facing rear. And, that's probably why Ford put it on in that direction in the first place.

Time to turn it around and do some "therapeutic" bending to get the clearance I need from the exhaust pipe.

03-06-2025, 09:06 AM	#1
RKS.PA Senior Member Join Date: Jun 2010 Location: Oro Valley, AZ Posts: 1,241	1956 Air Cooled Fordomatic Perhaps a "stupid" question, but that's not stopped me before! I have an early '56 T Bird with the air cooled converter. When I replaced the left exhaust pipe off the manifold, I failed to leave enough space between it and the air intake "scoop" on the transmission case, and I get a very annoying vibration at times. If I turn the scoop around so that the opening faces the front of the engine and the air is forced into the cooling path, I pick up the needed clearance. The cooling air flow remains the same...in the scoop and out the discharge on the right side. Am I going to cause an unanticipated transmission cooling problem by what I've done?

03-06-2025, 02:00 PM	#3
RKS.PA Senior Member Join Date: Jun 2010 Location: Oro Valley, AZ Posts: 1,241	Re: 1956 Air Cooled Fordomatic Sponsored Links (Register now to hide all advertisements) Thank you very much, KULTULZ! I never considered the road dirt that's shielded by the inlet facing rear. And, that's probably why Ford put it on in that direction in the first place. Time to turn it around and do some "therapeutic" bending to get the clearance I need from the exhaust pipe.