Transmission advice - saga continues

[delco1946]

Hi all not much has happened over the years wrt my fordomatic. I have yet to find a mechanic familiar with the tranny who is also willing the read the manual. If you recall it was rebuilt around 2019 and has never worked right since.it slips. Every mechanic I have taken it to simply performs the band adjustment is not interested in reading the manual or working through the troubleshooting process, and after a couple hundred miles, my intermediate gear is slipping again. This happens again and again.

I have recently gone through chapter 3 Troubleshooting of the transmission manual steps A through E myself and I’m now on F pressure regulation. So far, nothing has made a difference and frankly adjusting the throttle control rod according to the manual actually is making it slip even more now in low and intermediate.

After reading section F and the corrective fixes ( bending metal tabs/internal throttle stops, I’m not sure if I’m going to have any change if I’m able to complete section F on my own. I would think adjusting the Throttle control rod would have caused the change if anything was going to do it. It also warns against exceeding 3.5 turns on the TCR Clevis. I’m nervous to be under the car with it running to test pressures and physically mess around with transmission. In my mind something else must going on.

This has me wondering, how does one determine if the clutches are at fault?. In my research, I came across a couple mentions of rebuild kit not coming with the right washers and seals. If I needed square cut rings and the kit came with round O-rings could that cause prevent fluid pressure buildup? could there be some other culprit? Could there be something wrong with the torque converter, which I think spins the front pump providing pressure?

[55blacktie]

It's not uncommon for mechanics & machine shops to shun old vehicles. My transmission guy is in his 70s; even so, he doesn't think much of the Fordomatic. He doesn't care much for the AOD either. Fortunately for me, he does like the C4.

[cos]

Hello There is a fellow in Eugene Ore that is a retired owner of shop. Still rebuilds trans on side. I have two 57 autos that were rebuild in 70s and never used but are water cooled.

[paul2748]

Why don't you share his name and contact info. ? Or at least sent it to the OP in a message if you don't want it public.

Originally Posted by cos

Hello There is a fellow in Eugene Ore that is a retired owner of shop. Still rebuilds trans on side. I have two 57 autos that were rebuild in 70s and never used but are water cooled.

[mmerlinn]

Originally Posted by cos

Hello There is a fellow in Eugene Ore that is a retired owner of shop. Still rebuilds trans on side. I have two 57 autos that were rebuild in 70s and never used but are water cooled.

I assume that you mean Gary Haslip at Geezer Garage in Coburg, Oregon who owned an AAMCO in West Eugene for years before he retired and now putters away at home.

[KULTULZ]

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Listen,

Until the TV ROD is adjusted to FACTORY SPECS with a PRESSURE GAUGE for the EXACT TRANS MODEL (and all linkages and bushings are good), the resultant slippage will cook the TRANS. Same with an AOD, and it doesn't take long to do it.

You posted REPAIR MANUAL. Is it the correct year FORD WORKSHOP MANUAL? There is also a FORD TRANSMISSION MANUAL available.

More than likely, when the TRANS was rebuilt and installed, the TECH did not set correct line pressure. Constant band adjustments prove that something is incorrect.

Do you see an ASSEMBLY ID TAG on the main case? It may not be the factory assembly trans and a replacement.

Check the pan for sediment and metal fragments. If found, most likely trashed. How does the fluid smell?

[cos]

yes he has good reputation with locals. Never had a auto trans myself in old car.

[delco1946]

Ran the pressure test. Gauge needle bounces all over the place ( antique) but followed procedure. Numbers seem close considering the throttle lever has a slight bend, not to mention doing this on my back in the street.

In reverse, right around 63-65 psi at 0 degrees. Pressure rise at 3.5 degrees. Max pressure was lower than spec at around 150-160, which is slightly low.

Forward (Dr): again 65psi at 0 degrees. Pressure rise again at 3.5 degrees. Max pressure at 12 ish degrees at 160 psi, slightly high.

So, basically it seems to have passed the pressure test? Or do this numbers suggest something wrong?

[delco1946]

Well I won't go and defend it too much, but it worked really well before the rebuild in the forward gears (reverse was getting problematic hence the decision to rebuild it). That's made it really hard to listen to these modern mechanics say it never would have worked well, cuz I know it did!

COS - do you know the name of the person/shop and have their contact info?

[Oldcarbearings]

Have you tried Oregon Performance transmissions or River City Transmissions or Charlie Tranny?, or T&S transmissions?......

[Oldcarbearings]

Or Dusty's Transmissions?.....

[delco1946]

Oldcarbearing - The first shop you mentioned seems to be parts and not repair services, River city I just heard about from the local Portland auto swap meet so I might look into them, I spoke with a guy who said he’s worked on his cruisimatic along time ago. The other looks to be in San Diego California so hundreds and hundreds of miles away from me. Dusty looks to be in southern Oregon, which is quite far as well.

Moneys tight so another mechanic visit might be a ways out but I might get the will power to jack up the rear and try the pressure test soon.

[cos]

Hello Delco Sent you a PM. Cos

[LOWRIDER]

Thinking back to the mid 60's I recall the Trans guy at the Ford dealer I worked at repaired more than a few cars that had a slipping intermediate gear. Don't recall if it was a Fordomatic or Cruisomatic. Problem was the band couldn't grip the drum when it shifted because the drum was glazed and the band just wouldnt grab. Fix he used was to replace the band with an aftermarket part called a snap band. You could replace the band without removing the Trans along with removing the glaze on the drum. Saved the customer the expense of an overhaul.
Don't know for sure what your exact problem is, I may be waaay off base but a glazed drum/band will cause a slip like that.

[delco1946]

COS - I saw your DM but I’m not really a great person to contact regarding value of rebuilt transmissions and I don’t think I’m to the point of buying another one quite yet, but I appreciate the offer.

Regarding glazed bands and drum, that’s a really good suggestion to look at. I don’t suppose you know what to look for? Must require removing the band to see something/ anything?

[LOWRIDER]

Regarding the band I believe you have to remove the main control and band adjusters to see it. Once you get it apart the drum may have hot spots in it or could be extremely shiny.
Don't know if you can still find a snapband for it, it's been more than 50yrs. If that ends up to be your problem you'll have to remove the trans.

[Abchoppers]

My mercomatic shifted a little hard and had a slight slip when I first got it. I tried Lucas transmission fix after reading a lot of positive reviews. It’s night and day, shifts smooth with zero slip. It helped immediately and you don’t have to drain any fluid, just add the Lucas in with the trans fluid. I would say if you’re at all interested read up on it and give it a shot

[kiwi nz]

Hi I am not sure of how exactly your fordomatic trans works but i can attest that a good one drives fine.

Two tips though, about 40 yrs back i had the use of a 55 Vicky, it was gutless. I adjusted up the kick down cable and it transformed the car.

About the same time I had a 302 with a C4, it slipped quite badly between low and second shifting.
It had been to many shops with the previous owner and had receipts for two total rebuilds, with many, many new parts.
A Saturday evening at home with the manual and, the next morning, I went down to my workshop and replaced the vacuum modulator.
The car was transformed into a sweet shifting 302 C4 that sent off quite a few bigger packages.

My message? read the available manuals and don't overlook the small stuff.

[delco1946]

Dumb question but is there another name for the kickdown lever/ rod? The manual doesn’t use this term at all it’s simply says throttle control rod and manual linkage. I also don’t think my transmission has any vacuum actuated components?

Edit: some googling suggests The throttle control rod is the kickdown rod by a different name. It seems like increasing the length of the throttle control rod means increased pressure, which is “good”, but if the increase in pressure is sufficient, it will cause the transmission to downshift?

[dmsfrr]

Originally Posted by delco1946

. . . I also don’t think my transmission has any vacuum actuated components?
. . .

No vacuum modulator on the Fordomatics until sometime after '57 . . .

https://www.hemmings.com/stories/for...-transmission/