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Old 10-30-2013, 09:07 PM   #1
'59Edsel
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Default Mile-O-Matic / Ford-O-Matic 2 Speed Transmission Leak Mystery

Hey everyone, I have a 2 speed Mile-O-Matic / Ford-O-Matic / Merc-O-Matic / Cruise-O-Matic from 1959. Just yesterday after running my engine, getting it hot, and running though the gears ford good measure, I noticed a small but steady leak coming from the rear of the transmission. I stopped the engine and investigated. I had just the from of the car on jack stands from this point. There was a good amount of fluid around the pan and its bolts, but it appeared to be coming from the reverse servo cover (driver's side servo cover) I wiped her down and decided to wait until today to see if anything else had seeped. Well, I get under there to look earlier and everything is pretty normal, not dry but nothing out of the usual for this tranny. Maybe just a little seepage from that serve cover. So I decide to jack up the rear end and run her in the air. I start her up and put her in reverse and I get a huge overflow out of the filler tube. I shut her off and wipe everything down / do a little online research / look in my Ford-O-Matic manual and see that causes of this are: aeration of the fluid; coolant in the fluid; and a blocked vent tube. Well, aeration I guess could be a factor. I did just recently do a complete fluid change on the tranny along with a complete empty of the torque converter. But I dunno. Coolant is a definite no because I have an external cooler. And blocked vent is maybe. I eventually did locate the vent tube and cleaned it up with a rag, seemed ok. So after all that, I start her up one last time, all while in the air, and let her run through reverse / drive/ neutral / low / and back to park. I don't get any more overflow through the tube, and that small but steady leak kinda disappeared. I'm going to do a little more investigation this weekend, but I wanted to throw that out there for now and get your guys opinions. Thanks in advance for the help everyone.
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Old 10-31-2013, 05:25 AM   #2
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Default Re: Mile-O-Matic / Ford-O-Matic 2 Speed Transmission Leak Mystery

Overfilled?
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Old 10-31-2013, 06:10 AM   #3
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Default Re: Mile-O-Matic / Ford-O-Matic 2 Speed Transmission Leak Mystery

Wiping off the vent will not help. You must remove it and clean it out with a drill bit or stiff wire. Simple to remove and is likely a problem if the leak/overflow is most prevalent when the transmission is hot. Dirt daubers have caused many problems in this area. As lowrider said, be sure it is not over filled.
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Old 10-31-2013, 07:42 AM   #4
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Default Re: Mile-O-Matic / Ford-O-Matic 2 Speed Transmission Leak Mystery

Thanks for the relplies. I don't believe it's overfilled, I went to spec on the filling and she's reading right under the full mark after being driven a little while.

As for the vent, does it just pull off?
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Old 10-31-2013, 10:43 AM   #5
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Default Re: Mile-O-Matic / Ford-O-Matic 2 Speed Transmission Leak Mystery

There may be a small jiggle pin type of vent on the trans top. I know for a fact that if they get plugged or caked with oil and road dust, they won't let the trans vent and cause overflow out the dipstick. Worth a look.
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Old 10-31-2013, 01:27 PM   #6
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Default Re: Mile-O-Matic / Ford-O-Matic 2 Speed Transmission Leak Mystery

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No,it screws out with a wrench.I don't remember what size wrench,either half inch or seven-sixteenths.
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Old 10-31-2013, 07:50 PM   #7
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Default Re: Mile-O-Matic / Ford-O-Matic 2 Speed Transmission Leak Mystery

Okay, update:

I'm starting to think she IS overfilled.

The real important thing is it seems my vent is not clogged, the trans overflows out the filler and the vent. Heres what happened. I started my engine, and immediately put the car into reverse, this spewed transmission fluid out of my filler tube. Keep in mind, she's cold at this point. I shut her off, wiped her down and started over. I left it in park and warmed the engine up to full operating temperature. While still in park, I noticed a leak occurring from the transmission vent. I stop the testing there. any insights? I want to add that I added an external transmission cooler, but other than that she' all stock and I'm pretty sure I went by the book in adding the quarts of fluid to the transmission. Maybe I screwed up, I dunno. Where should I go from here?

On a side note, I tried to unscrew the vent, no luck. It doesn't have anywhere to put a wrench on it. I used a vice grip, but it just spins and spins. Here's a pic:

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Old 11-02-2013, 07:49 PM   #8
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Default Re: Mile-O-Matic / Ford-O-Matic 2 Speed Transmission Leak Mystery

So I guess I'll drain out a quart tomorrow and see if that makes a difference. If I am getting drain back from the torque converter, does that mean the drain back valve is defective? If so, I'll have to drop the tranny to fix it right?
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Old 11-03-2013, 06:16 PM   #9
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Default Re: Mile-O-Matic / Ford-O-Matic 2 Speed Transmission Leak Mystery

Okay, update. I drained out a quart today and ran everything until it was at operating temperature. No leaks present, but now I am not getting a reading on my dipstick. Maybe it isn't original? I'll post a measurement in a bit.
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Old 11-11-2013, 10:36 PM   #10
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Default Re: Mile-O-Matic / Ford-O-Matic 2 Speed Transmission Leak Mystery

Looks like the measurement of my dipstick is 17 and 1/2 inches from the top of the riveted metal downward.
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Old 06-23-2014, 07:15 PM   #11
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Default Re: Mile-O-Matic / Ford-O-Matic 2 Speed Transmission Leak Mystery

It happened again today after a long hiatus...

My tranny overflowed out of the fill tube. I was revving the engine (While cold) and it overflowed from the fill tube. Hasn't done this for a while. When hot, the dipstick shows the perfect level. Not sure why its overflowing. And yes its the correct dipstick. Maybe it has something to do with revving while cold?
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Old 06-24-2014, 05:08 AM   #12
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Default Re: Mile-O-Matic / Ford-O-Matic 2 Speed Transmission Leak Mystery

as you have been told your vent tube is plugged.
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Old 06-27-2014, 09:13 PM   #13
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Default Re: Mile-O-Matic / Ford-O-Matic 2 Speed Transmission Leak Mystery

Quote:
Originally Posted by darrell View Post
as you have been told your vent tube is plugged.
Okay, since mine is completely round with no accommodations for a wrench or a socket, how do I get that thing off?
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Old 06-28-2014, 12:16 AM   #14
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Default Re: Mile-O-Matic / Ford-O-Matic 2 Speed Transmission Leak Mystery

Rig up a hose (like heater hose, etc.) to fit over the fill tube and blow in it with lung pressure and release. If air puffs back out the fill tube, the vent is blocked. If no pressure/air movement detected, the vent is open. Or have someone listen at the vent while you blow air down the fill tube.
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Old 06-29-2014, 11:29 PM   #15
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Default Re: Mile-O-Matic / Ford-O-Matic 2 Speed Transmission Leak Mystery

Quote:
Originally Posted by 40 Deluxe View Post
Rig up a hose (like heater hose, etc.) to fit over the fill tube and blow in it with lung pressure and release. If air puffs back out the fill tube, the vent is blocked. If no pressure/air movement detected, the vent is open. Or have someone listen at the vent while you blow air down the fill tube.
Good Idea, I will do this. Thanks
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Old 08-03-2020, 08:51 AM   #16
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Default Re: Mile-O-Matic / Ford-O-Matic 2 Speed Transmission Leak Mystery

@'59Edsel did youu ever get this figured out? Im having a similar problem with my 61 Falcon
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Old 08-03-2020, 12:10 PM   #17
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Default Re: Mile-O-Matic / Ford-O-Matic 2 Speed Transmission Leak Mystery

The Falcons had the aluminum case 2-speed Ford-O-Matic which is different than the early single range 3-speed Ford-O-Matic or the dual range 3-speed Cruise-O-Matic. With these old threads, it's not as likely to get a response from the original poster. Don't hesitate to start a new thread.
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