I admire John Kelly's ability to explain complex systems in simple terms using visual displays. I first watched his Hydra-Matic series several years ago while researching historical development of the Automatic Safety Transmission (AST) used in the M5 Stuart tank. Off-topic but John has another video I watched a couple years ago explaining hybrid & EV transmissions. A really nice guy.

 

I really enjoyed this series and was pretty amazed he was able to do it while in a wheel chair. Hopefully it'll help Chris figure out what's going on with his transmission and he can get his fixed.
Have you ever watched any videos from - https://www.youtube.com/@PrecisionTransmission ? He'd make me laugh when he'd say "pretty simple" during a tear down of one. There's only a few videos of him doing a full rebuild. He had stopped doing videos for awhile when he had surgery on his shoulder but he's back doing them again. I wish he'd do a video on a 'Slim Jim'.

 

 

I’ll watch the videos but I’m no position to do a full rebuild, I wish I was. Main reason being I don’t have a lift to get the transmission out of the car. But I’ll watch the videos and see if I can figure out what I did yesterday that is causing me to get no gears now

 

If there's a will there's a way.

 

That video is a little more elaborate than necessary, IMO. I've pulled several transmissions using a floor jack, as well. Just need to be creative.

 

This is a pretty neat deal for a Turbo 350. If you try using this on a cast iron Hydra-matic it will be total disaster. The thing weighs several hundred pounds and is going to be a beast to get out. Somewhere I have seen an adapter to put in a floor jack to convert it to a transmission jack. When I had my 54, I actually purchased the best transmission jack HF had. I was going to pull the transmission myself and have it rebuilt. The more I read the more I knew I didn't want to pull the thing. I think it has 32 bolts on the taurus cover. Another thing to realize, you are going to have to have the car pretty high to get the transmission out when it is on a jack. The problem with these old cars is there are very few folks left that know how to work on these old transmissions. The guy that rebuilt mine died about two or three years ago and was probably about 80-years old. Good luck.

 

Lol, I've never changed a transmission so it looked like it would be helpful to keep it steady and not fall off the jack while rolling it across a dirt driveway, but maybe a little too elaborate.

 

Glenn - I was going to let you get away w/ it, but I couldn't stand myself any longer. Ford Motor Company just wouldn't have it!

Torus

 

FoMoCo will probably sue me now.

 

I went to Bob's Transmission in Milaca, MN today with my HydraMatic in the back of my pickup. Bob let me use his special tool to adjust the front band. He has been working on transmissions since 1966! His son also works with him so it will go on once Bob passes, he is over 80 at this point.
If anyone else is in this area this is one place that you can go to get ANY automatic transmission worked on.
Wally

 

Really good to know. Thanks

 

Yes they have or can get any transmission part needed. The repair parts that went into my Toronado came from their stock on hand. When I get the transmission separated from the 1958 "371", it will go to Bob's. Bob wants to teach his son Scott how to rebuild the 57-58 Olds Jetaway 315 transmissions.

 

Thats all fine and dandy but it took me over an hour to put this trans in and I had the car on a lift, because this isn’t just an easy turbo 350 with 3 torque converter bolts. And my trans holds the other two mounts that hold up the engine other than that the engine only has one front motor mount. And on my so called torque converter (torus drum) there’s 32 bolts all around it and it is something I’d rather never do again at least not with out the car on a lift. But I did mess up last sat and realized I put the valve body back in with the shifter valve hooked up to the selector. So I corrected that and got my gears back. Tested last night and could have sworn I got 4th gear once but had to instantly stop to avoid hitting a damn dog! After that I did not get 4th gear so back to square one. Time to try conditioners and anti slip fluids I guess. Any suggestions besides that Lucas brand trick slip. Already tried that one

 

sorry I meant over an hour just to get the torus connected and in the dal rod pins so yeah no fun

 

Hate to see you pulling your hair out.
In my experience, snake oils never work.
If there is a cross-leak no oil will fix that. It simply boils down to a worn hard or soft part.
Were you able to hook a gauge to it to read pressures? Or is that not part of this trans's architecture?

In my experience with more modern GM, Chrysler, and Ford automatics, when a cross-leak or an internal leak occurs it is usually accompanied by loss of function.
It's a hyd. pump and basic hyd pump function is to xfer fluid between circuits. When that is gone so is that circuit and its function.

I still think it's time to bite the bullet and pull it apart for an assessment and full rebuild.

 

You have a lot more patience than I do. I would be looking for somebody to take this thing to. It may take a while to find somebody to work on the hydra-matic.

 

good to know but I guess it can’t hurt at this point. No I didn’t get a gauge and yes I can hook one up if buy one. Say I do that and there’s a point with low pressure, what’s my next step?

 

just started calling places today so far no one will take my trans. Anyone know a phone number for someone that used to work on these transmissions?

 

what do you mean work hard or soft spot?

 

I mean I guess before I go spending money on a gauge I’d want to know what I can do with that knowledge, like how I can fix the issue of low pressure if that was the case

 

Snake oils are not going to begin to address your issue(s). I sincerely hope you watched every single minute of the four part series provided in Post # 120

Part 4 of the series is going to thoroughly explain each moving part. Again, if you have not watched each minute of the series you are missing a wealth of information.

 

It is more that likely going to be a problem. When I had my 54, I had the transmission rebuilt in 2017 by a retired transmission guy that was about 78 years old (my age now). He had somebody else pull it and put it back in that cost me about $400. His price to completely rebuild it was $2,000 so all in I was at $2,400. I knew it was going to be a problem at some point so I went ahead and had it done. The guy passed away about two years ago. It has been a long time since GM built these transmissions and very few old guys around that know anything about them. You might give Fatsco a call and see if they sell to anybody in you area. They are the main supplier for parts.

 

I started that video but it didn’t look like my trans so I never finished it but I will tonight. And if anyone knows someone in the Santa Fe Albuquerque area that will rebuild mine just let me know who to call cuz I’m just about at that point but until then I’ll keep trying myself cuz no choice and I’m incapable of letting the car sit. I start it up every day even if I don’t drive it. I did put in a new temp sender and makes a world of difference on my real temp and got a temp laser gun which also helps. Seems like my thermostat opens when the needle in the temp gauge gets to the middle so that’s been great. Still some gunk in engine tho until I order that themocare on Amazon but no point in that until I fix this 4th gear issue. I’ve noticed since I cleaned out the VB last sat and got it driving last night my shifting is not as smooth so my TV rod is probably off and I’ll adjust that this evening. Does the actual piston inside the vb that the tv rod pushes on, build up pressure while it’s in gear so that there’s no play before the rod pushes on that piston, cause when I’ve had that rod unhooked and car off, there’s a little play before you can feel it push on that piston? If that makes sense?

 

ivd seen the full rebuild kits online from fatsco for about 500 bucks but I will call them to see if they know anyone in my area that can work on mine.

 

Did you read #131 ?
Who have you called so far?

 

yes I read it and I don’t have means to be towing my car out of state to get it fixed. I can’t remember the names one was precision transmission in Santa Fe they are too scared to take mine on. And two places in Albuquerque that said the people that used to fix my trans are retired

 

What is your budget ?

 

well in terms of getting the trans rebuilt by someone probably around 2000 range but I’d have to talk to the wife as well but I know she’s in love with the car now and wants it fixed so that helps but if I can find someone near me I can tow it myself which helps on funds

 

the engine seems fine but I’d like to get 4th gear working so I can drive it for a few days and make sure it will be an every day driver engine wise

 

If you tow that car, be sure to drop the driveshaft or haul it on a trailer.

 

it will be on a trailer but I towed it before on a 5 hour drive on a tow dolly and it was fine just rolling on back wheels

 

It is not the fact it would be difficult to tow but the damage you could do to your transmission.

 

How many positions are on the gear shift indicator?
PRND12...
1. Hook said gauge to the service port.
2. Turn on the engine.
3. Put shift lever into any gear.
4. Observe gauge
5. Take a pressure reading each gear. Park, then R, then N, then D.....etc. What is the PSI value in each position?
6. There is a specification ± pressure in each position. If above or below the spec somethings wrong. Fluid is not building pressure thus that circuit is dead. This will tell you which circuit isn't getting activated by pressure, no 4th gear.
Something in the 4th gear circuit/plumbing is leaking/bypassing not allowing that circuit to pressurize and engage 4th.

Each gear uses a series of internal passages through seals, springs valves, servos, solenoids, frictions/discs stacks etc...flow goes to a part and allows it to clamp down on something or release something.
No pressure no clamping force or hydraulic force multiplication...dead circuit. Knowing what the pressure is or is not zeros in on that section of the plumbing.

Ground level:
Kitchen faucet with a single lever; Hot water is in one position cold is in another. No hot water? Why?
1. The faucet valve is bad.
2. The hot water line is blocked.
3. The pressure supply is turned off.
4.Tank is broken
Find out why hot water is not reaching the sink, you have fixed the hot water circuit. Now hot water from the tank is reaching the sink.

 

Flat or dolly towing an automatic transmission car with the drive shaft installed will cause the trans to over heat or starve for lubrication because the pump/converter is not circulating fluid nor flowing through a cooler.

2-3 miles prob OK. 20 miles prob not OK.

Drop the shaft.Iinstall a tail shaft plug so fluid doesn't spew from the tail end.

 

I have used a tow dolly. I disconnect the driveshaft and double loop a ratchet strap around the driveshaft to something above. In the old days, I used polyethyline rope.

 

well there’s no park only neutral

 

I didn’t use tow dolly with the trans currently in the car but that’s probably what broke my other trans. Ok so I get the gauge and check its pressure this weekend. And we no something that has to do with 4th gear has an offset pressure level. Can I access those areas of the trans without a lift? My gears on the selector are N D S L R.

 

The answer to his problem is explained within one or more of the videos that I linked if he would be bothered to watch them. The test procedures are there too. The old saying comes to mind - "you can lead a horse to water but you can't make them drink".

 

sorry had a late night messing with the car didn’t finish the videos I will tho.