1957 transmission slow to drop into gear

[lenkoenig]

I just purchased a nice looking 57 baby bird. 312/fordomatic/ps/pb/94k on Odo. It needs some love under the hood before I put it on the road. The former owner drove it to my house and it seems to have shifted fine. I find it rather slow to drop into gear and I need more gas than I would expect to get started (even in low) or climb ramps. I see the fluid is low but i am not seeing any leaks. Would replacing the screen and 10 quarts of fluid (F type I assume) be a good start or am I in real trouble?

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[biddle]

When you post to the forums, your subject should summarize what your post is about for more responses. Since we are an all "Ford Thunderbird" site, you don't need to note the make and model of your car in the subject. Your title "1957 ford thunderbird anemic fordomatic" has been revised.

Since your car does not have blood, it's not anemic, however obviously if any car is low on transmission fluid, the first step would be to at least top it off or do a fluid exchange.

 

[Tom Alpers]

It should not seem particularly slow. You might want to check the spark advance setting, if it's too far off it will make the car sluggish. On the trans, it might be low on fluid or perhaps the screen is clogged so cleaning the screen and putting new fluid in might be a good idea. You can buy a new screen but to my knowldge it's not a filter, just a screen so all you really need to do is clean it. The proper fluid that most closely matches what ford originally used is DexronIII/Mercon, not type F. F will work but it's not really the right stuff and might make engagement of the clutches and bands too abrupt.

 

[Ward 57]

Been using type 'F' forever, never have had any issues but understand many use the Dextron after a full flush but not to mix the two.

 

[74 Harley]

First of all,top off the fluid. If it's slow going into gear the next thing to check is the transmission screen. If it still has issues then you probably have issues with the front pump. Let's hope not.

 

[doug7740]

I just purchased a nice looking 57 baby bird. 312/fordomatic/ps/pb/94k on Odo. It needs some love under the hood before I put it on the road. The former owner drove it to my house and it seems to have shifted fine. I find it rather slow to drop into gear and I need more gas than I would expect to get started (even in low) or climb ramps. I see the fluid is low but i am not seeing any leaks. Would replacing the screen and 10 quarts of fluid (F type I assume) be a good start or am I in real trouble?

If there is a delay before the transmission engages in gear, the first thing you should do is to check the transmission fluid level and condition. Since you just purchased the car and the transmission fluid should be replaced every 25,000 miles, it would be a good idea to replace the transmission fluid and the filter screen. When replacing the transmission fluid, don't forget to remove the drain plugs from the torque converter so you can also drain the transmission fluid from the torque converter. Since it is readily available I have always used type F transmission fluid.

When you purchase the transmission filter screen, be aware that there are two different filter screen sizes used in the Ford-O-Matic transmission. The Ford-O-Matic transmission filter screen used in the passenger car is a 1/4” smaller than the one used in the Thunderbird.



Since the transmission pan will be removed, you should also adjust the bands. Looking at the band/clutch application chart below, you see that the rear band is used for low and reverse gears while the front band is used for the intermediate gear.





So here is how you adjust the bands:

FRONT BAND ADJUSTMENT

1. With the transmission oil pan removed, back off the adjusting screw lock nut and adjusting screw far enough to insert a ¼” wide metal block in between the servo piston rod and the adjusting screw.

2. Turn the screw until it contacts the metal block, then tighten screw a little more to about 10 inch pounds and back off the screw one turn.

3. While holding the adjustment screw in position, tighten the lock nut down to 20-25 foot pounds.

REAR BAND ADJUSTMENT

1. Loosen the lock nut and tighten the adjusting screw to 10 foot pounds.

2. Back off the adjusting screw 1 ½ turns and tighten the lock nut to a torque of 35-40 foot pounds.

doug7740
1955 Thunderbird Blue

 

[Brax]

I just purchased a nice looking 57 baby bird. 312/fordomatic/ps/pb/94k on Odo. It needs some love under the hood before I put it on the road. The former owner drove it to my house and it seems to have shifted fine. I find it rather slow to drop into gear and I need more gas than I would expect to get started (even in low) or climb ramps. I see the fluid is low but i am not seeing any leaks. Would replacing the screen and 10 quarts of fluid (F type I assume) be a good start or am I in real trouble?

Type A is dexron not type F, use conventional Dexron fluid the type F has special friction additives and greatly increases wear in none type F transmissions, type F came out in 1967-68 and was for C-6 transmissions. B&M trick shift is a replacement for Type A that has been around since the early 70s it gives a firmer shift without damage to the bands and clutch’s. Use whatever you want and if you only drive a little each year it won’t matter but I never put the wrong transmission fluid in it just doesn’t make sense, type F doesn’t mean all Ford transmissions it was specifically formulated for the C6.