This question here pertains to my '56 and the Ford-O-Matic transmission. I know this is for engines but the transmission section I doubt would give me any help and the people over at Y-blocks forever has viewed my post but have not responded.


I put two new tires on the front then I ran the car today. I noticed that transmission fluid was steadily dripping from under the car but it looked too far to be the transmission from how far back. I looked and it is dripping off the bottom most U-joint cap.


I checked and the rear seal is good and the yoke shaft was dry and not wet with transmission fluid. It appears it is wet on the back side of the yoke facing the U-joint.


I know from experience we had a Chevrolet that had a hole in the yoke that was allowing transmission fluid to leak out. We ended up welding the hole up to fix the leak but I want to ask is there a correct way to fix this?


I looked in my transmission shop manual and under transmission leaks there is zero mention of this issue.


If I end up doing a patch job on this if there is even a hole in the yoke which there has to be to explain the leak I will probably just jam a disc of gasket material in the yoke to plug the end.






~Update~


Did some reading found out the hole in the slip yoke is to relieve pressure built up from the slip yoke sliding. I also found out atleast on GM applications theres an O ring that seals the slip yoke that is inside the transmission. I looked at the diagrams in the overhauling of the Ford-O-Matic in my transmission shop manual and it makes no mention of any seals for the slip yoke. I also went to my parts and illustration guide and found no seal but found what looks like a seal which I would have to look up the reference number to verify but its listed for the '59 and up Ford-O-Matics.




So as of now I am at a loss, this didn't start till I jacked the car up to get the tires on the front and I am just silently questioning myself if tilting the car like this overwhelmed the slip yoke and that's why its leaking. If that is the case then what stops it from happening when you are going up hill. Also why is it still dripping steadily five plus hours after I put the front wheels on. So far it looks like about a pint of type A transmission fluid has leaked out.

 

I found out the problem and to help thoses that might have this similar problem in the future, these transmissions do not have a internal seal and they do not have a "breather" hole in the slip yoke to allow it to slide. They have a plugged yoke and with age mine the plug started leaking.


Two things can be done, can spend the money and get a new slip yoke which it would be recommended to have the balance of your driveshaft tested just to be safe. Or you can mark your slip yoke to your driveshaft remove it and stand it on the yoke and fill the outside of the plug with JB Weld. This is the route I will be taking as I think its better to do this than to fork over $80 for a new slip yoke and then another $100 to have the balance of my driveshaft tested just to set my mind at ease.

 

Sometimes we have no choice but to improvise but I really don't like the idea of JBweld. Is there any reason you can't knock out the old plug and install a new one?

 

I will look at it when I get the slip yoke out. If I can simply knock the old plug out and hammer in a new core plug of the right size I will do that. but from the looks of the picture I have seen so far which I will link to below, looks like something unique.


http://www.ctci.org/gilsgarage/TransFluidLeak.php


If I can replace the plug with say a core plug of the same diameter and just put a bead of sealer around the plug I rather do that than d as shown in the link above and flood it with JB Weld.

 

I topped off the transmission today but could not find anything in the shop manual about this.


Ive been running the car with the fluid level low enough where it would go into reverse but whine when placed in drive. It was 1 quart low basically. Well I filled the transmission up today and ran the car and shifted through the gears, well D after I idled the engne down doe nothing but just sit there and whine. If I apply throttle the whine gets louder then it slips into gear. If I manually hit low it will go into gear right away and stay in gear even in Drive.


Has anyone seen this on a Ford-O-Matic and know what I should look at? The shop manual has a horrible troubleshooting section which does not mention this kind of problem.

 

Ford-O-Matic and Cruise-O-Matic Transmissions



No big deal. Install a new plug. Put some sealant in the seat first.

 

Thanks for the reply i already fixed my leaky slip yoke. I am now trying to figure out when the trans whines in drive after filling the trans up and lowering the idle speed. It goes into low real quick after a slight whine. I am wondering if the intermediate servo band adjustment being out of spec could cause this. It goes into gear and stays if you apply some throttle.

 

Perhaps it is idling too slow? The link I submitted is for a full overhaul with lots of advice.

 

Idle speed in neutral is 650 rpm in reverse and drive its 550 rpm which is in specification but when i get home ill idle back up to 750-800 in neutral and see how it does then.

 

I have been reading my shop manual on my laptop and I think I might have made a break through. It talks about checking the angle of the throttle position lever on the transmission via pressure gauge. I am wondering since I idled the engine down if this cause the throttle position lever at the transmission to be out of spec and no pressure build up is happening to make it go into D like it did at 800 rpm.




What I am thinking of doing over adjusting everything as per the shop manual I am thinking of adjusting the threaded carb throttle end itself out which will push the throttle lever down more inside the car but will also depress the throttle shaft on the transmission more to start building pressure.


Should not take much to do this as we are talking just one and a half turns of the idle screw so it should be about two turns of the adjuster to put it where it would be at 800 rpm.

 

There is an exact adjustment that needs to be made.

this may help, if I can explain it correctly...disconnect the trans rod from the throttle linkage...pull the rod upward till it hits its internal stop, adjust the clevis untill it lines up with the throttle linkage and pin fits freely, then turn it an additional 3 turns counterclokwise to lengthen it and reattach to throttle lever..sorry I can remember more...havent had a Fordomatic since 1969 in my 55 crown vic..this is why all my cars since then have been sticks..LOL

 

I am reading it right now over and over. Not sure if I should go the full length and do the whole adjustment or just get it close enough to where it wil go into gear without whining in D due to the lowered rpm idle speed.


What I see in the steps is to inset a locking pin a 1/4" drill bit through the hole marked point "A" and adjust the length of the carb. connecting link to close the carb against its stop. Then adjust the accelerator assembly connecting link to obtain a pedal height of 3 11/16" then remove the lock pin check the alignment at "A" the pin must re-enter freely. The it says remove the locking pin and adjust the throttle control rod. ull upwards gently but firmly on the rod o hold the transmission lever against its internal top. Rotate the clevis until I freely fits the pin on the accelerator assembly lever then lengthen the throttle control rod an additional 3 turns.


That sounds like quite a bit of adjustments for a car that isn't on the road but I want to be able to back up and down the driveway to keep the brakes working. I was just thinking of lengthening the carb. connecting link a turn or two to put the throttle bell crank in a position similar to where it would be with the idle speed turned out to idle at 800 rpm in neural.


But I guess in reality it is not hard to do and I can always reset it when I put the 4bbl back on down the road.

 

I guess you could do that for a temp situation but running a higher RPM or increasing the rod length to add pressure isn't too healthy for the trans.

I'll be the first to admit I'm not an auto trans expert. But in general the only time I have heard these whine is when they are low on fluid. Are you checking the level after it is hot, run through all the gears and then put in neutral and checked while it's running?

 

Yes hot in park and its just a hair under F. This started after idling the engine down. Trans goes i to r and l fine but whines in d if you apply a little throttle it engages

 

Pressures in Low and Reverse are boosted.

Lowered in Drive.

By reducing the engine idle all pressures have been reduced.

Keep in mind this transmission is kinda old. Bordering on 60 years.

Who knows if anything has been done.

http://www.oldcarmanualproject.com/m...cT/04-032.html



Have you looked at the manual I provided?