Hey all, Just got a 1963 Mercury Monterey 2 door hardtop. It's in great shape, runs and drives well except for reverse. After doing some research I found that this is a common issue and can sometimes be resolved by adjusting the rear band, so we did that and viola! It seemed to be working great. Took it for a spin, was able to reverse, came home parked it, and when I went to take the wife for a spin and reverse wouldn't work again. So I adjusted the band again and now I can get it to back up but when I press the gas nothing is catching. When I had my buddy push on the rear end while backing up he was able to stop it. Any ideas? I'm thinking the rear band needs replaced, but how difficult of a task is this? Any help would be great! Sent from my SM-G930P using The H.A.M.B. mobile app
Been a while but I'll pass along what I've found. Rear bands on Fords are steel backed and they rarely go bad. Even if all the lining is gone from the band, if you adjust the clearance it will work. It will grind everything up but it will move. Sounds more like the reverse/high clutch has hardened seals and letting fluid pressure bypass around the piston. Car that old it wouldn't surprise me. To replace the band or seals requires removal and complete disassembly of the unit. In other words, complete overhaul. I'm sure if I'm wrong someone here will correct me. Nice car though.
I take it that this transmission only has one drive position. IE: PRNDL. If so, this is the 2 speed Fordomatic and not a 3 speed unit. I don't recall this transmission having a reverse/high clutch. It has a direct drive clutch, but the reverse is controlled by the reverse band. You may want to check the reverse band servo to see if the seals are bad on that. It might be accessible from the outside of the case, like the C4 is. Also main line pressure from pump is more important in reverse, as it usually uses more pressure.
It's the 3speed unit has 3 drive gears. Medium case Sent from my SM-G930P using The H.A.M.B. mobile app
The linkage also seems off, up in the swing away steering wheel. It has a hard time finding park and wants to pop over into R when the wheel swings back. Not sure if this is also part of the problem. Sent from my SM-G930P using The H.A.M.B. mobile app
try removing linkage from below, BE CAREFUL! . start motor in reverse, EB ON, FOOT ON BRAKE.. if rev ok, also check for broken motor and trans mounts. whole assembly could be shifted over to on side.
Reverse rear band and rear clutch in use In low rear band not rear clutch shift the car to low and see if it moves.
I had a rambler a few months ago had no reverse at all and wouldn't hit high gear..Was ready to pull the motor and tranny and replace both.looked up old timers remedy for auto transmissions.it said to put a few cups of brake fluid in the transmission.I had nothing to lose..I s?!T you not I went about 1 mile and threw it in reverse and the wheel spun in reverse then I took it on the main road and it hit drive perfectly..The transmission worked great from then on. Afterwards I read posts about it and they were all over the place.some say never add brake fluid to a transmission others say it will destroy it.some say it will help and shouldn't hurt anything.All I can say is that I was absolutely blown away that it actually worked within 1 mile.I don't recommend anyone trying it if they don't feel comfortable with it.
Wait, what? Are you saying reverse the rear band adjustment that I made and then try it in low? Sent from my SM-G930P using The H.A.M.B. mobile app
Sense the rear band is used in both low and reverse if you have low gear the band should be OK the rear clutch is only used in reverse.
Would it be better to fix the tranny or replace it with a new one? And would it be a c4 or c6? Sent from my SM-G930P using The H.A.M.B. mobile app
There is nothing bad about Ford cast iron transmissions other than weight. In fact they are pretty durable. I would have the original rebuilt if it were me. Problem is finding someone familiar with them as they are somewhat primitive in design compared to modern transmissions of today, and many rebuilders in the field nowadays screw them up when rebuilding, because they have no idea how a transmission actually works. If they cant plug a scanner into the car and tell them what's wrong, they cant fix it. In reverse, the rear band and rear clutch (high/reverse) are applied. With that said, does the transmission automatic upshift into 3rd gear while driving? If it does then the problem is the rear band. If not then the problem is in the rear clutch. In manual low, if there is no engine braking when slowing down, the problem is the rear band. What's applied and when: Reverse- rear band and rear drum, low sprag is applied but not effective. Manual low- front drum (forward) and rear band, the low sprag is applied but not effective. (has engine braking when slowing down) Drive (first drive position after neutral)- front drum and front band (intermediate) car starts out in 2nd and automatic shift to 3rd (front drum/rear drum) Second Drive position (usually has green dot)- Car starts out in 1st gear (front drum/low sprag) has no engine braking. Then automatic shift to 2nd (front drum/front band) then shifts to 3rd (front drum/rear drum) I run into many people that don't know that for the transmission to start out in first, they have to put the shifter in the 2nd position or green dot, otherwise in the what would be considered normal drive position, the trans starts out in 2nd and automatic shift to 3rd. You stated that you adjusted the rear band and then had reverse for a while, that would lead me to think the problem is not in the rear clutch It is possible that the lining for the reverse band is gone or there is a problem in the rear servo. Hope this helps, Bill
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