Having two problems with the 'glide in my 57. 1st-- If I'm on any bit of an incline, the car will roll even though it's in "park" and makes a loud sort of clicking sound. Parking brake works but still concerns me. 2nd- between "the shift" from low to high sometimes it slips for a couple seconds and then catches. Thought it might be fluid level because it seems to happen more while going around a corner. Like say if I turn left at an intersection- there better not be anyone coming because it may decide to take a break... and then go. I warmed it up and checked/added fluid but it still did it today, even going straight. I've seen instructions for adjusting these trannys but it didn't seem like that was for the same symptoms. As you may guess, I'm more familiar with fourspeeds-- Any advice is appreciated
is the shift linkage all properly adjusted, and the lever on the trans is moving all the way into park when the shifter is in park? If so, then there's something wrong inside the transmission. One interesting thing these transmissions did, is wear out the valve body where the direct drum rides on it...then the sealing rings don't seal, and it loses high gear. that's not easy to fix.
That's exactly how the tranny in my first '57 acted. Once the slipping got to where I couldn't cross and overpass, I had it rebuilt.
There's usually some form of a spring that keeps the parking brake pawl off the ring gear, until it's put into park. Linkage adjustment may be all it needs, but I'm with squirrel, it's probably something broken or twisted with wear and tear. If you overfill an old Glide, it'll probably be "burping" the excess out after it sits a while. Instead, try adding one of those "Transmission Medic" in a can products, that just cause the seals to swell, just to see if that helps; the aromatics evaporate after a while, not like extra tranny fluid. Usually it's not a permanent fix. Bands adjusted? It's probably overhaul time, and cast iron Glides bring a premium with the rebuilders these days (must work on a "weight scale"). May be time to update to a more modern trans, unless it's a restored type vehicle. You could just find another iron Glide, rebuild it, then swap it in on your own time frame; you'd surely save a lot of $$$ doing it yourself. I am Butch/56sedandelivery.
Pete- Thank you. This helped the slip problem. Dipstick must be off because I "overfilled" it by a quart, half atf and half transx. Engages firmly now and didn't slip a bit. Deemed good enough to make a run to our small town car show and parade. Sent from my iPhone using The H.A.M.B. mobile app
Nice car. Lot's of people, including me, have had success with TransX. The first time I used it was on a truck the owner was selling cheap because the transmission was slipping. I bought it expecting to tow it home. It would move in low but slipped in second. I figured I'd try to drive it first as it's difficult to tow with a chain in traffic. I stopped at an auto parts store to try some additive. They had a new product that was guaranteed so I tried it. Put it in, ran it for a few minutes in the parking lot and started driving home. It worked great and I drove that truck everyday for 8 years without doing anything more to the transmission except changing the fluid after I had it a month.
I added some trans-x to a C6 a few months ago, got the cold delayed forward clutch engagement to drop from 15 seconds to a few seconds. Intersting stuff.
You should be able to go to newer aluminum PG, since your engine should have block mount starter bolt holes. Drive shaft would be modified, along with shift quadrant change. Just an idea.
Bad idea unless you want to do a lot of work. The original PG has an adapter ring between engine and tranny, starter bolts to this. You will no longer be able to use the original bellhousing mounts as the later PG's use a rear crossmember. Later trans doesn't have the mechanical down shift the original does. Better idea is to go to turbo or od style auto, but since you got the car rolling again why bother?
^^^Actually, the mid-mount kid available from any of the Tri-Vive vendors WILL allow an aluminum Powerglide to be bolted in, and NOT use a crossmember, although I'd personally recommend using a crossmember also. However, the two front "tabs" at the front of an aluminum Powerglide DO need to be CUT BACK to where they're even with the bellhousing so the Mid-Mounts WILL fit right. As long as it's a 28 inch long aluminum Powerglide, only the slip yoke MAY need to be changed. Up until 66, the same 16 spline, course spline outshaft shaft slip yoke pattern was used, so the 57 slip yoke will work; after 66 a new 27 spline, fine spline slip yoke will be needed. The BIGGEST issue will be the speedometer housing, shift quadrant pattern; up until 58, the pattern was P-N-D-L-R, in 58, it changed to P-R-N-D-L. And, NO ONE currently makes the shift quadrant pattern replacement for the Powerglide, only the TH350, TH400, TH200R4/TH700R4 transmissions. I'd say step up to at least a TH350; Powerglides are boring on the street, JMO. I am Butch/56sedandelivery.
Yep. This one's bone stock and the iron glide will remain. I looked at that because I have an aluminum one from a 65 Impala that I swapped to a 4 speed. Not as simple as all that without changing more things than I was willing- to still wind up with 2 speeds.. I am trying to make a deal on a 57 150 sedan that would get the hot rod treatment if I can get it. Thanks all for your advice/posts. Sent from my iPhone using The H.A.M.B. mobile app
Did you check it with the trans warmed up and the engine running? The owners manual will tell for sure, the proper way to check the fluid level.
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