I just picked up a 56 Dodge 2 door hardtop with a 315 and push button tranny . The trans works but the push button is kind of screwed up. If you push D for drive it's in neutral , if you push L for low it's in drive, if you push either N or R it's in reverse. Reverse is the only one thats right. Any ideas ? It's my first push button so be kind.
Ummm....re-label the pushbuttons????? Just kiddin' I've never worked on one of these pushbutton panels, but I'm sure if you oiled it up and syncronized the whole mess at the transmission, you could get it workin' right.
Cable is probably stretched. But the cable is adjustable. Theres a wheel looking thing right where the cable goes into the trans. Try taking the retaining bolt out(5/16 head) & turning the wheel in or out to adjust cable. DAVE
If you can find somebody with a 55 or 56 Motors service manual it shows how to check and adjust the cable control. I have a 56 factory manual but no way to copy it. OLD HEMI
It is adjustable. get a service manual or check with the good folks at the forward look forum: http://www.forwardlook.net/ There is also a recent 55-56 Dodge-Plymouth thread, try the search. .
The easiest way I've found of doing this requires removing the pan. If the '56 trans is the same as my '64, the neutral safety switch screws into the side of the case. Then, there is an internal cam that pivots to engage the neutral safety switch. With the pan off, you can look up along the inside of the case, and actually see the cam push against the safety switch. I have somebody push in, and hold, the "NEUTRAL" button. Then I lightly push/pull the cable (it slides in and out of the case) to get the cam to center up on the neutral safety switch. After that spin the adjustment wheel up against the outside of the case, adjust as necessary to do any fine tuning, and then put the bolt in. Just keep the NEUTRAL button pushed while you do all this. Otherwise the button can move and throw the adjustment out. It sounds worse than it is. I've tried the factory method specified in the manual, and it never got the adjustment exactly right. Sometimes it wouldn't be all the way into a gear, wouldn't spin over (neutral safety), etc. And then I didn't know which way I needed to move the adjustment wheel to correct it. With the pan off, it's easy to see. And you could replace the filter and clean the pan while you're in there...... If you want a copy of the factory method, I can scan the page from my service manual. It is for a '64 though, so I don't know if the specified number of turns on the adjustment wheel would be correct for a '56.
If it is the old 727 push button Plymouth used in 1959 that thing will shift faster and stronger then you will ever be able to shift a stick. Thoes things were king at the drag strip. They also would not go into reverse if you pushed on the R button when you wer winding up and pushing buttons. I say ADJUST THE CABLE, BURN SOME BRAKE AND LITE EM UP!
No need to pull the pan. 1. Find a friend to hold in the first gear button. 2. Remove the 7/16" bolt that shifts talked about that holds the 6 hole wheel on the trans case (the cable adjuster) 3. Spin the wheel back on the cable. 4. With a firm hand of about 4-6lbs of force, pull the cable away from the trans case. 5. With the cable pulled, spin the wheel back in until it squarely contacts the case. 6. Spin the wheel back 5 holes and reinstall the bolt. 7. Check the operation. It might be the reverse button I'm thinking you need to hold down, but you'll figure that out if everything is screwed up when you adjust it. The 1964-5 service manual has the best procedure for the adjustment, namely because it involves pulling the cable unlike the earlier method involving pushing the cable.
Cable adjustment is different for Powerflite, iron torqueflite (57-61) and aluminum torqueflite (62-4 pushbutton). There is no thumbwheel on the Powerflite cable, just a slotted bracket. Here are the Powerflite adjustment instructions from the shop manual: That's without pulling the pan. If you pull the pan, you can verify that the neutral safety switch is engaged when the trans is in neutral, as suggested above. If you do pull the pan, don't use the cork pan gasket that someone on ebay sells, as the bolt holes are cut too large and you will have a bad leak at one of the the right rear holes where the mounting flange is at its narrowest. DAMHIK
I have a Thick 1955 , 1956 Dodge,Plymouth, Chrysler, Desoto Manual if you need pictures and the Instructions.. I can take pictures and send those to you..
Mongo, here's a reprint of the original factory manual for your car. It's offered by Faxon, whom I have used for decades and who always provides a quality product for a reasonable price. 50 bucks will get you the correct one for your car. I think the other fellows who responded on this thread have pretty well nailed the pushbutton dilemma for you, but there will likely be other issues to pop up and you will need a factory manual to resolve them........ http://www.faxonautoliterature.com/product.cfm?p=927&cs=products.cfm?vt=1007&mk=6180&yr=1956
How are the buttons laid out? If anyone ever took the cover off of the push button control and dropped the buttons it is possible to get them mixed up. If the shifter is the square pattern N is at the top and looking clockwise the TF is N-D-2-1-R and the PF is N-D-L-R. Good Luck!
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