1962 Chrysler push button trans question

After a winter of tinkering with the barn find 1962 Chrysler 300 it now runs, drives and stops on it's own but......

If you are stopped and the drive button is depressed the trans slips bad, when you hit low it engages and the car moves forward normally, while the car is moving if you hit 2nd button it shifts fine into 2nd and when drive is depressed it goes into drive. The trans seems to shift between 2nd and 3rd but when you stop you have to go through the gears manually again.

If you try and take off in second, the trans does the same thing (just slips)
Reverse seems fine.

any ideas?

 

I lost on this one...

 

probably some built up gunk in your valve bodies, shift servos or accumulators. if not i'd guess to look at the governor, its what actually gives the hydraulic signal to shift up at speed. being its a barn find, it most likely got all varnished and such from sitting there a while. it doesn't sound like it is fatal though, because you can still shift it manually. sounds like a good car though all things considered.

 

Do you think a bottle of Trans-x would help?

 

Isn't the push button thing in reality just a cable shifted deal? If so perhaps the cable is streteched so that the detents for Drive are not fully engaged. Also if it has the seperate "PARK" lever make sure that is fully disengaged when released.

Perhaps a filter change and a flush through one of those machines that circulates the cleaners before putting new fluid in. After all it is a torwueflite and they are nearly the definition of bullet proof.

 

My '62 Chrysler has an issue where the pushbuttons jam up, causing it not to want to go into the correct gear when a button is pressed, and I was told that cleaning the shifter button mechanism at the dash end is the issue. Haven't torn into it yet but you might start there. Very possible that dirty crud or a mouse nest is just keeping the linkage from fully engaging drive.

Whatever you try, please post your results here, as I'm curious to know what possible issues I might be facing with mine.

 

There is also and adjustment on the cable where it goes into the trans which requires the pan to be off and a small mirror and helper to adjust the cable, I would try the other stuff first if still acting up then you might have to adjust the cable.

What you do is use the small mirror above the rooster comb and have someone shift thru all the gears and make sure the center of the comb for that gear is on the center of the detent ball, if not take the bolt out of the adjuster, turn it and reinstall the bolt until right.

 

My first thoughts are that it is starting in second/high gear as the cables/mechanism/internals are not quite right yet.

Perhaps further adjustments are necessary?



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It sounds like the cable is out of tune with the gear selected. Try the initial cable adjustment. You can adjust it without removing the pan. Where the cable goes into the trans, there is a round threaded collar that you "detent" against the trans body and then lock it in place using a small 1/4-20 bolt to keep it tightly adjusted. You will need a helper to depress and hold the correct pushbutton. I cant remeber the amount of turns required but I can look it up. PM me for the exact specifications....