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Technical 1961 mercury 2 speed transmission

Discussion in 'The Hokey Ass Message Board' started by insinna, Jun 7, 2023.

  1. insinna
    Joined: Aug 10, 2014
    Posts: 99

    insinna
    Member

    So I have a 1961 meteor that has a 352 with a Ford o matic 2 speed transmission.... Aluminum case... No vacuum modulator.... When I got the car it has been sitting for about 2 years due to an accident.... I put her back together and now it doesn't shift from 1-2 speed... I can't get it to shift manually either.... So far I have adjusted the throttle linkage... Pulled tail housing and found governor was stuck so I freed it up... And I went thru the valve body and made sure everything was free... Still doesn't shift... Only change that occurred is after I freed up the governor it started chattering real bad in reverse.... Not sure what to do from here....thanks in advance for any advice
     
  2. Something doesn't add up or my memory is messing with me again. I have never heard of a 2 speed auto for any FE motor. 2 Speed's were Ford-o-matic behind Y-Blocks but actually a 3 speed with a 2 speed shift crown. Makes me wonder if your saying 2 speed only because it has Low and Drive on the crown making me think it came with a Y Block and got changed. The Y Block trans as I remember it did not cross over and bolt to the FE motor. I'm kinda sure all FE's had what was called Cruz-o-Matic and said so on the shift crown and had 3 forward gears on the column crown and 3 shift detents. Now none of that helps with your shift problem but I do know that adjusting the kick down linkage on the intake manifold is a very specific thing that needs to be done by the book or you can just be stuck in down shift or Low gear mode. Find yourself an actual Motors Manual for the year and it goes into exactly HOW to adjust the down shift unit. It should be followed step by step. Best of luck to ya.
     
    wraymen likes this.
  3. I was thinking the same thing. Maybe putting it in the third detent, next to neutral will give you two speeds. Drive is the middle detent where you get all three and low is to the right. Again, doesn’t solve problem but……
     
  4. miker98038
    Joined: Jan 24, 2011
    Posts: 1,529

    miker98038
    ALLIANCE MEMBER

    Ford made a 2 speed auto. Not for long, and I believe it was an aluminum case. Not widely used, I didn’t know it came behind an FE. It’s an oddball, try over on the Ford Barn. They come up occasionally over there with guys that know them. It’s not like a powerglide that made a name for itself and was used for years.
     
  5. jimmy six
    Joined: Mar 21, 2006
    Posts: 16,741

    jimmy six
    ALLIANCE MEMBER

    I looked up 1961 Mercury Meteor which were actually destined to be an Edsel if it had been continued and the 352 was available with the 2 speed auto. I’ll bet few were made. Most were behind 292 and 223 6 cylinders.
     
  6. My '61 Ford service manual shows a single range auto 2 speed trans for use behind a 332 or 352 FE. The number on the RR of the case should have a prefix of PBS-E with the engine size below.

    Try shifting from N to D multiple times (20 times wouldn't be too many) to bleed air from the low servo release piston cavity. That's what the manual says anyway. I hope that works for you.

    Years ago I had a '64 Ford Custom with a 352 and I'm pretty sure :confused: it had a 2 speed auto, but I might be suffering from too many years of ... I forget where I was going here. :)
     

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