New baby 1953 Merc
 

Been a while since I posted. Hope everyone is good. Anyway, just bought this car and I have a ton of questions.

1. I need to change the tranny fluid in the 53 but there seems to be some debate on what type to use as the type A the book says is no longer made. I guess all tranny fluids are NOT alike. Different resistance, how they affect the smoothness of shifting, etc. Some say type F is a good replacement, some don't, other brands are better that others.........

The 80 year old guy I bought the car from cannot remember what he used, and it's down about half at idle and I don't want to mix it, so I'm just going to drain it out and start from scratch and why I need some good advice.

2. The car has it's original flathead V-8. I did some minor tune up.....cleaned the spark plugs, the rotor tip, new clear fuel filter, fresh gas (high test) as the car on the way home from picking it up (40 miles away), died twice , but only at low speed start out. It's running a bit rough, and when you rev the engine, hesitates.

On the other side, the car cruised great at higher speeds, but like I said, when you stepped on it, it hesitated. Timing off? Coil? Two barrel Holly carb problem?

Anyway, the body and interior are show car grade.

Don

Re: New baby 1953 Merc
 

OMG - gorgeous Merc! The hesitation at acceleration most likely carb related. While looking down the carb you should see a stream of gas in each throat when you pump the accelerator linkage. If not, probably time for carb rebuild.

Re: New baby 1953 Merc
 

Beautiful car!!!

The original Type A trans fluid was discontinued because of the whale oil in it. Replaced by what is now Dexron/Mercon.
Type F came around in the mid-60's for the 'newer' transmissions in Fords of that era and a bit later. Some folks use it in the older transmissions but the shifts may be too harsh and I'm not sure about the compatibility of it with older internal transmission parts.
The shop that rebuilt the Fordomatic for my '55 said to use the Mercon fluid.
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Re: New baby 1953 Merc
 

Use Dexron/Mercon. I did a lot of searching on these forums - lots of knowledgeable folks. I even had to "fight" the tranny rebuild shop on this - much to my dismay they used type F anyway. F does not = All Ford lol. Type F can work, but it shifts kinda hard (too hard IMO).

I've also asked my mechanic and folks on here - tranny fluids can mix fine despite the fact that mixing feels like sacrilege. If its low and you can't get around to replacing the existing fluid, I would just top it off with Dex/Merc - much better than letter it run too low.

Re: New baby 1953 Merc
 

On my most recent project it was a new coil that cleared up the intermittent rough idle, but mine isn't a flathead. You didn't mention choke but that might be the most logical place to start (is it a manual?)



Beautiful car! I love that paint color (is that what they call "coral"?) Also, you have a very nice garage. For some reason, I don't imagine most fordbarn people as having a garage that nice. :)

Re: New baby 1953 Merc
 

https://www.fordbarn.com/forum/attac...p;d=1623766234
Very nice new purchase - 1953 Mercury Monterey Hardtop. Congratulations.

Re: New baby 1953 Merc
 

Use Dexron/Mercon ATF.
I'd start with a carb overhaul.

Re: New baby 1953 Merc
 

Thanks to mercman for enlarging the picture, to help show what
a beautiful car your '53 Monterey HT is. The colors really pop too.
you're very fortunate to have a rare survivor in that condition. ;)




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Re: New baby 1953 Merc
 

https://www.fordbarn.com/forum/attac...p;d=1623766280
Nice interior in 1953 Mercury Monterey.

Re: New baby 1953 Merc
 

Re: New baby 1953 Merc
 

Thanks all..........so any Dexron/Mercon brand will do? I see that a lot of companied carry it......and a complete drain will cost me 9 quarts per the book?

Don

Re: New baby 1953 Merc
 

I'm not sure the brand name matters too much, pick one you recognize or have used before and are comfortable with.

There seem to be a few different choices of improved/upgrade versions of Dexron/Mercon in some brands, which has me confused. So for lack of a better reason I picked a well known brand name in one of their lesser 'advanced' versions, since it was going in an old-school transmission.

The '55 owners manual I have shows 20.5 pints as the fluid capacity for the Fordomatic.
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Re: New baby 1953 Merc
 

That would probably include the Torque Converter.

Re: New baby 1953 Merc
 

There may be a torque converter drain plug on the engine side of the flywheel (flex plate). If there is one, it should be visible after removing the lower flywheel shield and rotating the engine to find it.

Sal

Re: New baby 1953 Merc
 

Check other post : https://www.fordbarn.com/forum/showt...43#post2027143

Re: New baby 1953 Merc
 

There is some information here that is not altogether well thought out. Improper adjustment of the TV rod can make for harsh shifts. The type F was designed with all Borg Warner transmissions in mind since they are all similar. They used metallic clutches well up into the 60s and likely some into the 70s. Use Type F or not but Type F by itself will not make for harsher shifts. It will definitely not hurt the transmission. Drag racers use it for their modified powerglide transmissions. It will keep them from slipping under high torque situations. If the shifts are harsh then adjust the TV linkage to soften the shift a bit. This was the good thing about the old BW transmissions. They were adjustable without a shift kit.

Mixing is another thing that should be well thought out. If you mix anything other than type F with it and it will diminish the characteristics of it if that is what a person runs.

The other caveat is mixing mineral based oils with synthetic based oils. This can be very problematic for both types. They can lose some of the designed in lubricity. Synthetic blend motor oil was "tried out" for a time in aircraft engines and was discontinued due to excessive internal engine wear. I'd recommend staying all mineral or all synthetic to minimize possible problematic results.

Re: New baby 1953 Merc
 

Again -

FOMOCO used TYPE A and TYPE A SUFFIX A same and/or similar to GM until FOMOCO began formulating there own fluids (used different friction materials than GM) beginning in 1959.

TYPE F was not introduced until the release of the 1968 model year. The friction material(s) was again changed. TYPE F will give a more firm shift used in friction materials it was not designed to be used with (good and/or bad results). It can be a plus or a negative as it depends on how an owner wants the car car to perform.

This car is a cream-puff and I would imagine the owner wants a nice easy shift with no delay between ranges. TYPE F ain't gonna get it.

IMO, the application needs an early DEXRON blend. A Syn will allow much less friction but may also not lubricate properly.

The use of aftermarket fluids is a crap-shoot. If GM still offers an early DEXRON or there is a refiner that blends to the exact period specification(s) then that is what should be considered for use.

And then there is the possibility of the trans never being serviced as the builder suggested and the new detergents wipes out the trans.

If the owner of that MERC took as good care of his wife as the car, she should have been a dead knock-out... :D

Re: New baby 1953 Merc
 

For your viewing and reading enjoyment -

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YD4mznHm0xg

https://www.chevronlubricants.com/en...luid-md-3.html

Re: New baby 1953 Merc
 

KULTULZ: If GM still offers an early DEXRON or there is a refiner that blends to the exact period specification(s) then that is what should be considered for use.

I am curious, what specific brand and type is your recommendation?

rotorwrench: I have found that lengthening the TV rod will soften the shift and visa versa. It appears that your recommendation would be Type F.

Question to you both: Any thoughts on the use of the Type A still available?

Re: New baby 1953 Merc
 

Answered -

Stay away from anything now marked as TYPE A. It's only use I know of is dirt bikes gear boxes.

Whatever it is, it must come from a large and respected refiner.

https://www.pennzoil.com/en_us/produ...ercon-atf.html


https://www.pennzoil.com/en_us/produ...ype-f-atf.html