The Ford Barn

tjaybo · 03-14-2020, 11:56 AM

I am putting a original rebuilt trans and torque converter back in my 1955 fairlane. Do I have to put fluid in the converter before bolting the transmission in? I didnt think about this until I after I bolted the converter and bell housing to the engine.
P.S. what type fluid to use?
Thanks Jim

dmsfrr · 03-14-2020, 12:49 PM

What type fluid???

Did a transmission shop rebuild it? ask them... especially if they're giving you any kind of warranty.
Their answer may be, Mercon. The place that did the '55 air cooled Fordo in mine said that.

I've been told putting some fluid in the torque converter first is a good thing to do.
.

tjaybo · 03-14-2020, 01:35 PM

Thanks dmsfrr, A trans shop did it but not open today. I think I can use a fluid pump like we use for rear end oil. Or just pull it back out. It is heavy.

58Yeoman · 03-14-2020, 01:42 PM

I've never prefilled a TC when I used to rebuild trannies way back when. It will fill up as you fill the trans.

darrell · 03-14-2020, 04:36 PM

ive never heard of anyone filling one

craig · 03-14-2020, 07:59 PM

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It's not a necessity to fill it, does get messy when you install it though. It fills from the pump, just like it any other trans, if it didn't, it wouldn't continue to work while driving. A friend and I worked in a shop and we both did trans rebuilds on a regular basis, he pre-filled and I didn't. Neither of us had a problem

Daves55Sedan · 03-14-2020, 09:23 PM

The shop manual doesn't say anything about pre-filling a torque converter. The transmission capacity is about 19 pints of fluid. After complete installation, fill the trans from the dipstick tube with about 7 or 8 quarts of fluid, then start the engine (gear select lever in neutral). With engine running, check the dipstick and fill with more fluid until fluid shows between the markings on the dipstick. I run mine with fluid about halfway between the markings. Use Dexron/Mercon fluid if type A is not available in your area. Do not use type F.

paul2748 · 03-14-2020, 09:48 PM

Contact the re-builder and ask them what fluid to use. They are the ones warranting it and if you use the wrong fluid they may not stand behind it.

delco1946 · 03-16-2020, 09:32 PM

I have to respectfully disagree with the last post, DO NOT simply go with their recommendation. Had I done this i would been up s^%t creek this past fall. The shop I chose was a well rated, experienced shop but had I not interjected they would have placed tractor oil in my transmission. (they asserted it was a good fluid, and period appropriate for 1940s and early 50s cars).

This was a hard lesson but trust your gut. Odds are you know more about this transmission than they do, which makes sense considering that even experienced shops do not rebuild '55 trannys too often. Ask if they kept and reused the original bronze (as i recall) plates. If they did, go with Dexron/Mercron III as previously mentioned. If they did replace them with a modern plate, well then that changes everything. As the last poster implied, this is great opportunity to have this convo on warrenty coverage, but don't assume that they read the ford 55 manual.

rotorwrench · 03-18-2020, 01:33 PM

They actually did use oil in the very early units of the 40s. A Ford-O-Matic was originally service with the old type A fluid but the fluids now days have no whale oil content. Ford developed the type F in the late 60s to service their FX, MX, LX, and FMX type transmissions as well as the C4 and 2-speed aluminum case Ford-O-Matic. They wanted a fluid that would give a good friction lock up on the metallic plates that were used in the early FoMoCo transmissions. It may well work with modern Mercon type fluids but I use type F in all of mine.

If I preoiled the torque converter, I would only put enough in that I could still install it without it pouring out. The pump will fill it pretty quick but you will have to keep the pan topped off during the process.

dmsfrr · 03-18-2020, 04:50 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by delco1946

...The shop I chose was a well rated, experienced shop but had I not interjected they would have placed tractor oil in my transmission. (they asserted it was a good fluid, and period appropriate for 1940s and early 50s cars). ...
Ask if they kept and reused the original bronze (as i recall) plates. ...

Wish I knew more about transmissions fluids but I don't, just relaying something that sounded familiar about brass/bronze transmission parts.

Yes this quote & link is about the manual 3 speed & 3spd OD trans (not automatic) and the weight rating is certainly wrong for the Fordomatic, but this may be part of where their tractor oil recommendation came from... ???
It isn't corrosive to the brass/bronze internal components.

"The recommended oil for an overdrive transmission is 90W Mineral GL1 gear oil. Modern gear oil with higher GL ratings should not be use because some of the additives are corrosive and could be detrimental to the brass components."

https://www.ctci.org/servicing-the-o...-transmission/
.

rotorwrench · 03-19-2020, 10:23 AM

That's information more suited to the Borg Warner type electric overdrives. They used GL3 mild EP gear lube back in the day but now the GL4 is as close as you can get. The phosphor bronze bushings and the overrunning clutch are affected by the acidic content of the high EP lubes like GL5. GL1 has no EP additives but a little bit in there won't do much damage. I used SAE 50 grade 100 aviation motor oil in mine. Motor oil and gear lubes are graded differently for viscosity. SAE 50 motor oil is the same viscosity as SAE 90 gear lube. The stuff is expensive though. Since I work in aviation, it's always on the shelf.

The early Fluid Drive semi-automatic transmissions would have used lower viscosity motor type oils but may have worked with gear lubes but I don't know. GM made a special oil for their early hydra-matics of the 40s and it evolved into Type A.

zuburg · 10-02-2020, 05:45 PM

How many total quarts will be needed once the transmission and torque converter is full. My tranny guy told me 12-14 quarts but that sounded high. I have an air-cooled Fordomatic for a 1956 Thunderbird.

paul2748 · 10-02-2020, 06:31 PM

Look in the shop manual - should have this info there. For a new question, always start a new thread, don't use a 6 month old one.

QUOTE=zuburg;1937588]How many total quarts will be needed once the transmission and torque converter is full. My tranny guy told me 12-14 quarts but that sounded high. I have an air-cooled Fordomatic for a 1956 Thunderbird.[/QUOTE]

Daves55Sedan · 10-03-2020, 06:37 PM

Doesn't shop manual say 19 pints? Mine does. Look in the back in the specifications section. all kinds of goodies there!

03-14-2020, 11:56 AM	#1
tjaybo Member Join Date: Apr 2018 Posts: 55	fordo torque converter I am putting a original rebuilt trans and torque converter back in my 1955 fairlane. Do I have to put fluid in the converter before bolting the transmission in? I didnt think about this until I after I bolted the converter and bell housing to the engine. P.S. what type fluid to use? Thanks Jim

03-14-2020, 12:49 PM	#2
dmsfrr Senior Member Join Date: Aug 2012 Location: Abq, NM Posts: 3,607	Re: fordo torque converter What type fluid??? Did a transmission shop rebuild it? ask them... especially if they're giving you any kind of warranty. Their answer may be, Mercon. The place that did the '55 air cooled Fordo in mine said that. I've been told putting some fluid in the torque converter first is a good thing to do. . Last edited by dmsfrr; 03-14-2020 at 05:04 PM.

03-14-2020, 01:35 PM	#3
tjaybo Member Join Date: Apr 2018 Posts: 55	Re: fordo torque converter Thanks dmsfrr, A trans shop did it but not open today. I think I can use a fluid pump like we use for rear end oil. Or just pull it back out. It is heavy.

03-14-2020, 01:42 PM	#4
58Yeoman Senior Member Join Date: Apr 2019 Posts: 187	Re: fordo torque converter I've never prefilled a TC when I used to rebuild trannies way back when. It will fill up as you fill the trans.

03-14-2020, 04:36 PM	#5
darrell Senior Member Join Date: Dec 2010 Location: p.e.i. Posts: 1,060	Re: fordo torque converter ive never heard of anyone filling one

03-14-2020, 07:59 PM	#6
craig Senior Member Join Date: May 2010 Location: The Inland Empire of Washington State Posts: 368	Re: fordo torque converter Sponsored Links (Register now to hide all advertisements) It's not a necessity to fill it, does get messy when you install it though. It fills from the pump, just like it any other trans, if it didn't, it wouldn't continue to work while driving. A friend and I worked in a shop and we both did trans rebuilds on a regular basis, he pre-filled and I didn't. Neither of us had a problem

03-14-2020, 09:23 PM	#7
Daves55Sedan Senior Member Join Date: May 2010 Location: Granite City, Illinois Posts: 3,008	Re: fordo torque converter The shop manual doesn't say anything about pre-filling a torque converter. The transmission capacity is about 19 pints of fluid. After complete installation, fill the trans from the dipstick tube with about 7 or 8 quarts of fluid, then start the engine (gear select lever in neutral). With engine running, check the dipstick and fill with more fluid until fluid shows between the markings on the dipstick. I run mine with fluid about halfway between the markings. Use Dexron/Mercon fluid if type A is not available in your area. Do not use type F.

03-14-2020, 09:48 PM	#8
paul2748 Senior Member Join Date: May 2010 Location: Midland Park, NJ Posts: 3,982	Re: fordo torque converter Contact the re-builder and ask them what fluid to use. They are the ones warranting it and if you use the wrong fluid they may not stand behind it. __________________ 48 Ford Conv 56 Tbird 54 Ford Victoria

03-16-2020, 09:32 PM	#9
delco1946 Senior Member Join Date: Dec 2017 Location: Gladstone, OR Posts: 170	Re: fordo torque converter I have to respectfully disagree with the last post, DO NOT simply go with their recommendation. Had I done this i would been up s^%t creek this past fall. The shop I chose was a well rated, experienced shop but had I not interjected they would have placed tractor oil in my transmission. (they asserted it was a good fluid, and period appropriate for 1940s and early 50s cars). This was a hard lesson but trust your gut. Odds are you know more about this transmission than they do, which makes sense considering that even experienced shops do not rebuild '55 trannys too often. Ask if they kept and reused the original bronze (as i recall) plates. If they did, go with Dexron/Mercron III as previously mentioned. If they did replace them with a modern plate, well then that changes everything. As the last poster implied, this is great opportunity to have this convo on warrenty coverage, but don't assume that they read the ford 55 manual.

03-18-2020, 01:33 PM	#10
rotorwrench Senior Member Join Date: Jun 2010 Location: San Antonio, Texas Posts: 16,436	Re: fordo torque converter They actually did use oil in the very early units of the 40s. A Ford-O-Matic was originally service with the old type A fluid but the fluids now days have no whale oil content. Ford developed the type F in the late 60s to service their FX, MX, LX, and FMX type transmissions as well as the C4 and 2-speed aluminum case Ford-O-Matic. They wanted a fluid that would give a good friction lock up on the metallic plates that were used in the early FoMoCo transmissions. It may well work with modern Mercon type fluids but I use type F in all of mine. If I preoiled the torque converter, I would only put enough in that I could still install it without it pouring out. The pump will fill it pretty quick but you will have to keep the pan topped off during the process.

03-19-2020, 10:23 AM	#12
rotorwrench Senior Member Join Date: Jun 2010 Location: San Antonio, Texas Posts: 16,436	Re: fordo torque converter That's information more suited to the Borg Warner type electric overdrives. They used GL3 mild EP gear lube back in the day but now the GL4 is as close as you can get. The phosphor bronze bushings and the overrunning clutch are affected by the acidic content of the high EP lubes like GL5. GL1 has no EP additives but a little bit in there won't do much damage. I used SAE 50 grade 100 aviation motor oil in mine. Motor oil and gear lubes are graded differently for viscosity. SAE 50 motor oil is the same viscosity as SAE 90 gear lube. The stuff is expensive though. Since I work in aviation, it's always on the shelf. The early Fluid Drive semi-automatic transmissions would have used lower viscosity motor type oils but may have worked with gear lubes but I don't know. GM made a special oil for their early hydra-matics of the 40s and it evolved into Type A. Last edited by rotorwrench; 03-19-2020 at 10:30 AM.

10-02-2020, 05:45 PM	#13
zuburg Senior Member Join Date: Jun 2015 Location: Raleigh, NC Posts: 332	Re: fordo torque converter How many total quarts will be needed once the transmission and torque converter is full. My tranny guy told me 12-14 quarts but that sounded high. I have an air-cooled Fordomatic for a 1956 Thunderbird.

10-02-2020, 06:31 PM	#14
paul2748 Senior Member Join Date: May 2010 Location: Midland Park, NJ Posts: 3,982	Re: fordo torque converter Look in the shop manual - should have this info there. For a new question, always start a new thread, don't use a 6 month old one. QUOTE=zuburg;1937588]How many total quarts will be needed once the transmission and torque converter is full. My tranny guy told me 12-14 quarts but that sounded high. I have an air-cooled Fordomatic for a 1956 Thunderbird.[/QUOTE] __________________ 48 Ford Conv 56 Tbird 54 Ford Victoria

10-03-2020, 06:37 PM	#15
Daves55Sedan Senior Member Join Date: May 2010 Location: Granite City, Illinois Posts: 3,008	Re: fordo torque converter Doesn't shop manual say 19 pints? Mine does. Look in the back in the specifications section. all kinds of goodies there!