1958 Ford Fairlane Skyliner trany

[Guest Mbauer]

Inherited father in law 58 Skyliner.  Sat for 8 years.  Got the motor running.  Won't move in reverse or drive. Not a mechanic.  Automatic trany.  Is the shifter manual linkage or more complex?  What should I be looking for?

[misterc9]

Check the trans fluid ,engine idling in Park on level ground . The dipstick is on the passenger side near the fire wall. It takes old fashion dexron fluid.

[Mark Simmons]

Ford used two transmissions in that era. A Ford-O-Matic (2 spd) and a Cruise-O Matic (3spd). The trans dipstick should tell you what trans fluid to use. Back then it was a suffix F type fluid. Be careful about the amount of fluid you put in. Those old Ford transmissions did not like to be over full and could cause a big mess if they were. Good Luck with it

[Grimy]

12 minutes ago, Mark Simmons said:

Those old Ford transmissions did not like to be over full and could cause a big mess if they were.

Agree.  Because the tranny will be cold and the oil expands when hot, suggest you fill only to the approx. 2/3 qt low area (no such mark on stick).

 

Further, I don't think Type F fluid was yet available in 1958, but recommend you confirm proper fluid before adding.  Generally, once one uses Type F, you're committed to using that thereafter.

[Bloo]

As I recall from the lube books in the gas station I worked at when I was a kid....

 

Ford recommended "type A" through 1962. In 1963, "type F" came out, and Ford recommended it retroactively all the way back to the first Ford automatics.

 

One person I know had a low mileage 1954 ford with a 2 speed Fordomatic. This transmission actually had 3 speeds, but only used 2 of them. It was a close relative of the Cruise-O-Matic, and was in no way related to the real 2 speed Fordomatic. Confused yet?

 

He drained the fluid and replaced it with type F. It would not shift right until he drained it all back out (converter too!) and put in Dexron. Dexron was/is the sucessor to the "Type A" that Ford originally specified for this car.

 

I don't know what the right answer is, but I would be inclined to use Dexron (or some "Type A" equivalent from Penrite or whoever) if the dipstick says "type A". It probably will.

 

One other thing, Not sure if this applies to 1958, but some early Cruise-O-Matics have a rubber bushing about an inch or so around where the shift linkage attaches to the arm coming out of the transmission. The rubber falls out, causing a really huge amount of slop. It may not actually be shifting into the gears you think it is.

 

 

Edited July 20, 2017 by Bloo
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[Guest Mbauer]

Thank you all for the guidance.  Hope it is as simple as the oil.  I will also inspect the bushings and linkage.  Have a great day.

[JACK M]

The label these days is Dexron/Mercon.