Fluid Drive Question

[Flim Flam Man]

After getting my 47 New Yorker running well, I attempted to go for a yard drive. I can feel the transmission engage when I release the clutch but I must rev the engine pretty high to get it to barely move in low or reverse, won't move at all in high. Wheels are all free spinning and parking brake is releasing (I can see a gap all around e brake band). I checked oil level in trans and fluid coupling and both appear low, I will get the proper oil this weekend. My question is would low oil level cause this lack of movement issue?

 

Thanks

 

Ron

[Flim Flam Man]

I should also add that I have the ignition system isolated because of the old ratty wiring and am getting no power to the Fluid Drive electrical components.

[Rusty_OToole]

Yes it could be a low oil thing. Not enough oil in the Fluid Drive will make it act like a high stall speed torque converter. They have quite a bit of slippage when starting off, this is normal. They tighten up as you go faster. Use the thinnest oil you can. Thick oil won't work as well. Tractor oil, TDH type, ISO22 or ISO32 grade is what most people use. Or straight 10 motor oil.

 

This subject has been covered many times if you do a search for fluid drive. It sounds like you are pretty well posted already.  The wiring to the transmission is not very difficult or expensive to replace. If you don't have a wiring diagram just ask.

Edited March 29, 2018 by Rusty_OToole (see edit history)

[Flim Flam Man]

27 minutes ago, Rusty_OToole said:

Yes it could be a low oil thing. Not enough oil in the Fluid Drive will make it act like a high stall speed torque converter. They have quite a bit of slippage when starting off, this is normal. They tighten up as you go faster. Use the thinnest oil you can. Thick oil won't work as well. Tractor oil, TDH type, ISO22 or ISO32 grade is what most people use. Or straight 10 motor oil.

 

This subject has been covered many times if you do a search for fluid drive. It sounds like you are pretty well posted already.  The wiring to the transmission is not very difficult or expensive to replace. If you don't have a wiring diagram just ask.

Thanks, hoping it's just the oil level, good to know they naturally slip a bit when starting off. This thing is pretty unique and has traits all it's own!

 

I do have an owners manual and looking to do a complete re-wire.

 

I have learned a lot from you and many others by use of the search function and I really appreciate it!

 

 

 

 

[Rusty_OToole]

When they were new Chrysler compared the Fluid Drive to an airplane, that takes off slowly but quickly gains speed. They claimed at normal hiway speeds slippage was no more than 3%.

[Flim Flam Man]

Well she's mobile now!

 

Both trans and coupling were pretty low on oil, took about 3/4 of a gallon between them, hope I don't have a massive leak somewhere (nothing showing yet).

 

Now to get it in the garage and address brakes and fuel system.

[keithb7]

Good to hear! Are you staying with stock brakes?

[Flim Flam Man]

11 minutes ago, keithb7 said:

Good to hear! Are you staying with stock brakes?

 

Planning on staying stock, but that will depend on how much of it needs replacing and condition of drums. If I need to replace everything (very likely) I will consider a Scarebird disc conversion for the fronts, as I believe it would not cost that much more to go that way.

 

Speaking of drums, replacements seem to be very scarce, especially for the eight cylinder cars. 

[Rusty_OToole]

Brakes were state of the art for the times and up to all normal driving. However I don't blame you for wanting discs if you are driving a lot in today's traffic. The Fluid Drive is no help as far as engine braking goes.

[Rusty_OToole]

Factory recommends changing trans oil every 10,000 miles. They don't say anything about the Fluid Drive except check and top up after 10,000 miles, no recommendation to change oil. I doubt they expected them to still be on the road after 80 years. It is a sealed unit with no way for dirt to get in.

 

Yours may not have been checked in 50 years. Try it and see how it goes. A little oil leak here and there is pretty common on old cars. They never were as oil tight as the latest models.

[Flim Flam Man]

8 hours ago, Rusty_OToole said:

Factory recommends changing trans oil every 10,000 miles. They don't say anything about the Fluid Drive except check and top up after 10,000 miles, no recommendation to change oil. I doubt they expected them to still be on the road after 80 years. It is a sealed unit with no way for dirt to get in.

 

Yours may not have been checked in 50 years. Try it and see how it goes. A little oil leak here and there is pretty common on old cars. They never were as oil tight as the latest models.

 

 

Yeah, I don't mind some leakage right now, as long as it doesn't foul the clutch. My goal right now, is to get it going down the road safely, then to address non-essential items one at a time.

 

 

 

[c49er]

 You can look into the bell housing through the vent screen to see if it's oily in there... meaning a bellows seal leak.

But of course the right way is to remove the lower bell housing cast iron dust cover.

The FD unit holds around 10 quarts.