Buick Special 1956, Dynaflow oil dipstick/upper filler tube lenght

[383]

Hello,

 

I restorded a 1956 Buick Special with Dynaflow tranny nearly a decade ago.

 

However, since then I have some trouble with Transmission oil leaking at the rear axle.

After rebuilding all torque tube seals and bushings the leaking is still there.

Then I drained all oil including the converter oil and measured the oil volume in the transmission.

I figured out that there was to much oil in the tranny (2 pts), although the dipstick shows the correct amount of ATF.

  

Ok, to check it out I have to control the transmissions dipstick and the oil filler tube lenght.

The oil filler tube is divided in a fixed lower tube (comes directly out oft he the transmissions oil pan) and an upper filler tube (connected via a short rubber hose with lamps to the lower filler tube).

So here are my questions:

1. Could someone give me information about the length of the upper oil filler tube?

2. Could someone give me information about the lenght of the transmissions oil dipstick?

 

My dip stick has the following number: 1174211.

It looks like the dipstick shown in the original shop manual.

3. Is this the correct dipstick?

 

4. Any other idea how ATF traveled to the rear axle.

 

Every help would be greatly appreciated.

 

 

Regards, Axel

Edited August 16, 2022 by 383 (see edit history)

[old-tank]

2 hours ago, 383 said:

I have some trouble with Transmission oil leaking at the rear axle

That is due to a defective seal at the front of the torque tube allowing fluid into the torque tube and then in the rear axle..  That seal rides on a bushing on the driveshaft and if that bushing is scored from the original leather seal, even a new one will be ineffective.  Rear end lubricant diluted with transmission fluid will result in failure of the rear gears.

My cars are 55's and "might be the same", but I will let a 56 owner respond.

[NailheadBob]

My dip stick has the following number: 1174211.

It looks like the dipstick shown in the original shop manual.

3. Is this the correct dipstick?

 

Please post your transmission number, should be 3 digits,  it is located on drivers side of transmission on the aluminum  section by the area of the accumulator, see your shop manual to guide you where and what your looking for.

 

The part number you listed for dip stick is for a 1956 model year, transmission number will verify if transmission is a 1956, OR maybe transmission was replaced at one time?

 

Bob

[JohnD1956]

The '56 has a completely different rear axle than prior years but still uses a torque tube seal like Willie said. Of note is the torque tube is not sealed at the pinion spline end and its meant to allow the tube to drain.. you should check the rear axle fluid level but chances are the ATF did not get inside the rear axle. 

 

[383]

Hello to all,

 

thanks for the replies and sorry for the delay, but I am from Germany and we have a different time zone here.

 

 

Ok, the tranny# is P179.

I think it is the original transmission.

 

My upper filler tube tength is 15.55".

The upper tube contacts the lower oil pan tube directly.

The upper tube looks like original, the holding clamps too.

But may be it is to long!?

 

The manual says that there has to be an oil volume of ca. 10.5 qts including the converter.

The tranny has an actual an oil volume of ca. 10.2 qts.  

You can see the oil level at the attached pics. The level is measured at "NEUTRAL", engine/tranny warm

 

The oil level (NEUTRAL, warm, 10.2 qts) at the dipstick is at the "I" of the ADD OIL section.

 

What do you think?

Please see the attached pics for details.

 

 

Thanks, Axel

[NailheadBob]

 

Ok, the tranny# is P179

 

P is the correct code for 1956 transmission, and 179 is the production number

 

The parts book lists upper filler pipe for transmission is one year only 1956 but does not list length. # 1168322

Rod, transmission case oil gauge # 1174211 1956 only     but does not list length

Clamp, Hose # 1161635 fits 1955 and 1956      ALSO used on heater hoses 1928 thru 1958 (13/16" to  1 1/4")

Hose, transmission oil filler pipe connector # 1341173      also fits 1949 thru 1956 but does not list length     Oldsmobile used same hose in 1953 Dynaflow, because of the massive fire on the Hydra-Matic plant Livonia MI. in 1953.

 

 

Maybe a 1956 owner will chime in on specifics you are looking for.

 

Bob

[383]

Ok Bob, thanks for infos.

 

I think I have to find someone with a 56 Buick to measure the upper tube lenght for me.

By the way, do you think that it is possible that to much oil in the tranny (1.5 - 2 qts) will leak behind or trough the front driveshaft seal / front torque tube seal?

Or will it only leak when the front torque tube seal is defect like JohnD1956 said.

 

Axel

[old-tank]

Fluid level has nothing to do with leaking past the seal at the front of the torque tube.

[JohnD1956]

9 hours ago, 383 said:

Ok Bob, thanks for infos.

 

I think I have to find someone with a 56 Buick to measure the upper tube lenght for me.

By the way, do you think that it is possible that to much oil in the tranny (1.5 - 2 qts) will leak behind or trough the front driveshaft seal / front torque tube seal?

Or will it only leak when the front torque tube seal is defect like JohnD1956 said.

 

Axel

Just to clarify.  My post was that the torque tube does not have a gasket at the joint near the pinion gear in the rear carrier. It was meant to allow the torque tube to drain if it got fluid in it, and thus the fluid should not wind up inside the rear carrier like earlier years seem to do. 

 

What I do wonder is just how bad that drip at the rear axle is?  Have you put any type of container to catch the oil?  Depending on how much it leaks it may not be worth the work to correct till it gets really bad.

 

[383]

Sorry, that was a misunderstanding of mine. Old-tank supported the info about the front torque tube seal.

 

Ok, the leak at the rear torque tube is heavy.

 

But to explain my troubles more clearly here I go:

If I fill the tranny to the full mark at the dipstick and drive the car then I have that heavy leak at the rear of the torque tube.

After each driving and parking the car over the weekend I have an oil spill of about 15"x15" under the torque tubes rear. 

Then, after driving and driving again and heavy leaking again, the fluid level in the tranny drops over the time.

Then the amount of leaking seems to go down too.

So I asked myself what's the reason why.

 

Therefore I measured the ATF volume in the tranny and find out, that I have 1.5 - 2 qts to much ATF in the tranny.

The manual says, that there has to be ca. 10.5 qts oil in the tranny including the converter. 

I have ca. 12 - 12.5 qts ATF in the tranny, when filled to the dipsticks FULL mark.

So here is something wrong, isn't it?

 

So before I make the time consuming work in regards of removing the rear axle and driveshaft to inspect the front driveshaft seal and seal ring bushing at the driveshaft (like old-tanks hint),

I want to figure out the right ATF level in the tranny.

 

Nevertheless I will drive the car with the correct amount of 10 - 10.5 qts ATF in the tranny (fluid level then at the "I" of the dipstick => see pics above). 

So I can check out, If the fluid level could has something to do with the amount of leaking.

 

So please, if there is someone out there with a 1956 Dynaflow Buick, could you measur the lenght og the upper transmission oil filler tube.

 

 

Thanks, Axel

 

 

[Leif Holmberg]

Here are a drawing from my 1956.But I think you have put the seal in wrong direktion in the outer tube close to the Dynaflow.

[383]

Thank you for the drawing.

So I can say that my upper tube has nearly the same lenght.

That helps me much.

 

Axel