Fred Schmitt Posted July 10, 2023 Share Posted July 10, 2023 Can anyone tell me the best replacement oil for the transmission, and torque converter in my 53 New Yorker. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rusty_OToole Posted July 10, 2023 Share Posted July 10, 2023 (edited) Torque converter is fed from the engine oil supply. When you go to change the oil get a BIG bucket, the crankcase holds 12 quarts. With an extra quart if you change the filter. Transmission is filled separately.There are 2 pipe plugs on the right side of the trans, lower is the drain upper is the fill. Fill till oil drips out of the hole, use TDH tractor fluid ISO 32 grade, or 10 motor oil. Edited July 10, 2023 by Rusty_OToole (see edit history) 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Donotlift Posted July 10, 2023 Share Posted July 10, 2023 Yep what Rusty_OToole said Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fred Schmitt Posted July 10, 2023 Author Share Posted July 10, 2023 Thanks for the reply, I'm kinda confused, the dip stick on my 331 hemi states 5 quarts. On the transmission hump inside the new yorker there's an access panel that exposes the top of the torque converter. 180 degrees below is the drain. I've read some changes are as you described, while others are separate. Don't want to make a mistake. Chrysler made this one a challenge. Any other thoughts? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rusty_OToole Posted July 10, 2023 Share Posted July 10, 2023 There were 2 transmission choices Fluid Drive and Fluid Torque Drive. I thought all New Yorkers in 53 were Fluid Torque Drive but yours could be Fluid Drive. What does it say on the shift quadrant? Fluid Drive has a fluid coupling self contained, and filled thru a hole in the floor, under an access plate on the right side of the transmisson hump, under the dash board. Fluid Torque Drive has a torque converter fed from the engine oil supply. Earlier 1952 and 51 torque converters had their own oil pan under the car, with the dip stick and filler under there. If you have the separate fill Fluid Drive it takes TDH tractor fluid ISO 32 grade, or 10 motor oil same as transmission. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fred Schmitt Posted July 10, 2023 Author Share Posted July 10, 2023 I really think mine is the fluid drive. Thanks for the insight. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TerryB Posted July 10, 2023 Share Posted July 10, 2023 It had been posted here a while back with a picture. The system that uses 12 quarts of engine oil has that printed on the oil breather cap to remind you to fill it to the correct amount. Which assumes your oil breather cap still has the decal in place. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
c49er Posted July 10, 2023 Share Posted July 10, 2023 The Chrysler 331 V8 NewYorker has it's own torque converter oil supply. There is a oil pan sump under the bell housing. Cheap line MoPar sixes and smaller V8 cars used the engine fed Fluid Drive torque conerters. Engine fed torque converters were also air cooled using external vanes on the converters. Fred's FTD coverter is water cooled. The cooler is mounted on the front left lower side of the Hemi engine. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fred Schmitt Posted July 10, 2023 Author Share Posted July 10, 2023 Thanks. Just want to make sure I make no mistakes. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rusty_OToole Posted July 11, 2023 Share Posted July 11, 2023 To clarify, the oil cooler was in place of the lower rad hose Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
c49er Posted July 11, 2023 Share Posted July 11, 2023 (edited) Yes as Rusty notes..converter cooler connected to lower hose... Also shown is the picture of the Chrysler V8 FTD with it's own separate oil supply sump pan having both a drain and fill plug. Note in front of this sump is a square four bolt plate...remove to drain torque converter separately. Also remove TQ plug at top 12:00 position if TQ has two drain and or vent plugs There is a floor tunnel access plate for easier access on some models. This removal of the additional top plug allows venting for quick and complete draining of the converter. Not all converters had two plugs. Edited July 11, 2023 by c49er (see edit history) 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fred Schmitt Posted July 12, 2023 Author Share Posted July 12, 2023 Great pics, I'm going to dive into it this weekend. Never been this confused before. Thanks Chrysler! Thanks for all the information. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rusty_OToole Posted July 12, 2023 Share Posted July 12, 2023 11 hours ago, Fred Schmitt said: Great pics, I'm going to dive into it this weekend. Never been this confused before. Thanks Chrysler! Thanks for all the information. You can go nuts trying to figure out the welter of engine and transmission combinations offered by Chrysler between 1939 and 1954. They kept changing them and giving them new names, with different names for the same thing in various car lines. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fred Schmitt Posted July 13, 2023 Author Share Posted July 13, 2023 I have the access on top as shown in the pic. Another access above the governor too. Going to dive into it on Saturday. Thanks again for the pics and advise. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
c49er Posted July 13, 2023 Share Posted July 13, 2023 Get-er-Done Fred👍 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fred Schmitt Posted July 15, 2023 Author Share Posted July 15, 2023 I took some pics this morning, even more confusing. I opened the hole on the bell housing and spun the flywheel. Maybe not enough because I didn't seen any plug in the torque converter. I've attached some pics from under the car. Additionally, I didn't see the oil cooler in the picture attached to the front of the engine. Hopefully, someone can enlighten me with the pictures. Thanks. Sorry for the upside down pics. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
c49er Posted July 15, 2023 Share Posted July 15, 2023 (edited) Your pictures are showing the standard "Fluid-Matic"...... fluid drive coupling and M-6 transmission. No torque multiplication converter (Fluid Torque Drive) option offerered on the Nrw Yorkers. Std on Imperials. Meaning the typical old style Fluid Drive coupling and M-6 transmission is what I see from your pics. The fluid coupling plug will be on the finned angle portion of the coupling. Accessable fill through the floor tunnel passenger side of the tunnel. A black cover plate. Drain on lower angled access plate on bell housing. Does your shift indicator say "Fluid Torque Drive"? Edited July 15, 2023 by c49er (see edit history) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fred Schmitt Posted July 15, 2023 Author Share Posted July 15, 2023 There is no indicator on the steering column. It almost looks like there's never been one there Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
c49er Posted July 15, 2023 Share Posted July 15, 2023 (edited) Ther are several different shufter indicators for 1951-53 Chryslers. Cars that have FTD do say "Fluid Torque Drive". Yours doesn't. You have the std equipped "Fluid-Matic".... Fluid Drive with the M-6 low/Hi range transmission. Edited July 15, 2023 by c49er (see edit history) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fred Schmitt Posted July 15, 2023 Author Share Posted July 15, 2023 So, my engine oil dipstick says only 5 quarts of oil. I see the drain and fill plugs on the transmission. Do you have any pics? Fred Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
c49er Posted July 15, 2023 Share Posted July 15, 2023 Pictures of? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fred Schmitt Posted July 15, 2023 Author Share Posted July 15, 2023 Maybe, I'm missing something! Some posts indicate engine oil and converter share oil. On mine I don't see how. My oil dipstick says only 5 quarts. I right to assume that only my engine gets oil and the transmission gets oil. Nothing else? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rusty_OToole Posted July 15, 2023 Share Posted July 15, 2023 I told you it could drive you nuts figuring out Chrysler's transmission combinations. Evidently you have the plain Fluid Drive setup. Fluid Drive unit and transmission filled separately, but both take the same oil, either 10W motor oil or TDH tractor transmission fluid ISO 32 or ISO 22. The Fluid Drive unit is serviced from inside the car. Roll back the carpet, there is an access plate in the floor on the right side of the transmission hump below the dash board. See the third pic in C49er's post above, and notice the access plate on the right. Under that is a round hole in the bellhousing, supposed to be covered by a knockout plug. Pry it out and "bump" the starter until the fill plug comes into view. Unscrew the fill plug, IMPORTANT stuff a rag around the hole first so the plug can't fall in. With the plug out you can take a funnel and fill the Fluid Drive unit. You must leave a certain air space, the fill is located so this is taken care of automatically. Transmission filled from under the car, as detailed above. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
c49er Posted July 16, 2023 Share Posted July 16, 2023 5 hours ago, Fred Schmitt said: Maybe, I'm missing something! Some posts indicate engine oil and converter share oil. On mine I don't see how. My oil dipstick says only 5 quarts. I right to assume that only my engine gets oil and the transmission gets oil. Nothing else? You got it right. Your engine DS says 5 quarts.. = non FTD system. So just drain and refill the Fluid Drive coupling itself. Forget the Fluid Torque Drive instructions. Combined Engine oil has nothing to do with your "Fluid-Matic fluid Drive coupling. Your 53 New Yirker is no different than a 1948 Chrysler New Yorker as to changing the FD fluid. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fred Schmitt Posted July 16, 2023 Author Share Posted July 16, 2023 Rusty, I read another blog discussion about the same issue. The access opening is at 12 not 2. When moving the flywheel to the 12 position there's a plug there. I'm not having any slipping from what I can tell. No evidence of fluid in the housing either. I've changed my transmission fluid with the ISO 32. Easy to to. I've installed a tachometer, car idles at 500, when driving, car shifts at about 11 mph from 1st to 2nd. Not sure in the high range. Can't really tell if it's shifting from 3d to 4th. At 60 mph I'm at about 2k rpm. Do you have to let off the gas or engage the clutch for it to shift? Never owned a classic like this on. Thanks for all the help and advice from everyone. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rusty_OToole Posted July 16, 2023 Share Posted July 16, 2023 Normal operation goes like this. Warm up engine in neutral, shift into High, release clutch completely, the car will sit and idle like an automatic. Release the brake, step on gas, and take off. When you get going 14MPH or more, lift off the gas, you should hear a soft *click-clack* from under the floor boards, now you are in High gear of High range, step on the gas and go someplace. If you want extra power to pass floor the gas pedal, it should kick down a gear like an automatic if you are going less than 50MPH. When you come to a stop no need to shift, just step on the brake like an automatic. It will shift down automatically and take off in Low gear of High range, when you get going 14MPH lift off the gas, etc. Do not use the clutch any more than you have to, they have a very small clutch that will not stand a lot of slipping. Release the clutch and let the Fluid Drive do the rest. Do not try to slip the clutch like a manual trans. Low range is for taking off on a steep hill, or driving in deep sand, snow or mud. Or driving slowly. Works the same as High range except, will shift up at 6MPH. I don't know what to tell you about filling the Fluid Drive unit. Every one I have worked on was as I said, the filler under the small plate on the side of the transmission tunnel, except the ones with a self contained Torque Converter setup. The factory has no recommendation for changing the oil, as the Fluid Drive is a sealed unit. Just check and top up as necessary every 10,000 miles. 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
c49er Posted July 16, 2023 Share Posted July 16, 2023 I have never changed the fluid in the FD couplings in my FD cars...and feel no need to. My FTD car...yes I have changed the fluld because of it's many seals and oil pump. JMO. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fred Schmitt Posted July 16, 2023 Author Share Posted July 16, 2023 Rusty, thanks for the information! Going to try it this afternoon. I must have the sealed unit so I'm going to leave it alone. I'll let you know if all goes well. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
c49er Posted July 16, 2023 Share Posted July 16, 2023 Here's what a FD coupling looks like complete and cut open... Not much in one other than a bellows/sleeve type seal and graphite seal ring ect. A couple pilot bushings and ball bearing. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fred Schmitt Posted July 16, 2023 Author Share Posted July 16, 2023 Looks like the one I saw when I removed the cover at the 12 o'clock position. I really appreciate the help! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fred Schmitt Posted July 16, 2023 Author Share Posted July 16, 2023 Took it out, left it in high range. It did shift. I think I'm on the road to understanding this car.I really appreciate all of the help and guidance. I've attached a pic of my steering column. Not sure, but it links like I'm missing my indicators. I don't see how one could have been attached though. Any thoughts??? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rusty_OToole Posted July 17, 2023 Share Posted July 17, 2023 I had a 52 New Yorker with Fluid Torque Drive (torque converter) and it had a quadrant like an automatic car. Yours looks more like a typical earlier Fluid Drive that just had a shift lever like a manual trans, no quadrant. I did not know they came that way in 1953 New Yorker, you live and learn. The first pic in C49er's post above shows the location of the fill plug at the top of the Fluid Drive unit. Notice also the balance weight at the bottom to balance out the weight of the plug. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
c49er Posted July 17, 2023 Share Posted July 17, 2023 This is the FTD shift indicator in my 52 NewYoker.... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
c49er Posted July 17, 2023 Share Posted July 17, 2023 I goigled endless pics of NewYorkers and Custom Imperials... This is the only style shift indicator I could find.... I could fund none that said Fluid Torque Drive like 1951-52 Chryslers. Best pic I could find. Don't know why Fred's car has no indicator. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fred Schmitt Posted July 17, 2023 Author Share Posted July 17, 2023 Thanks for the pics. I don't see how one could be attached. The mystery continues. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
c49er Posted July 17, 2023 Share Posted July 17, 2023 Tomorrow I will look at a 53 Chrysler to see how his is set up. I am curious. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fred Schmitt Posted July 17, 2023 Author Share Posted July 17, 2023 So am I! Attached is an emblem that came with the car. Any ideas as to what it go with? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rusty_OToole Posted July 17, 2023 Share Posted July 17, 2023 Apparently the Fluid Torque Drive models got the automatic style gearshift quadrant and the plain Fluid Drive jobs didn't. I didn't even know you could still get plain Fluid Drive on a New Yorker in 53. It is still a good setup for convenience and simple reliable service. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fred Schmitt Posted July 17, 2023 Author Share Posted July 17, 2023 I know, no torque converter to deal with. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
c49er Posted July 19, 2023 Share Posted July 19, 2023 1953 Chrysler Windsor with Fluid-Matic. Std Fluid Drive and M-6 Trans shift indicator ....same as 1953 NewYorker.. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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