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1954 Hydramatic

Started by henrilokk, February 13, 2017, 12:52:44 PM

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henrilokk

I bought me a 1954 cadillac two years back. Last year the transmission did not want to change from 1.st into 2.nd when the car is cold. after about 10 - 15 minutes and the car is warm it will shift, but the shifting is rough for some time.  do anyone here know what may be wrong? the transmission fluid is fine.

Dave Shepherd

This usually points to internal pressure leakage past bad piston seals, realistically the trans needs to come out for repairs.

henrilokk

Quote from: Dave Shepherd on February 13, 2017, 08:35:15 PM
This usually points to internal pressure leakage past bad piston seals, realistically the trans needs to come out for repairs.

is this something i can do by myself without any special tools?

Dave Shepherd

Unless you have a proper facilty to remove the trans and have prior transmission overhaul experience, I would not advise attempting this.

Caddy Wizard

I am a pretty darned good mechanic.  But the HM transmission repairs are best left to a specialist...
Art Gardner


1955 S60 Fleetwood sedan (now under resto -- has been in paint shop since June 2022!)
1955 S62 Coupe (future show car? 2/3 done)
1958 Eldo Seville (2/3 done)

henrilokk

#5
Thanks for answers! I will take out the transmission and hand it over to a specialist :) by the way. are the removal of the transmission problematic?

Jon S

How is the fluid?  Color, aroma, etc.?  How is TV rod adjusted?
Jon

1958 Cadillac Sedan De Ville
1973 Lincoln Continental Coupe
1981 Corvette
2004 Mustang GT

Jay Friedman

As it is fairly large and heavy, you'll need to raise the car fairly high off the floor, or better yet raise it on a lift, and you'll need a heavy-duty transmission jack.  Consult the '54 shop manual for details.
1949 Cadillac 6107 Club Coupe
1932 Ford V8 Phaeton (restored, not a rod).  Sold
Decatur, Georgia
CLC # 3210, since 1984
"If it won't work, get a bigger hammer."

henrilokk

Quote from: Jon S on February 14, 2017, 04:03:49 PM
How is the fluid?  Color, aroma, etc.?  How is TV rod adjusted?

Fluid is bright red. No particular smell. By TV do you mean throttle controll linkage? Because i adjusted that last year, after i did so, the shifts became a bit smoother. maybe i have to adjust that again for the roughness.

henrilokk

Quote from: Jay Friedman on February 14, 2017, 06:36:08 PM
As it is fairly large and heavy, you'll need to raise the car fairly high off the floor, or better yet raise it on a lift, and you'll need a heavy-duty transmission jack.  Consult the '54 shop manual for details.
I have done so, but the lift i have on  my hands is one with 4 columns. The manual states that all 4 wheels should be approx. 12 inches from the ground. this can not be done with this lift...

Caddy Wizard

Before you rebuild the transmission, get the engine tuned up PERFECTLY!  I have had Cadillacs with seeming transmission problems that turned out to be poor engine performance.  For example, a leaky vacuum advance on the distributor will make the transmission perform poorly in some cases.  So get the engine right first.  Then adjust the TV rod very carefully, using the procedure in the shop manual.  If the problem persists, okay, maybe you need some transmission repairs...
Art Gardner


1955 S60 Fleetwood sedan (now under resto -- has been in paint shop since June 2022!)
1955 S62 Coupe (future show car? 2/3 done)
1958 Eldo Seville (2/3 done)

Jon S

Quote from: Art Gardner  CLC 23021 on February 15, 2017, 12:45:40 PM
Before you rebuild the transmission, get the engine tuned up PERFECTLY!  I have had Cadillacs with seeming transmission problems that turned out to be poor engine performance.  For example, a leaky vacuum advance on the distributor will make the transmission perform poorly in some cases.  So get the engine right first.  Then adjust the TV rod very carefully, using the procedure in the shop manual.  If the problem persists, okay, maybe you need some transmission repairs...

Agreed and if the fluid is tired I would change it before a massive overhaul.
Jon

1958 Cadillac Sedan De Ville
1973 Lincoln Continental Coupe
1981 Corvette
2004 Mustang GT

Bobby B

Quote from: henrilokk on February 13, 2017, 12:52:44 PM
I bought me a 1954 cadillac two years back. Last year the transmission did not want to change from 1.st into 2.nd when the car is cold. after about 10 - 15 minutes and the car is warm it will shift, but the shifting is rough for some time.  do anyone here know what may be wrong? the transmission fluid is fine.

Pretty much comes down to a few items. Check the linkage as stated above which will cause irregular shifting, but you claim that it gets better over time when "warmed" up, so obviously, the linkage does not correct itself when the engine is at operating temperature. Another factor is a sticking valve(s) in the valve body. Could be garbage in there and the fluid passes thru as it becomes more viscous. A few things are going on simultaneously in a 1-2 upshift and they are all pressure related. Before I pulled it, I would install a trans pressure gauge on it and keep it on while driving the car to see how the pressure is affected at idle Cold, running Cold, and running after "warm-up". Internal leaks at servos, pistons,or low front pump pressure could be culprits. Don't be so quick to yank it out without doing a little detective work. Not as familiar with the '54 trans as I am with the early Hydra-Matics, but a lot of the principals are the same.
                                                                                                                                                                       Bobby
1947 Cadillac Series 62 Convertible Coupe
1968 Mustang Convertible
1973 Mustang Convertible
1969 Jaguar E-Type Roadster
1971 Datsun 240Z
1979 H-D FLH

henrilokk

#13
Quote from: Bobby B on February 15, 2017, 10:08:57 PM
Pretty much comes down to a few items. Check the linkage as stated above which will cause irregular shifting, but you claim that it gets better over time when "warmed" up, so obviously, the linkage does not correct itself when the engine is at operating temperature. Another factor is a sticking valve(s) in the valve body. Could be garbage in there and the fluid passes thru as it becomes more viscous. A few things are going on simultaneously in a 1-2 upshift and they are all pressure related. Before I pulled it, I would install a trans pressure gauge on it and keep it on while driving the car to see how the pressure is affected at idle Cold, running Cold, and running after "warm-up". Internal leaks at servos, pistons,or low front pump pressure could be culprits. Don't be so quick to yank it out without doing a little detective work. Not as familiar with the '54 trans as I am with the early Hydra-Matics, but a lot of the principals are the same.
                                                                                                                                                                       Bobby
The linkage i believe is fine, since i adjusted that last year and it became somewhat smoother. it did not however change the problem with the car not shifting. I am Norwegian so i do not understand all that mechanical English. what does it mean when a transmission slips? when i start driving it will go in 1.st with a clunk, after what i have heard this is normal? And when i start driving it stays only in 1.st. when i drive downhill, it seemes that the transmission goes in neutral. when i let of the gas and step on it again  the engine just revs. nothing else happens. do this mean that the transmission slips? The last owner had it pressure tested, because he complained about that the kickdown did not work. my experience is that the kickdown works, but i really have to step on it since the carpet is very thick.

Eldovert

henrilokk,
A slipping transmission is when you are driving along at a constant speed (perhaps climbing a hill) and the engine starts to rev higher (called "flare") while in gear...in other words the engine speed increases but the road speed doesn't.
HTH
Cheers,Pat MacPhail