HydraMatic Problem Resolution

SuperDave
SuperDave Senior Contributor
edited November -1 in HUDSON
A while back, I posted a thread about a 54 HydraMatic problem.. Bad ,slow, delayed shifting..etc. I bought the OH kit and thought I would tackle the job myself.. Well this was the first time I ever threw in the towel. It only took a few hours of "messing around" to decide that I was WAY over my head. I started a search for someone to rebuild the tranny for me. I am in Florida, so shipping is a serious consideration..considering that the most touted rebuilder is in Illinois! Local shops all said "Sure, bring it in with some manuals and we will do it" Then They try to tell me if it's a Cast iron case, it's a PowerGlide, Not HydraMatic..So much for the local guys.

Park Waldrop gave me the address of a fellow in Greenville SC. His name is Hennie Jacobs and owns a transmission shop in Greenville. "Greenville Transmission Clinic". Hennie is an AACA Member and also has a Hudson among many various antique cars. One conversation with Hennie was all it took. I personally hauled the tranny up to him. What he did after that was way beyond my expectations. He went WAY out of his way to help me obtain two additional parts transmissions that I needed to make one good one. (Thanks to Lance in Concord NC) To make a long story short.. I picked up the tranny, took it home and put it in. Before I left his shop. I asked him about what adjustments I would need to make.. he said reset the kickdown rod..nothing else.. I only had to make two adjustments to get it right and the car runs and shifts like a new one. The price was better than the guy in Chicago too..

Needless to say, This fellow is one of the good guys.. Oh he also does other vintage transmissions. I hauled a 53 Packard Ultramatic back for a fellow in Lake Wales Fl. Anyone wanting contact information can email me HETdwad1939@att.net or PM me.

By the way.. The kickdown rod controls more than just the kick down. If you are having upshift problems, like delayed and flareing 2-3 shifts.. try adjusting the rod one way or the other.

Sorry for the long post..:)

Comments

  • Richie
    Richie Senior Contributor
    SuperDave, thanks for that info, I will store it away. I wish you had let me know you were going to SC, on your way through GA. I would have bought you lunch or dinner. Would have been nice to see you and if you had an extra hour or so I'd have shown you my Hudson stuff. Maybe next time. Richie.
  • SuperDave
    SuperDave Senior Contributor
    Richie wrote:
    SuperDave, thanks for that info, I will store it away. I wish you had let me know you were going to SC, on your way through GA. I would have bought you lunch or dinner. Would have been nice to see you and if you had an extra hour or so I'd have shown you my Hudson stuff. Maybe next time. Richie.



    Richie, refresh my memory. Where are you in GA? If I'm in a hurry to go north(Seldom!!) I take I-95. If we take the motorhome, we usually go US-1 from Jacksonville. If heading to Pigeon forge or thereabouts..Then Ga-17. Through Wrens.
  • Richie
    Richie Senior Contributor
    SuperDave, guess I'm too far from your route. I live in Tucker, just north of Atlanta and that is a long way from I-95. Maybe the next time I go to FL. I'll look you up ! Richie.
  • MikeWA
    MikeWA Senior Contributor
    SuperDave wrote:

    By the way.. The kickdown rod controls more than just the kick down.



    Indeed it does. One summer just after high school, I worked half days for my dad rebuilding fences on our farm, and afternoons putting a 283 and Powerglide into my '36 Chev pickup. Got it done, didn't have a kickdown rod but didn't figure I needed one- I'd just shift it down manually if I wanted.



    Didn't take too long to fry the transmission- I later found out that the kickdown rod also controlled the fluid pressure in the transmission. NOW you tell me . . .:(



    I had motor mounts fabbed by a local guy, who tried to sell me my choice of two running '37 Terraplane coupes for 200 bucks- but I didn't bite. :cool:
  • SuperDave
    SuperDave Senior Contributor
    When i first installed the transmission I didn't have the guage to set the lever. No where could I find the measurement that the guage measured. So I just put it together, and test drove it. The 1-2 shift was perfect. the 2-3 shift was either very rough or chattered or flared between gears. just depended on throttle pressure. I made a guess and shortened the rod a turn or two. It got better. So then I made another four turns and it shifted perfectly Just pure luck.. I have always said i would take luck over skill any day! Next time I have it back up on the lift, I will measure the distance from the back of the transmission case and the lever for future use.Might just make my own guage!
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