M6 Tip-Toe Shift transmission -- help!

I have a '52 Firedome.

I had the same problem 25 years ago. This is what i discovered...........

The filter screen, between the two main castings, was plugged, and prevented the oil to flow to the pump in the rear. However................to get at the screen, is NOT an easy job.

If you have mechanical ability, you can do it. Use the shop manual, to tear the transmission apart......step by step. There will be hundreds of needle bearings of various sizes. You need to take out the guts, to separate the castings, to get at the screen. Lay out the parts carefully. It is a semi - automatic transmission.....LOTS of parts.

Years of rust, and sediment will collect on the screen.

After it is apart, also clean, and remove sediment in the area, where the gear slides ahead (clunk). You will see it, when it is apart.

I had to make a stand to work on it, as well as couple of tools, but, I got it apart, and back together, and it has never missed a beat.

Study the manual before you do it. It is a step by step process, and it works!

Mark Waite '52 Tech Advisor

Thanks for this Mark. I'm looking at the S-16, S-17, S-18 Shop Manual and I see the screen you describe, I think. If you have this volume, it is part 55 "strainer" in Fig. 67 on page 506. It looks like I might be able to clean it if I just split the two cases apart. Do you agree?

Some problems on a car this old are in the "live with it" category. If it really takes full transmission disassembly down to counting loose bearing rollers, I think I can live with this one. But it appears that if I pull the transmission, remove the governor and its drive pinion, then remove the transmission extension assembly, I might be able to get at the strainer. I think I could do this much. Might even be able to get at it without removing the transmission from the car?

Any other wisdom from the group?

I had a problem with my '52 several years ago when it wouldn't shift. Nothing like your problem you describe but I too thought the screen might be plugged on mine. I made up an air nozzle with 1/8" copper tubing long enough to reach back to about where the screen is through the filler hole. I blew it out real good and then drained the oil. I am not sure now if that solved the problem or even worked but it might be worth a try.

I changed the oil yesterday, putting in SAE 10W Kendall, hoping that would cure it, but it didn't.

John, did you put in non- detergent oil as specified? Detergent oil will probably break loose a lot of stuff that will plug the screen.

Yes, nondetergent oil. I wondered if there might be a solvent I could use to clean it out. My dad once treated a high mileage 58 Ford with something called "Drypowr" that caused gobs of crud to come out the crankcase vent tube. This would have been early 60s. Also freed up lifters, which is what he wanted.

But the purpose of strainers is to strain, so a solvent might release crud that would further block the screen.

My 53 Firedome wagon M6 transmission is fixed! Frank Daly (Airflow Club of America) has a friend who is expert in Chryslers and especially transmissions. I spoke with him on the phone and described my too-eager upshift problem. He said it's probably the blocker ring, as they are known to go bad, but unfortunately they are not available. Within a week, I saw a clutch sleeve and blocker ring on eBay from AMS Obsolete, but it was for some other year. I called them, and they had one for my car. A local old-car mechanic who has done some good work for me installed it and put in a new clutch. The transmission labor plus part was about $800 total. I recommend AMS Obsolete (mmpar.com) and Harold's Automotive in La Mesa CA.

-John