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1955 thunderbird auto. transmission fluid

17K views 22 replies 8 participants last post by  rick laplante 
#1 ·
have a question: what type of fluid should i use in the 1955 thunderbird auto. transmission and should i fill the converter before i hook it up to the engine.
i am planing on putting the transmission and engine together and then installing them in the car as one unit.
also can i use a synthetic oil in the rear end?
i am planing on using a pensoil 5-20 in the new engine is that the one i should use?
thank you all for the help in the past and with this question
rick
 
#2 ·
rick laplante said:
...what type of fluid should i use in the 1955 thunderbird auto. transmission and should i fill the converter before i hook it up to the engine.
DEXRON III or it's equivalent. Put one quart in convertor and lube front seal lip.

...also can i use a synthetic oil in the rear end?
Yes.

i am planing on using a pensoil 5-20 in the new engine is that the one i should use?
If this is a Y-BLOCK, you should use no lighter than 5W-30 (IMO).
 
#3 ·
55 t-bird

You will definitely want to install trans and engine together, then install.

Because of the frame [x frame ] installing the trans after the engine is in requires partial dissassembly of the trans, the back half in fact.

Not impossible, but a less than desirable method.
 
#8 ·
installing the transmission and engine together

now one more question on the transmission is there any tricks i should know when installing the transmission and engine together like how do you keep from tearing the dust boot up on the end of the transmission? or any other tricks i should know
thank you
rick
 
#11 ·
rick,
you posted that it is a NEW engine......

"an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure"

stop by any GM dealership and buy a 16oz bottle of GM EOS (<$10?) (part #1052367?) and add it to the motor oil to help the cam and motor to break in properly

todays oils don't have the the extreme pressure additives needed by a flat tappet motor during break in....they were removed because they destroy catalytic converters
 
#12 ·
55-tbird

One more thing. As you are breaking in your new engine, don't forget the trans. As in make sure the trans has enough fluid as you run the engine.

Put 4 quarts in before you start the engine, as soon as it's started pour 4 or 5 more quarts in, so the trans does not run dry.

Many times during the excitement of hearing the new engine run, the trans gets neglected. When it happens, it's ugly! Good luck!!
 
#14 ·
hi, i would break the engine in with either shell rotella 15-40 or valvoline racing 20-50. both have zinc additive ( ZDDP ) needed for cam breakin and are a little higher viscosity, the gm eos is a good recomendation too. use an oil with the zinc addative if you want the cam to live.
 
#15 ·
thank you all for the help i am not sure where to post this next question if some one could tell me i will post it, it has to do with hanging a 6 volt alternator on a 292 engine i am trying to hang it on the org. bracket but have some mod's to make to make it work. any idea's ?
 
#16 ·
rick laplante said:
thank you all for the help i am not sure where to post this next question if some one could tell me i will post it, it has to do with hanging a 6 volt alternator on a 292 engine i am trying to hang it on the org. bracket but have some mod's to make to make it work. any idea's ?
stay with the generator,if you have gone to the trouble of staying stock a alternator looks like crap. also pre lube the engine be for startup. i would go with 10 30 oil and the gm aditive. remember if the 292 has the original distributor you must use original teapot holley as you have no centrifical advance, vacume only later carbs have incorect vacume signal for 55 distributor.
 
#19 ·
i sent for one of them and it did not work it came out to far ( to close to the front sup.) i asked him if he had one that was a little closer to the engine but he did not have one.
he said he was working on one for a 55 thunderbird but never heard from him again. tried to contact him but no response
 
#20 · (Edited)
a source for bird help,

http://www.larrystbird.com/index.php3

30 years + doin' birds.....

use the contact page to order the catalog and describe your fit problem

"plan B"=there are much smaller alt available from the imports

(friggin' CRS!)....I swear I've seen a alt that is built to look just like the original generator to keep the factory look and mount and can't recall from who

here's another helpful link....
http://www.ctci.org/
a ton of early bird specific info, here's an example (look under Gil's garage for 6V to 12V convert):

http://www.ctci.org/membership/memindex.htm
 
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