Hydramatic 2nd to 3rd shift

[Leonvery]

Hi all
My 54 star chief has some problems when shifting from 2nd to 3rd gear. There are 2 ways - I build up the revs high enough for a real jerky shift OR I take my foot off the gas slightly and it shifts great.

Is taking foot off the gas normal for these transmissions or do I need the bands adjusting?
Thanks
Leon

[Larry]

I have had a couple '54 Star Chiefs, and that 2-to-3 shift has always been sort of goofy. I forget exactly, but it has to do with the 1-to-2 and the 3-to-4 being different planetaries or something.

There is an adjustment you can make pretty easily on the linkage of the transmission under the driver's side where you can sort of experiment around with making the shift the way you like it. However, there will always be that compromise between the "lag" between shifts and/or the "hard" shift. Just sort of the nature of that beast.

We have a very good automatic transmission tech advisor, as well as the entire Shop Manual for both the car and the Hydra-matic transmission in our On-Line Reference Library section. You may wish to read up on it.

As for band adjustment, this is not the problem going on in this case. It is the timing of the shift.

[johnjmurray]

Leonvry - I have the same shifting issues with my 50' Cheiftain, hydramTic as well.... I was just looking up solutions and I saw your post. Let me know how your adjustments go and I will do the same.

[Leonvery]

Took the car for a transmission service and fluid change to a workshop that's familiar with old cars.
Within 1 hour, they changed fluid, adjusted bands and made the throttle linkage adjustment to solve the hard 2-3 shift.

What an improvement, very happy with the result!

[Larry]

That's good news. Fluid change is always a good idea. Did they access the separate hole/plug in the torque converter and change that too? As I recall on my '54s the torque converter did not drain with the trans fluid and I had to do separately.

Also, for the help of others looking to change fluid in the older Hydra-Matic, what fluid did they use? I believe most today just use the GM dextron fluid.

It's good they knew how to adjust the bands and throttle linkage. It may always be a little squirrelly in the 2-3 shift but that is the nature of the design. However, when adjusted properly it is hardly noticeable.

If you ever need more transmission info, be sure to check our 1948-53 Hydra-Matic Shop Manual in our On-Line Reference Library.