i have been away from h.a.m.b. for a while, my computer died and i lost all my passwords, etc.. my question: i have a 63 olds super 88 holiday 4dr h/t. it has the 394 ci engine with hi-compression heads and the motor runs great. it had been parked for 25+ years according to the guy i got it from and someone had drained all the fluieds. i bought and installed a new auto tranny filter and gasket and put 10 quarts of tranny fluid in it. ran the engine for 10 or 15 minutes shifting from low - second - drive and reverse trying to get some fluid moving around but nothing happened, no movement. a friend says that i should tow the car around a bit going through the gears -- and get the fluid pumping? another guy says to "pressurize" the tranny to get fluid moving up into the seals/bands. i haven't tried towing or pressurizing yet. any advice? also, if the auto tranny is toast, does anyone know where i can get a 3sp manual tranny and clutch/linkages? thanks a lot for any help.
Are you sure there is a Drive Shaft Hooked up.! Just asking it should do something when you have Fluid in it. Just my 3.5 cents Live Learn & Die a Fool
I don't have an answer for you, but you may get more responses with a thread title that says something about the question at hand. "Hot Rods" doesn't have much or anything to do with a 63 olds super 88 holiday 4dr transmission problem. I think you can edit the title by hitting the Edit button, then Go Advanced. Not 100% sure about that.
yes....i tried to post under "63 olds trannies" but it wouldn't post----had to click on tab and had a choice between hot rods, customs, etc.. i will try to edit. thanks for the info.
I also have the same engine trans combo. Went through 3 trans. Gave up and got an adapter and put a 700R4 behind it. Best thing I ever did.
Isn't that the 'Slim-Jim' transmission? Think they came out in '62...can't recall. IIRC, this was the engine/tyranny combo that a friend planted in his '49 Ford Coupe. Trans had a murderous low gear, ('range') then second was real tall...like shifting from 1st to 3rd. W-I-d-e spread of ratios there, 3rd was close above second... As chopped51 stated, yeah...there were 3. In a row. Worst tranny I ever 'worked with'... Terry converted it to a stick, but the '59 Olds stick tranny with floor shift linkage was also not long for this world... -BANG!- ...second gear...
slim jims were a night mare even when new . the best thing is to get rid of it . probably was the reason it was parked .
Tony Lombardy (GOATROPER02 here on the HAMB) specializes in eary Oldsmobile V8 performance. He has several late model transmission adapter options. Check out his website here http://rossracingengines.com/ Using one of Tony's adapters and a good or even rebuilt 350/400 and converter will be cheaper in the long run than having the stock Slim Jim rebuilt if you can find the parts and some one who knows how to do it. NOTE: When you start a thread on the new and improved HAMB you must select a catigory like Technical or Hotrods from the list. Then you can enter a descriptive title.
yeah, its the "slim jim" tranny and i heard they aren't worth fixing. i would like to go with a 3 or 4 sp manual but i didn't know they made an adapter for the 700r4. will research it. i just wanted to get it driveable for now and am not interested in rebuilding the slim jim. thanks everyone for your comments, that helps.
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