I recently picked up a 56 Buick wagon. Not new to Buicks, but new to this trans. Typically most my Buicks I had updated trans. this being stock, what maint should be done? Is there a filter? wondering what you all out there have done with these. Besides replace them lol.
I have one I've driven off and on for 45 years. I've been in the transmission, but don't remember a filter. One good thing to do is monitor how much ATF is leaking down the tube into your differential.
Usually, the Dynaflow just has a screen you can clean up. There are converter drains so you can get most of the old fluid out.
I've never had a Dynaflow apart, but I was pretty sure there was a band adjustment. I found that I have a Glenn's manual that has Dynaflow overhaul. There is a band adjustment and the manual says it is critical during overhaul as you can't adjust it once the transmission is in the car. So, like others have said, change fluid, clean the screen and drive it.
A long time ago in another planet I had a 54 Buick Roadmaster that leaked fluid via the closed driveshaft into the rear end. Hence end of rear. As Leon Bee said in earlier post, make sure you don't have any ****** fluid in the differential.
If you need one rebuilt, good luck. I had one done about 5 years ago, and the dude was so old and in poor health, I was legitimately worried he might p*** on before he finished it. He did finish it after 2 months, and it performed perfectly but still leaked. There's just not many out there who know how to fix them. It's not simple to slap in a modern transmission. On the engine side you merely need an adapter, but then you need to re-engineer the rear suspension when you convert it from a closed driveline to an open driveline. I LOVE those old Buicks, but I may never own another one that has not already been converted to open driveline with a modern trans. Sorry for the small rant, but take it as a cautionary tale.
The trans works really good as of now. I will in time do the update I did for my 41 Buick that I installed a 264 nailhead and 700r4 trans in. Great combo! And I used the original rear end. I make a kit for it
I agree. I've owned a bunch of different cars over the years but have never owned a vintage Buick, largely due to my concerns about the Dynaflow and the requirement of having to completely change the rear suspension should I ever want to swap it in favor of something else. Here's a picture of some of my goofball friends with a 56 Roadmaster that was then owned by Anthony Johns (pictured seated to the right). This was one of the cars one might see loitering at the Clark, NJ Dunkin Donuts around 2002 and later, often with my 57 Ford and Anthony Bastio's 54 Holiday 98 coupe. The original nailhead gave it up and Anthony and his dad Percy (who owned the Sox and Martin "Sun Kissed 'Cuda) built a ferocious 425 with 3 two barrels, headers, solid cam, and a TH400. They hung a rear under it with leaf springs and Anthony drove the absolute hell of out this car until it literally started to fall apart around the engine and trans. But this was how we rolled when we were 18-20 years old, more balls than brains. That Buick engine was a powerhouse though and the car was very fast for what it was. Eventually it was sold to Russ Monte, a deer ran into the side of it (literally it's snout went through the corner of the curved gl***), and the car got parted. Jim Rawa still has the 425.
I see that Roadmaster has the quad tail light mod. I really wanted to do that to my 56 but never got 'round to it. This is the 56 Super that I had.
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