Mid 50s Buick Dynaflow
- Thread starter Shannow
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Yeah I believe that GM back spec'd everything from the late 40's on to Dexron. So if you can get a Dexron III type fluid down there is what I recommend. I see a lot of type A fluid sold in grocery stores around here, but even in a 50's Buick I would not use it. I would only use type a fluid to start a campfire.
Dex III is what I use in my 62 which also calls for Type A. Type F is also good for top-offs in Dynaflows which all mark their territory.
plenty of type A at the dollar stores next to the city star oil
My dad had a 52 Buick Super with a Dyna Flow, and it used Dexron without issue.
It had a bad seal, and would leak fluid when it was torqued, so he kept a case of Dex in the trunk.
Ah, those were the days... When a 2 speed transmission was such a selling point, they had "Dyna Flow" carved into the trunk handle.
It had a bad seal, and would leak fluid when it was torqued, so he kept a case of Dex in the trunk.
Ah, those were the days... When a 2 speed transmission was such a selling point, they had "Dyna Flow" carved into the trunk handle.
+1 i would use dexron
Modern cars have a PRNDL shift pattern.
Is that old one different?
Is that old one different?
No reverse?
yep. Mine is PNDLR
Lots of consumer problems with Reverse and Forward being so close, so they spread out the pattern and made it a standard.
Advertising blurb of the day suggested that L and R were across from each other to allow "rocking" a vehicle in sand or snow.
My first car had a normal gate column shift, and 2 for acceleration, through D, N, and into R happened more than a couple times.
My first car had a normal gate column shift, and 2 for acceleration, through D, N, and into R happened more than a couple times.
MolaKule
Staff member
HAs this transmission been rebuilt and new seals installed?
If not rebuilt I would stick with a non-synthetic DexronIII.
My Dad had a Dynaflow in his old Buick.
If not rebuilt I would stick with a non-synthetic DexronIII.
My Dad had a Dynaflow in his old Buick.
MolaKule
Staff member
Quote from Lance over in the White Papers section and the White Paper called, "Brief History of ATFs."
Quote:
Some more information on the older transmissions from GM and Chrysler.
General Motors produced the Dynaflow, a manually shifted two speed automatic for Buicks only. It was left in Drive except on steep hills, or when engine braking or a fast takeoff was desired. I had 2 cars with it. It wound up making its way into some 1953 Cadillacs, Oldsmobiles and Pontiacs due to a fire in the Hydra Matic plant sometime in 1953. i ahd 2 Buicks with Dynaflow, the latter being ain a 1955 Buick Roadmaster, which sported a variable pitch torque converter, aka Switch Pitch. The Switch Pitch feature did work, but takeoff in the 2.5 ton behemoth was still anemic in Drive. I had to shift to Low for a takeoff with any alacrity at all.
Hydram Matic was a four speed automatic transmission found in Cadillacs, Pontiacs and Oldsmobiles. It had either one or two fluid couplings, no torque converter, and had to be
retuned when the weather changed. It required MANY special tools and much skill to maintain. The early Hydra Matics had no park position, reverse range doubling as park when the engine was turned off.
Chrysler´s first fully automatic was the Powerflite, introduced in 1954, also came without a park position. There was a tailshaft mounted parking/emergency brake for keeping the car from rolling when parked. It was a two speed automatic, initially operated by a central dash mounted lever which was also effective for impaling passengers in high impact frontal collisions, hence the move to pushbuttons. I had a 1958 Dodge Coronet with pushbutton shift, and it work flawlessly even during winter in New England. The first Chrysler automatics, the two speed Powerflite and the three speed Torqueflite, introduced in 1956, had cast iron cases, came apart in three main pieces, and were relatively simple and effective, as much as an automatic transmission could be in the 1950shaving no clutches and operable on 20W motor oil if required. This transmission and the first Torqueflite had a reverse lockout which worked above 10mph, and I did test the one in my Dodge.
Quote:
Some more information on the older transmissions from GM and Chrysler.
General Motors produced the Dynaflow, a manually shifted two speed automatic for Buicks only. It was left in Drive except on steep hills, or when engine braking or a fast takeoff was desired. I had 2 cars with it. It wound up making its way into some 1953 Cadillacs, Oldsmobiles and Pontiacs due to a fire in the Hydra Matic plant sometime in 1953. i ahd 2 Buicks with Dynaflow, the latter being ain a 1955 Buick Roadmaster, which sported a variable pitch torque converter, aka Switch Pitch. The Switch Pitch feature did work, but takeoff in the 2.5 ton behemoth was still anemic in Drive. I had to shift to Low for a takeoff with any alacrity at all.
Hydram Matic was a four speed automatic transmission found in Cadillacs, Pontiacs and Oldsmobiles. It had either one or two fluid couplings, no torque converter, and had to be
retuned when the weather changed. It required MANY special tools and much skill to maintain. The early Hydra Matics had no park position, reverse range doubling as park when the engine was turned off.
Chrysler´s first fully automatic was the Powerflite, introduced in 1954, also came without a park position. There was a tailshaft mounted parking/emergency brake for keeping the car from rolling when parked. It was a two speed automatic, initially operated by a central dash mounted lever which was also effective for impaling passengers in high impact frontal collisions, hence the move to pushbuttons. I had a 1958 Dodge Coronet with pushbutton shift, and it work flawlessly even during winter in New England. The first Chrysler automatics, the two speed Powerflite and the three speed Torqueflite, introduced in 1956, had cast iron cases, came apart in three main pieces, and were relatively simple and effective, as much as an automatic transmission could be in the 1950shaving no clutches and operable on 20W motor oil if required. This transmission and the first Torqueflite had a reverse lockout which worked above 10mph, and I did test the one in my Dodge.
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