Transmission / Overdrive: 1962 lark transmission gunk

[BrodyPoggers]

Today I dropped my transmission pan and found it packed full of gunk, I just bought the car and it has been sitting for 30 years. I sat there for hours with a small spray wand and sprayed soapy water and used a tooth brush to get all the gunk out. Do I need to clean anything else? I’m not sure how to drop the easy to get mechanisms out to clean those? Should I just slap the pan back on and run it with new fluid till it gets hot and dump it again ?

[6hk71400]

Is this a Flightomatic? If so, after sitting for 30 years to do what you suggest you would need to pour ATF fluid in as fast as it comes out. 30 years of hardened seals will crumble when it gets up to running temperature and not hold any fluid. Also while you are at this task, after 30 years what is the condition of the engine oil? I have found that in a car sitting you can pull a dipstick and it come out nice and clean but the oil pan is full of settled gunk. Oil that has been sitting will have lost it's viscosity.

Bob Miles
Do it right and save some time and save and engine and transmission

[BrodyPoggers]

6hk71400 I do not have an engine lift to take the engine out and rebuild it or I would, For the oil i drained it and it drained nice. I added engine oil after i was done draining it.
Im not sure what type of transmission it is, its a 1962 lark 4 door inline 6 2.8l

[Ross]

I am nowhere near as pessimistic as Bob. I happily fire up old dead things all the time. Clean the filter while you are there. Spraying it down with carburetor cleaner will work nicely. Then slap that baby back together with a new pan gasket (which you can cut yourself with a pair of scissors). Do yourself a favor and do not attempt to gasket it with quivering blobs of silicone goo. Then fill it with with whatever Dexron or type F trans fluid they have on sale. There is an excellent chance it will work as those trans are quite robust.

Have you run that engine yet? Whatever you do, do not let any of that rancid gas in the tank get to it.

[6hk71400]

6hk71400 I do not have an engine lift to take the engine out and rebuild it or I would, For the oil i drained it and it drained nice. I added engine oil after i was done draining it.
Im not sure what type of transmission it is, its a 1962 lark 4 door inline 6 2.8l

Okay, do you have two pedals or three pedals in side?

Bob Miles
Real cars have three pedals lol

[BrodyPoggers]

I am nowhere near as pessimistic as Bob. I happily fire up old dead things all the time. Clean the filter while you are there. Spraying it down with carburetor cleaner will work nicely. Then slap that baby back together with a new pan gasket (which you can cut yourself with a pair of scissors). Do yourself a favor and do not attempt to gasket it with quivering blobs of silicone goo. Then fill it with with whatever Dexron or type F trans fluid they have on sale. There is an excellent chance it will work as those trans are quite robust.

Have you run that engine yet? Whatever you do, do not let any of that rancid gas in the tank get to it.

yes I have had the engine running, I have never let the engine run with rancid gas, I should just make you tube vids of what ever I do, it would give the old guys a laugh lol. But I certainly have gotten it running. The back wheels are locked up tighter then a “drum” 😂😂😂😂😂 they literally don’t move. So I have to disassemble the whole back end now…

[BrodyPoggers]

Okay, do you have two pedals or three pedals in side?

Bob Miles
Real cars have three pedals lol

I have 2 pedals

[64studeavanti]

Okay, do you have two pedals or three pedals in side?

Bob Miles
Real cars have three pedals lol

FWIW, manual transmissions do not have a 'pan'.