Chrysler Master Tech - 1951, Volume 5-1 Fluid - Torque Drive

[@williambrand7887]

I owned a 1953 Chrysler New Yorker with the 331 Hemi engine and the Fluid-Matic transmission. A little history about the trans; The only time the clutch was used was to move the shift lever on the steering column. My system was a 4-speed manual trans with 2 electric shift solenoids mounted so they would move the sliders inside the trans. In operation you would start the car in “Neutral” then push the clutch pedal to the floor and shift to the “D” or “Drive Range”. ‘‘This actually selected 3rd gear in the trans. As you would accelerate to about 15 mph you would let up the accelerator pedal and listen for the clunk the solenoid would make. The clunk indicated you were now in 4th driving range. You also had “L” or “ Low Range” that was 1st and 2nd gear I the trans. It was shifted the same way. You got up to 15 mph, let up on the pedal and listened for the clunk indicating you were in second gear. Enough trans history. Not knowing I was eventually to become a professional tech, I performed the torque converter seal replacement on the ground a couple of times. My thoughts today are the technology wasn’t advanced enough to supply a good enough material for this seal. They leaked. Finally I just started filling the torque-converter once a week. There was a plate in the floor board that gave access to the converter drain plug. Like I said it lasted about a week of me driving back and forth to college. My major was Automotive Technology along with the work and experience I had with this Chrysler led to me becoming a professional tech. I know this is long winded but another post had never heard of this Fluid-Matic system. Actually the first system used vacuum operated shift motors.

[@williambrand7887]

I forgot to say once you selected the Drive range you let the clutch pedal up while holding the brake. The torque converter allowed the engine to run while in gear.

[@skylinefever]

Didn't the Cord Coffin Nose use that sort of tech, except that it was FWD instead of RWD?

[@michaelmartinez1345]

@William Brand, Believe it or not- a very similar technology has been adopted to modern day class-8 trucks, Bus's, etc... Detroit came out with a Winner, with the DD-12 automated shift and clutch controlled transmissions... They are computer controlled, with hydraulically actuated clutch and shifting... The clutch is a robust single disc dry type and the core trans is a twin-countershaft heavy duty unit and both are computer controlled with hydraulic actuation. They have the capability to 'jump' shifts to promote acceleration/deceleration when lightly loaded...Apparently, they first appeared in Over The Road Heavy vehicles-(after extensive testing & development), about 3 years ago... Several have gone well over 700k. Miles without problems.... And Chrysler-inadvertantly started this H-D trans market back in the Early 1950's!!!

[@joealbert7773]

That's about the earliest Master Tech film I've ever seen. I got to see one of the Tech mannequins at the Chrysler Training Center in Detroit in the early 90's. He was orange and white, but all the films were in black and white.

[@pacbeltrr38]

I'm a retired ASE Master Tech, from 1979-2004.... I started watching this, and got to the part where they showed the *TORQUE CONVERTER AND CLUTCH WITH PRESSURE PLATE* - on the SAME Car.... And my brain just FRIED!!!!! 😱😵😵😵😦 I've got to look and learn a LOT more about this. I was mainly a Driveability and Fuel System Tech, but THIS setup goes against EVERYTHING I had ever learned about Automatic Transmissions!!! I've got some studying to do!

[@andrewarmstrong7310]

Well to me back then it made sense, I started with Chrysler in 1953. Most of them were still a manually shifted transmission with a pressure plate and clutch. You would press the clutch and put the lever in what gear you wanted, then release the clutch and put your foot on the brake as the torque converter would slip and keep the engine running when you wanted to move you pressed the gas pedal and went. If you needed higher speed you shifted into high gear, lower speed low gear. Most of the early fluid drives like this were two speeds and some three speeds. The first true automatic did not come from Chrysler Corp till 1954 with the Powerflite 2-speed. And they were cast iron and felt like a ton!

[@michaelmartinez1345]

@Andrew Armstrong, yeah! A torque converter, backed by a dry single plate clutch, backed by a transmission with 2 or 3 forward speeds, a neutral mode and a reverse!!! The people at Chrysler had not developed the hydraulic controlled gear shifting yet, so they put a manual trans behind a clutch and a torque converter!!! Brilliant idea of how to keep the buying public interested-while Chrysler worked on the designs that led up to the Legendary Torqueflites... This 70 year old film, really shows what it took to develop good fully automatic transmissions... When did New Process begin manufacturing automatic transmissions for Chrysler?

[@MisterMikeTexas]

@@michaelmartinez1345 Wasn't New Process a Chrysler brand?

[@codyreynolds6333]

Ya I just got a 52 with one and had to look up how to drive the danm thing lol

[@68FISH]

This was a really good design for tanks and bulldozers, but the weight was too much for automobiles. Lots of industrial equipment still uses a clutch with a torque converter. It allowed a huge high torque manual transmission to be used with "soft" engagement under load without the complexities of an automatic valve body and internal wet clutches. I used to put a bull dozer against a bank of dirt and throttle it up. Eventually a pile bigger than the dozer would start moving.

[@chrislochner4038]

I still like Tech's 5 packs of Camels a day voice

[@skylinefever]

I think Tech eventually needed to use a Chrysler Electronic Voice Alert because of what smoking did to him.

[@michaelmartinez1345]

Such an interesting film!!! What is so amazing about these 70 year-old automatic transmission designs, is a very similar design is currently being used in the current class-8 trucks that are being driven on the highways... A Torque Converter, backed by a dry clutch, backed by a twin countershaft dual range heavy duty transmission. The big differencesl between the 70 year-old automotive designs, and the current designs used in the Heavy Trucks, is how the clutch is engaged/disengaged, and how the gear selections in the transmissions are made; The dry clutch and twin- countershaft heavy duty trans are both hydraulically actuated, with a computer controlling all of the movements & functions... It is not uncommon for these modern Detroit DT-12 Automated Manual Transmissions to last well over 700k. Miles when being operated by good drivers.... And Chrysler also gets the credit - by starting it back in the very early 1950's!!!!

[@MisterMikeTexas]

Electric trucks are supposed to replace diesels in a decade or so, and might even be autonomous.

[@MrShobar]

The deflecting beam torque wrench (14:42) and Oil Lite materials were both Chrysler developments.

[@acfinney1]

What a piece of garbage! Just give me a 3 speed standard

[@codyreynolds6333]

This is cool just got a 52 windsor deluxe with the clutch auto

[@Toolaholic7]

I have a special wrench that was used on them which was made by Mac Tools.did adjustments to this transmission

[@isacchris1]

5:57 Amazing routing scheme of the transmission cooler lines right through the exhaust that’s a fire hazard!

[@UQRXD]

For some reason I don't think many people will watch this. I have rebuilt 727 transmissions so I found this video interesting. I never say a dry clutch set up with an automatic transmission.

[@Mythteller]

Old film slide or strip presentation before powerpoint computer software.

[@adamtrombino106]

Hey! I'm an ASE Master Tech, and I never got a hat like Al has ;) I got robbed! LOL

[@A_Man_In_His_Van]

Adam Trombino just think of it as a lockup torque converter, separated.

[@ms90sbabyy]

See...Chrysler knew what the hell they were doing.

[@albertcarello5489]

This seems to be a very complicated built transmission.

[@keithfaccone8124]

Yeah Chrysler can’t even put the car together without major problems

[@Matt_from_Florida]

K,

[@GoldenGun-Florida]

The technology was stolen from the 1976 Chevette