Few Questions About A '51
Posted by shadetree77 On 2017/9/9 21:35:35
Just brought home an all original '51 300 model with the 327 5 main engine and Ultramatic trans. This car was owned by the same gentleman since the late 80's. He claimed that it had always been garage kept and driven quite frequently. The car is in nice shape. A true survivor. When I purchased it the engine ran so smooth you could barely hear it run and the trans. shifted just fine.
After getting it home I have now driven it 3 times. The first trip was a short one after which I immediately crawled under to check the trans. fluid. The stick was bone dry. So we added about a gallon until it finally began to read on the stick. This was done slowly and after each addition we ran the engine and shifted into all gears and back to park before checking. The reading was the same whether running or not. This brought the level up to the very bottom of the FULL mark.
Since doing this I have driven the car an additional 2 times and now the trans. is doing something strange. It should be noted that it doesn't do this EVERY time. Maybe 1 out of 3 take offs. When I take off the car feels sluggish. Like the trans. is holding it back. As I accelerate the cars begins to shudder. Not like a fuel problem. The motor is NOT trying to die. Then after a few moments the shuddering ceases, car accelerates a bit, then shifts into high laboriously.
So what would cause this? Why was it working fine when the fluid was not even showing on the stick? I'll be honest, what little I could find about checking the fluid in the manual was VERY vague. Did I do it wrong and overfill the thing?
Next issue. As I mentioned, the engine was whisper quiet on the first 2 trips. The 3rd trip was a much longer outing and when I returned several of the lifters were ticking loudly. I have changed the oil and put in straight 30W. I have also put 87 octane fuel in there. Any ideas what may have caused them to start ticking all of a sudden? Do I need any additives? Lead substitute etc.?
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