Re: Twin Ultramatic Lifespan.

Posted by Ross On 2022/10/11 18:43:19
The mechanical components are quite robust and the clutches adequate for normal use.

I've built oh, maybe a hundred of them over the last 30 years and here is what I observe.

Many of them die by driver assisted suicide. I just had in two in a row where the throttle pressure was so far off they were killing themselves by excess slipping on each shift and the drivers had noticed--nothing. Once upon a very long time ago the dealer might have noticed during routine service and made the 3 minute correction. No one since.

Others die by overheating; thin, hot fluid wont pump up to proper pressure reducing the holding power of the clutches. That is why I bore large holes in the bell housing to aid in cooling the convertor as that is where most heat is created. An air cooler in place of the water cooler (overheated engine leads to overheated trans) is not a bad idea either.

Occasionally I see units where there might have been an alignment issue between engine and trans causing wear on the shafts where they pass through the bushings. That leads to low pressures and sloppy shifts.

There are also a variety of annoying secondary mechanical issues such as overtravel of the parking pawl and the detents flying apart. But these are usually not killers.

Many of the problems I see are caused by appalling workmanship and neglect. The dealers weren't there to take care of the cars as they aged.

My old 56 Super shifted exactly the same after 40K miles as it did the day I built it. When properly adjusted I find them fun to drive as they are very responsive to what the driver's foot tells them to. This is very nice on winding country roads.

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