PGH, makes sense to me!

My biggest issue is keeping my Type F inside my Ultramatic! The gear shift shaft seal leaks, which I replaced once, but I think the shaft needs to be cleaned up. One day I'll get to that.

I love the oil conversations, always lots of opinions and controversy!

I have been running Pennzoil Type F in my 53 Cavalier's Ultramatic for the following reasons.

1. It does not contain friction modifiers, which the Ultramatics were not designed for, and do not always like. I think poor direct drive clutch engagement/slippage is the most common issue when using ATF with friction modifiers. I don't suspect there would be any notable issues with the low range or reverse bands.

2. It is designed for a temperature range of 175-225 F, which should be just right for our cars.....if operating correctly. (Pennzoil Type F does contain viscosity modifiers.) One thing I do not know is how the viscosity of Type F compares to the viscosity of the oil originally used, and that the Ultramatic was designed for. I suspect the viscosity could affect the torque converter efficiency, but once the direct drive is locked up this should be irrelevant.

3. Pennzoil Type F is readily available from NAPA or Walmart. Not a good reason to use it, but a reason.

In terms of lubrication, I would think that any modern ATF would run circles around an ATF from the 50's. Having said that, how the ATF interacts with the metallurgy of the Ultramatic's components would be a consideration. But again, this would require laboratory testing to determine.

I would not use an oil additive in my motor or transmission oil. The reason being is manufacturers go to great lengths to design and test their oil's formulations. When an additive is added there is no way of knowing, outside of laboratory testing, how the chemicals in the additive will react to the chemicals in the oil. Russian roulette!

PGH, I'll be disappointed if you don't respond!

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I think the rear should sit a bit higher than you noted. At least that's what I determined after looking at pictures from the 50's when I was working to level up my Cavalier.

This is how my Cavalier is riding, which other than fixing up the rear driver's spring pack, it hasn't been lifted. I think the front is pretty close as well, it's at least sitting level.

The spring shop will definitely be able to help.

While the primary reason for my car sitting uneven was the rear driver's springs, I have found that as I make different repairs it also improves the car's stance. Such as replacing body mount rubbers, repairing floor pan braces, replacing inner and outer rockers.

I think in your case, you're primarily dealing with a bad front spring, but there may be other smaller contributing factors as well.

It does appear to be a front spring, unless the rear driver's spring is sitting very very low.

I had a broken leaf on my driver's side, which I replaced, but didn't bring it back up to level, so I put an extra leaf from my parts car in which leveled it up. My front springs were good.

Jack up that low corner as TXGoat suggested until the front is level and see if the back is level as well.

Hard to tell from this photo, but if one of the guys in the group is John Reinhart, I think it would be the taller guy, fourth from the left.

I have an Ultramatic, so not talking from experience here.

If you disconnect the linkages from the column can you move the shifter arms? This would at least help you confirm if the issue is indeed the linkage, or it is related to the transmission itself. It may also provide a way to get the car back in the garage if you do back it out.

The service manual, page 18 and in trouble shooting, speaks several times about issues caused by worn linkage. This catches my attention because if this was relevant then, how much more so when your car is 71 years old! Not a 5 minute project, but maybe you'll need to remove the column, so you can disassemble, clean and inspect the column gearshift linkage? Maybe just cleaning and lubricating everything will suffice, or maybe you'll need to track down some parts.

Keep us posted on what you find!

The primary shoe is the shorter one and should be to the front of the car. Ross talks about the springs and shoes at 5:41 on his video.

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That's a good point. As a way of isolating the problem, shoes and drums could all be swapped from one side to the other to see if the issue is also swapped from one side to the other.

It sounds and appears that everything is as it should be, so I'm wondering if it is something you can't see. Were the shoes checked to see if the radius of the shoe was the same as the drum? If not this could be your issue, particularly if the two sides of the care are a bit different. If the areas noted in the picture below are high, this could cause the shoe to grab. Were the drums ground as well?


Not Packard brakes, just a pic I found online.