Issues with transmission when cold.

it is because the torque converter is not full yet. when it is full, the tranny engages. cold weather = 'thicker' fluid + your somewhat worn seals = wait for engage when cold.

Simply put, your seals are old and need the heat to make the swell enough to seal properly. It is time for a rebuild basically unless you can use some additive to soften the seals and get some more mileage out of the transmission. It will eventually just srop engaging either way.

well, having only 47000 miles on it means it sat around alot over the last 35 years or so. those seals like to be lubricated (by the car being driven), so i am not surprised.

Ronstang said:

Simply put, your seals are old and need the heat to make the swell enough to seal properly. It is time for a rebuild basically unless you can use some additive to soften the seals and get some more mileage out of the transmission. It will eventually just srop engaging either way.

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yep definately seals. had the same probelm with mine years ago before it ever had a rebuild on it. my uncle had an 85 ford van that did the same thing, he drove it for another 65 or 70,000 miles before he fianlly traded it in on a new one. never did fix it, just kept the fuid full and chaged it every 30,000 miles.

bnickel said:

yep definately seals. had the same probelm with mine years ago before it ever had a rebuild on it. my uncle had an 85 ford van that did the same thing, he drove it for another 65 or 70,000 miles before he fianlly traded it in on a new one. never did fix it, just kept the fuid full and chaged it every 30,000 miles.

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That should be about another 28 years at the rate he's going. Maybe he could splurge and just change the fluid every couple of years.

What you describe are symptoms of low fluid level. I had the exact same problem with my 69 many, many years ago. Prior to the problem occurring as you described, I had swapped the original FMX automatic trans in my car for another FMX because I had lost second gear. About 6 months later I started having problems with the replacement transmission (the weather had gotten colder). When I initially did the work, I put a used 72 FMX trans in place of a 69 FMX trans. I used the original dipstick tube, the tranny was changed, but I am not sure if I used the original dipstick or the one from the 72. Nonetheless, I started having problems 6 months after that. I thought, well, used tranny #2 just gave up. So, I had the original trans rebuilt and reinstalled it with a new converter. The same problem recurred almost immediately. I took it to the place that rebuilt the trans and they told me the fluid level was too low. They added fluid (above the mark on the dipstick) and the problem permanently went away. To this day I think I used the original dipstick, but the tranny would not work without an extra quart of fluid. I put about 20,000 more miles on it with no problems.

I ultimately swapped to a 4 speed because I wanted to shift...