I think a thread on how to rebuilt a PG maybe interesting for some in the forum.
All the picture following are with a Canadian (1953) PG already removed from the car. The major difference with the Chevy cast iron PowerGlide is mostly the bellhousing because of the starter side.
At first, help yourself with a good work place to be in, and some tools. You don't need any expensive tools, but all must be quality ones.
Since I'm doing transmission for other I built my transmission support. It don't cost much but you have to take some time to built it. It's a really helpfull tool. Also you have to get rods to align some housing against spring sometime, so you will need help to keep all aligned until you screw the fist bolt.
Going forward with picture and adding text to explain with those picture.
Fitz.
At first TAKE PICTURE OF EVERYTHING!
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www.FitzbackGarage.com Look for Easy Steering in your vintage Poncho, Look for the EasyDrive Power Steering System in the web site
In this picture below you can see the 2 piston's position, the right one is for the first band speed, on the left is for the reverse band. Later those piston will be removed.
Now dissamble the rear part to access to the drive shaft joint.
Since the joint is removed you can see the rear hydraulic pump. There is one in front just in the back of the torque converter and this one. This one does not work until around 15 MPH and take over the other (the front one) who work mostly under 15 MPH. At this speed a spool shift automaticly to change from one to the other. When the pump bolts are removed pull by a bolt placed in the lock ring bolts hole.
Here it is, what the rear pump look like. Later the pump will be opened.
Here the rear pump installation place.
Fitz.
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www.FitzbackGarage.com Look for Easy Steering in your vintage Poncho, Look for the EasyDrive Power Steering System in the web site
Now on the left side, remove the governor cover to have access to it.
This small plastic shim is very important, if it's missing the governor will hit the cover, make noise, grinding each other and will probably misalign the oil passage between the transmission housing and the governor.
Fitz.
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www.FitzbackGarage.com Look for Easy Steering in your vintage Poncho, Look for the EasyDrive Power Steering System in the web site
In this picture you can see the 2 seal ring mark and in the middle a black slot. The slot is a oil passage, and the seal ring force the oil to pass thru and avoid leakage outside.
NOTE: this clutch pack is not original to a 53/54 PG, is from a later year. It's not unusual to see this modification. It was easier in the 60's or the 70's to find a clutch pack like this one. The main difference is the internal conception and return spring. The shaft is coming from the same era. At the end the same way to rebuild the PG apply.
Remove the shaft by hand by pulling it, and look at on this picture a exemple of a seal ring on the shaft.
On this picture you can see the male part going into the clutch pack, you can see the 2 seal ring and the oil groove distributor, matching the slot in the clutch pack on the picture above. Also take care of the trust washer, most of the time they are in good shape.
Fitz.
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www.FitzbackGarage.com Look for Easy Steering in your vintage Poncho, Look for the EasyDrive Power Steering System in the web site
Place the clutch pack at is storage place for futur inspection, after remove the first speed piston/actuator.
You can see the seal ring around the edge of the piston. This seal ring and the cylinder must look smooth with no mark. The purpose of those seal ring inside the PG (they have all the same job to do) is to seal between one moving (or rotating) part and another (generaly non-moving one). It's like compression ring inside an engine. Look for broken spring and store carefully for later cleaning and assembly.
Fitz.
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www.FitzbackGarage.com Look for Easy Steering in your vintage Poncho, Look for the EasyDrive Power Steering System in the web site
Now you have access to the first speed band. You have to take picture of the band lever actuator positioning, this use to tight the band on the drum from the piston action.
On the next one you can see the band material wear. Note, when you order a new repair kit, most of the time you don't need to order 2 band (the first and the reverse are the same), only one will do because the reverse one is mostly always like new. But take care in the inspection of the reverse band, the material on the band can be thick enough but can take off the steel collar.
Now you have access to the rear reverse drum/ring gear. Look at the ring around the drum, this is the ring use to lock the car in park with the lever.
And now is what the PG is looking with mostly all the parts out. The reverse band is ready to be removed.
Fitz.
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www.FitzbackGarage.com Look for Easy Steering in your vintage Poncho, Look for the EasyDrive Power Steering System in the web site
After unscrew the reverse band adjusting bolt. Remove the reverse band and take picture of the actuator, then, pull out the reverse band piston/actuator.
Fitz.
__________________
www.FitzbackGarage.com Look for Easy Steering in your vintage Poncho, Look for the EasyDrive Power Steering System in the web site
now the rear part of the PG is empty, remove carefully the bodyvalve from the bellhousing, and the front part will be empty too. You don't expect to see anything worn on/in the bellhousing.
In this picture you can see all the oil passage inside the bodyvalve and one of the most important pieces of the transmission is that small spool at the right, this is the shifting lever spool, the one that give the order to the transmission to go in reverse or in drive, neutral etc. The spool have a slot and it is connected to the lever inside the rear part of the PG.
Here you see the front oil pump, store for further inspection.
Fitz.
__________________
www.FitzbackGarage.com Look for Easy Steering in your vintage Poncho, Look for the EasyDrive Power Steering System in the web site
Now it's time to rebuild the clutch pack. Only one clutch pack is used by a PG transmission.
Lift off the big snapring by prying it with a screwdriver and open the cover for inspection.
There is NO tension spring back on this snapring. You can remove it with ease.
When all the clutch disc are removed, now you have to face spring. On this PG clutch pack many spring are used, but if your PG is not modified you will find one huge spring instead of many. You can look in your manual to see the differences between those clutch pack.
Now it's time to remove the pressure piston, the spring are use to put back the piston at the bottom of the drum when the oil pressure is at 0 psi. You can use 2 vise-grip to compress the spring or when the clutch pack are bigger, it's better to use a shop press.
After use a good tool to remove the lockring, it's not a high cost tool and make the job easier. Now you have access to the piston. In this one some spring are missing or broken.
Fitz.
__________________
www.FitzbackGarage.com Look for Easy Steering in your vintage Poncho, Look for the EasyDrive Power Steering System in the web site
This is an example of a seal ring. Most are lock this way. To lock both end together, you can't slide side by side because when they are into the groove you have no room, you have to pass it one over the other while in the groove.
Ok back to the clutchpack inspection, now everything is unlock, pull the pressure piston out of the drum. You can see the outer and inner rubber piston seal.
Fitz.
__________________
www.FitzbackGarage.com Look for Easy Steering in your vintage Poncho, Look for the EasyDrive Power Steering System in the web site
What a repair kit should look like, gasket, diaphragm, band, steel and fiber plate etc.
After cleaning all the parts, it's time to reassembling the PG. While we are in the clutchpack, Look the piston surface for smooth finish and oil it, install new rubber seal.
Fitz.
__________________
www.FitzbackGarage.com Look for Easy Steering in your vintage Poncho, Look for the EasyDrive Power Steering System in the web site
Hit gently the piston to be sure it is at the bottom of the drum. Place spring (in a non modify PG there is one spring only), compress the ring, lock it with the snap ring, and begin to install the steel and fiber plate. After place the cap and lock it with the big snapring. Your clutch pack is ready to run.
Fitz.
__________________
www.FitzbackGarage.com Look for Easy Steering in your vintage Poncho, Look for the EasyDrive Power Steering System in the web site
Take the old reverse band and use it again for reverse, the new one will be used for the first speed operation. Put the reverse band at the bottom of the center section. If the bushing as to be replaced, use a bushing puller/installator tool, it worth it, don't use punch or hammer directly on bushing.
Now put back in place the reverse drum planetary assy.
Don't forget to oil everything that is running with oil to avoid dry start like piston seal ring and bushing. Now put back the first speed band.
Fitz.
__________________
www.FitzbackGarage.com Look for Easy Steering in your vintage Poncho, Look for the EasyDrive Power Steering System in the web site
After, put back the clutchpack assy into the first speed band, and install the intermediary shaft through the clutchpack.
Now the center section is mostly completed, now do yourself a favor, make this rod to help you with installation. You will need two size one for the center section and bellhousing match and another size for the hydraulic side section.
After, install new gasket and the bodyvalve on the bellhousing.
It's time now to inspect and put together parts of the front pump. If no wear mark is showed on pump rotor reassembled with oil, must not be started dry.
Fitz.
__________________
www.FitzbackGarage.com Look for Easy Steering in your vintage Poncho, Look for the EasyDrive Power Steering System in the web site
Remove the front pump oil seal, clean surface and replace by a new one, after oil the Oring and put it around the pump into the groove.
Now the pump can be installed to the bellhousing, align the hole with a screwdriver, there is only one position for the pump. Torque gently all the bolt in rotation to house the pump straight.
Fitz.
__________________
www.FitzbackGarage.com Look for Easy Steering in your vintage Poncho, Look for the EasyDrive Power Steering System in the web site
thats a great thread, if i need mine rebuilt i'll bring it to you because I'm not touching it!! LOL I also like that whizzer sticker in the background of one of your pics.
Amazing Andre' ... simply amazing. You should do this for a living, I mean do internet photo-based instruction. Great pictures, and a lot of work. Please make this thread a STICKY moderators!
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Prince Edward Island
'64 Parisienne CS "barn find" - last on the road in '86 ... Owner Protection Plan booklet, original paint, original near-mint aqua interior, original aqua GM floor mats, original 283, factory posi, and original rust.