Cruise O'Matic Problems

[RedBird64]

Are you aware of the white dot / green dot postitions for the gear selector?

Green dot (where drive usually is) will have the car start out in second and go to third - great for snow.
White dot (where second usually is) is normal drive for our cars. It starts in first and shifts out normally.

If you use the green dot, it will feel like the car only has two gears.

Scott

Scott, that may be true for your 64, but I drive on the GREEN DOT for my 62, and it shifts through all gears.

Something isn't right there Steve! That's not how it is supposed to operate. Could be it's adjusted wrong down at the trans or... someone slipped a C6 under there!

[VTTBird]

For my 62 with COM, the Green Dot puts the transmission through all three gears---normal driving, and white dot eliminates first gear which is good for starting out in snow or sand. In fact the owner's manual will tell you what I just did.

[stevegintn]

For my 62 with COM, the Green Dot puts the transmission through all three gears---normal driving, and white dot eliminates first gear which is good for starting out in snow or sand. In fact the owner's manual will tell you what I just did.

Thanks, Ken - I was wondering if my tranny had a problem? (Btw, what is COM?)

[VTTBird]

You're welcome Steve. COM is an abbreviation for Cruise-O-Matic.

[davashcow]

For my 62 with COM, the Green Dot puts the transmission through all three gears---normal driving, and white dot eliminates first gear which is good for starting out in snow or sand. In fact the owner's manual will tell you what I just did.

Same for my ‘63....I drop the lever all the way down to the green dot and I get 3 forward gears.

[ricklove]

had my local trans shop rebuild it; and it's great. driving response is soooo much better. even sounds quieter and so much smoother around town and on the road at 70 mph. when i picked it up, he told me to drive it a few days to make sure that i was happy with it, then pay him. gonna drive over today to see what the final bill is; he quoted me between 1,000 and 1,200 when i dropped it off. i asked him if the bill was going to be higher if i was satisfied with it; and he said no.

[ricklove]

Total bill was $1,079 with 12 mo/12k warranty. Drove great for a tad over 200 miles; ......... until yesterday! Was in the shop for replacing inner & outer front wheel bearings, complete brake flushing, and overall adjustment. I asked my mechanic to take it for a test drive to see if there was anything else it needed. As he pulled out of the shop, he was going to get it up to 30 or so and try emergency braking to check the brakes. He got on it a tad more than I ever had; then I heard "something" just before he hit the brakes for an even 4 wheel lockup. As he attempted to start again, the trans shuddered and slipped. He stopped and tried reverse; no problems. "White dot" would not move forward, so he tried the "green dot" setting and it shuttered & slipped again but did move forward. He tried "1st" gear; and nothing. Put it back into the "green dot" and drove around the block back to his shop (2nd gear only). I then drove it (slipping 2nd gear only) to the trans shop about 4 miles away. They're looking at it now and will next week of what they find.

[orthodoc]

For my 62 with COM, the Green Dot puts the transmission through all three gears---normal driving, and white dot eliminates first gear which is good for starting out in snow or sand. In fact the owner's manual will tell you what I just did.

I believe this is the opposite of the way it should be. The white dot or the dot slightly to the left of “drive” should include all gears while the green dot a little to the right of “drive” cuts out first. Either way, you should notice when driving

[ricklove]

The "white" dot (snow; winter driving) starts in 2nd gear, then shifts to 3rd. The "green" dot (grass; summer driving) starts in 1st, shifts to 2nd, then 3rd. Even if he had it in the "white" dot (2nd gear start), he didn't hit it hard enough that it should have blown the trans. 12 month warranty should take care of it; even if I have to wait 3 weeks again (hopefully not).

[ricklove]

Picked up my 63 yesterday. Ended up being a screw valve (??) had backed out. Installed, tightened, and back in business. Shifts great again!!

[Karl]

[Kevhen1996]

Hi all,

I am new to the forum as well as the Vintage Tbird lifestyle. I have always had a love for the old "bullet birds", so at 22 I decided to get myself one. In the year that I've had it I did a full engine and fuel system rebuild and have been peicing together all the little missing peices. After the engine rebuild, I've been trying to drive it around. However, the COM seems to no longer want to be an automatic. I am only able to drive in 1st and 2nd because that's what I can trick it into (shifting from D1 to D2 on the column). I've drained the fluid, replaced the screen, adjusted the shift linkage and kickdown to the carb according to the shop manual, taken the governor out and cleaned it, and replaced the vacuum module. Aside from a rebuild, any ideas to get her shifting so I can at least drive it while I save for the impending rebuild? It shifted just fine before the motor was out. Even drove it home when I bought it (all highway driving) without issue.

[Karl]

G'day.
I had a problem with mine (63) similar to that. I took it to a auto re-builder, he pulled the engine out. I told him to make sure he replaced the accelerator linkage how it supposed to be. He didn't do this and the car would only shift into second.
From memory there is something about the linkage, it can be upside down or something.
In the workshop manual (you do have one of those don't you) there is a image how the linkage is supposed to be, have a look at that and make sure your linkage is the same.
Karl

[Kevhen1996]

Karl,

Thanks for the reply. I made sure the throttle linkage was correct. It appears to be the same as the diagram. I dont have a problem with throttle response. It will still get up and go, I just can't get past 2nd gear. And yes I do have the 1961 shop manual. It was a real life saver with the engine rebuild!

[RedBird64]

If the kick-down linkage is mispositioned, the trans will think the eng is at WOT and greatly delay shifts - perhaps indefinitely.