strange problem on a '57 Torqueflite (3)

[Philippe COURANT <accf_clb@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>]

As you remember we 've a problem on a '57 Torqueflite: water was
mixed with fluid trans.
Since two weeks we've remove the trans from the car and took it
apart: the forward clutches were all destroyed, the friction
material was gone or ready to go ... Rear clutches were in good
conditions.
I've taken some pictures (40 !) of the removal of all the parts
and i'll put them later on my site.
Some readers (as me) thought that the culprit was the oil cooler
in the bottom of the radiator. Wrong ! we've brought the radiator
to a shop and they tested the radiator with high pressure and hot
water: no leaks .., the oil cooler and the radiator are perfect.
So the mystery remains! Why ther's water in the fluid ?
Condensation ? The car sat 1 1/2 year without driving (but the
engine was running every two weeks), it's perhaps the reason ...
We've overhauled the trans (with a kit from Fatsco, thanks, only
4 days to have the kit from the order to the adress in France)
and tomorrow we'll re-install the trans in the car. No problem to
overhaul the trans (we've done 10 Torqueflite since 5 years..),
only a curious (and dangerous) thing: 2 of the three unit screws
(which hold the overrunning clutch) broke before we reach the
correct torque !! And they broke at the same location: 2 threads
under their head.. Fortunately we're lucky to remove them and
replace with 2 other screws from another spare trans. we have.

--
Philippe COURANT (Pau, France)
Imperial 57 Crown convertible
Buick 58 Roadmaster sedan

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