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Fluid Drive Transmission adaptability


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Looking for information on what engines will bolt up to my '55 Fluid Drive transmission. Currently we have a '55 Dodge C1D6 one ton dump truck with the six cylinder four speed fluid drive. We are experiencing lack of power to climb the hills especially when carrying a load. Wondering if there is an engine with more power that will bolt up to this trans?

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Fluid drive is not a transmission. It is a fluid coupling between the engine and transmission. Is the engine in your truck 23" long or 25" long? There are several things you can do to boost horse power with the stock engine. Shaving the head to boost compression ratio is the quickest and biggest bang for your buck. But before you do anything start with a compression check to determine the general health of your engine.

 

fromthebook.jpg

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I understand the fluid drive is a coupling. We have had the truck for 63 years. We no longer use it as a farm truck where the terrain was almost all flat. We just started using it to do some local hauling in and around the Shawnee National Forest where the back roads can be quite steep. Carrying 1-2 tons seems to be quite the challenge when addressing these roads. We know about things that can be done to increase the power of the current motor. Past experience has taught us these modifications will not give us the increase in power that is needed to meet our needs. We would like to know of any engines that will bolt up to the current transmission that will give us the power we need? We are trying not have to make major modifications to the complete drivetrain.

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If your engine is original it is likely a 230.  The easiest upgrade to gain power, scads of low end torque actually. would be a 251 or better, a 265.  That will bolt up to your clutch housing.  It is a couple of inches longer and will necessitate moving the radiator forward.  But, that is easily done.  

 

Both of those are becoming harder to find but are still around if you look harder and ask a lot.

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As far as I know, Fluid Drive was offered on 1-tons, but higher rated trucks had conventional dry clutch configurations.  I believe if ya try to overload the coupling with a stronger engine, the coupling will slip and you'll just be trying to jockey a smelly noisemaker rather than piloting a workhorse...if you need more power, a better arrangement might be to upgrade the truck with a 318 + TorqueFlite, but that's easier said than done...maybe the engine modifications are the cheapest route to more power, as well as upgrading to taller tires, possibly respecting the load rating on the data plate :cool:

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The 1949-50 Chrysler Straight eight NewYorker, Saratoga and Imperial 10" coupling is iused on the Dodge trucks equipped with FD couplings.

Use in 1/2 tons thru 1 tons and Route vans.

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Sorry for the delay in responding. We don't have internet here and have to wait till I get to town to reply.

 

1) Kencombs Yes, a 251 or 265 would be awesome to have. The Canadians are lucky in that respect as those motors were more frequent there. They are expensive to build however. Might be easier to find an industrial engine. Our motor is rated for 100 HP but we are reluctant to hit the rpm needed to develope that. We generally keep it under 2500rpms.

2) JBNeal  Really don't overload the truck. She is rated to 8000GVW as a one ton. (Our F150 is rated at 8200GVW as a 1/2 ton but it does not dump.) It's the 8% and greater grades we have problems with. We are looking into having some new rims made in order to increase our tire options. We thought about the 318. We have access to a 79 318with a 4sp. Just can't figure out which direction we want to go with this truck. Keep it all original and turn it into a parade truck or do the modifications and keep it working...........

3) Dodgeb4ya That's what I am interested in knowing. Thank you. Hopefully you are talking from experience????? I like the idea of the straight eight. Let me see if I can find a donor now.

 

Thanks everyone,

Randy

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