Oil on the clutch plate..

[adam_knox]

Hey gang! I sure didn't want this to be my first post since I'm back, was hoping to post moving and car pics. But alas, my idiocy this afternoon may have gotten me in trouble. I was changing the fluid for the Chrysler's M6 Fluid Drive. I stuck a rag to make sure the bolt didn't fall in. But I pulled the bolt out before I drained the fluid and it started leaking out. I *think* the rag caught most or all of it (but can't guarantee that. I was reading the technical tips section and it said:

"Be very careful as you fill the unit. Any spillage will always find it’s way to your clutch disk ! After filling, make sure the filler bolt is secure with no leakage."

So now what? Can I squirt some brake cleaner down there and hope that breaks up the oil? How much oil does it take to do damage? Or am I just in a drive it until it breaks scenario?

Thanks gang. And hullo from GA!

[adam_knox]

Looked underneath the car, rag didn't catch it all, there's a puddle under the housing.

[Merle Coggins]

Adam, I think you should be fine. Here is a picture of my Fluid Drive unit sitting on the bench. You can see that the plug in in the main housing. The clutch bolts up to the output plate (on top as pictured), so if you spilled oil from the plug it should just run down between the main housing and the output/flywheel plate and stay away from your clutch disc. A little brake clean will help clean up any spilled oil.

Rotate the engine so that the plug is at the bottom to drain the fluid, if that's what you are attempting to do. Let it drain for a while, then rotate it back up to the fill position. You'll probably need a long skinny funnel to add oil. Add it VERY SLOWLY. It will take time for it to settle around the turbine and impeller inside the housing. Getting the plug in without dropping it is the big trick.

Merle

[adam_knox]

Thanks Merle! So just spray some brake cleaner through the access panel on the floor board then? As for the the draining part, I thought there's two bolts with square heads on the transmission housing we use to drain the fluid. The bottom one drains and the one above that is to check how full it is. Then we use the bolt on the housing (that you pictured) to fill it up.

So are you saying I should:

1.First drain it with the normal drain plug

2.Then take off the filler bolt you showed, turn the engine until its downward and let that drain.

3.Then turn the engine until its up again. Then fill?

Sorry for the elementary questions. The manual skips over the maintenance and the little service books and motors manuals just say to monitor how much fluid to put in, not how.

[desoto1939]

Miller Tools that were produced for the Mopar delaers had a special extractor just for this purpose. The tool was magnatised to hold the bolt when uou took it out and also when you put it backinto the housing. I collect Miller Tools but do not have this tool since my 39 desoto is not fluid drive.

I will post a picture of the tool and the tool number

I also have several Miller tool catalogs that I have copied over to PDF format. The two catalogs covers the years from 1935 to early 50 and they are very informative and have great descriptions about the tools and how they are used.

If you are interested contact me at Desoto1939@aol.com

Rich Hartung

[Merle Coggins]

Hold on... you are confusing two seperate items.

The Fluid Drive is a seperate unit with it's own fluid. If you're not having any problems with it you might be best to clean it up and leave it alone. If you wish to change the fluid in the Fluid Drive unit you have to rotate your engine until the plug is at the bottom so that you can drain the fluid out of it. Then rotate it back up to the fill location to refill it.

Your transmission will have it's own drain and fill/level plugs as you mention. If you are just changing, or checking, the trans oil you use the plugs on the transmission housing.

[Merle Coggins]

Miller Tools that were produced for the Mopar delaers had a special extractor just for this purpose. The tool was magnatised to hold the bolt when uou took it out and also when you put it backinto the housing. I collect Miller Tools but do not have this tool since my 39 desoto is not fluid drive.

I will post a picture of the tool and the tool number

I also have several Miller tool catalogs that I have copied over to PDF format. The two catalogs covers the years from 1935 to early 50 and they are very informative and have great descriptions about the tools and how they are used.

If you are interested contact me at Desoto1939@aol.com

Rich Hartung

You can use a piece of paper shop rag. Put a piece of paper shop rag over the head of the plug and slide a socket over it. It'll make the socket a tight fit so that the plug stays in it. I've also seen magnetic sockets that would probably work, but I don't have a set of them.

Merle

[adam_knox]

Thanks Merle. See you were saying what I was noticing. I was like "why don't they mention lubricating both the fluid drive AND transmission fluid in the manual?" Just seemed odd that the way everything was going together. I'm gonna leave the fluid drive fluid in there (its at least five years old, but still clean and pink) and figure if it could leak out there's plenty in there. After all how can I add more if its already pouring out when I pull out the bolt.

I gotta remember to keep the wrenches in the shade. Stuff get really hot out here left in the sun for a few minutes!

Thanks for the lead on the tool!

[desoto1939]

Attached is the picture of the fluid drive socket tool to remove and install the bolt on the FD unit.

Rich Hartung

desoto1939@aol.com

Miller Catalog DPCD 35-41 p 55.PDF

[adam_knox]

Speaking of magnetic, it was pretty cool to find the M6 drain plug had magnets embedded in it. Genius!