1952 Chryser Saratoga.

[Brian Coleman]

Hi everyone. Hope all is well.  On this Chrysler Saratoga I am starting to developed issues with it going into reverse.  Low gear works fine, second and third gear are fine. This is a hydro-matic

[keithb7]

Have you looked at shift linkage? On my'53 I located a linkage adjustment  on the firewall side of my steering shaft. I adjusted it and it made a huge difference. Everything feels great, all gears. Reverse was becoming especially troublesome.

Edited April 20, 2020 by keithb7

[keithb7]

This piece circled in red was where my adjustment was here. 
 

 

[dpollo]

just for the record, Hydramatic was a name given to a  transmission mostly used in Oldsmobile.

 

I think Keith is correct in his diagnosis.

[DonaldSmith]

Hydra-Matic - Oldsmobile, Cadillac (and some Lincolns)*   Dynaflow - Buick.  Powerglide - Chevrolet.    Pontiacs?
Ford-o-Matic - (guess).   Torque-Flyte - Chrysler products? 

 

* In the early '50's, GM sold Hydra-Matics, to Ford for Lincolns.  In 1953 the Hydra-Matic plant burned down.  Before GM could re-establish operations in the former Willow Run bomber plant, GM was reduced to putting Dynaflows in Cadillacs, but had to fulfill their contract with Ford to supply Hydra-Matics for Lincolns. 

 

The Ypsilanti Automotive Heritage Museum has had a period Lincoln in on their site for that reason.   (They hold the Orphan Car Show every year.  The car badge has to be retired, not just a model.  Thus Continentals and Imperials may be shown, but not Lincoln Continentals or Chrysler Imperials.  But they allow the Chevrolet Corvair, since it was built in the bomber plant in Yosilanti.)  

[Dodgeb4ya]

Fluid-Matic....STD 1951 to 52

C55 Saratoga.

 

Fluid-Torque Drive Optional C55 Saratoga