///////////1. Do I have the correct fluid type for the tranny? 2. What does the manual say it holds in quarts? 3. Do I have to burp this beast or something?///////// The converter holds the bulk of fluid in most transmissions and the converter on a DG is huge as compared to most other transmissions. Also, (assuming that the converter was drained), add six quarts before starting the engine. Run the transmission through all gears then set it in "Low" with the parking brake engaged. Bring the fluid level up to the "Low" mark on the dipstick and fill to full once operating temperature has been reached. ---------------------- Three years ago when I was ready to drain and refill the Detroit Gear automatic (DG-200) in our 1954 Commander, I contacted Borg-Warner about the proper replacement for Type A ATF. They said that it was replaced by Dexron III. I also asked the SDC automatic transmission experts and was told basically the same thing -- Dexron-Mercon III. David Levesque said that if you want slightly firmer shifts, use Type F; Dexron if you want the shifts a tiny bit softer. Other than that, there is no difference. Our car runs and shifts fine with Dexron-Mercon III. ---------------------- If you have a DG transmission, it should hold around 10 quarts. Now the question is, did you drain the converter as well as what was in the pan? The converter holds the bulk of fluid in most transmissions and the converter on a DG is huge as compared to most other transmissions. Also, (assuming that the converter was drained), add six quarts before starting the engine. Run the transmission through all gears then set it in "Low" with the parking brake engaged. Bring the fluid level up to the "Low" mark on the dipstick and fill to full once operating temperature has been reached. ----------------------------------------------- I'm not sure if I have a DG or not, how do I tell? Also did not know about the converter. Is there somewhere I could see a picture of how to drain the converter??? -------------------------------- If it is an original auto tranny from 1950-55, it's a DG 150, 200, or 250 depending on engine size. The Detroit Gear is a three band transmission and by version 250, it was by far the most sophisticated unit in the time period featuring a fully lock-up converter. The converter has a drain plug that is accessible through a small hole in the the bottom of the -------------------------------- Yep, it's easy to tell Dave. That tag on the left rear side of the tranny is red, that's a DG250, white is a DG-200, etc.. Next big hint, get a shop manual for your car, it's VERY important that you have one. As far as draining the converter, it will be lots easier to do if you have two guys. One fella will turn the engine slooooowly from the front of the engine, either by using a big socket on the big bolt head inside of the crank pulley or just grabbing the crank pulley with both of your hands and turn it. The other fella will be under the car, looking through the hole in the bottom of the bellhousing, at the converter, looking up for the drain plug as his buddy slowly turns the engine. The hole in the bellhousing lines up with the bolt in the converter. When they are lined up, put your socket, on the end of an extension, up through the bellhousing hole to take the bolt out and drain the converter. Note, it can be one hell of a mess, best to try to use a light upward pressure on the socket to hold the bolt in the hole until all the threads are completely out, then quickly let the bolt come out of the hole, as all that tranny fluid will be right behind it! You can also use what is called a remote starter cable. It connects to the solenoid and has long wires that connect to a switch with a button. Just press the button and it will engage the starter. Hope this helps. Sonny -------------------------------- a Detroit Gear transmission, known to us as a Studebaker Automatic Transmission. It is the only automatic used by Stude through 1955. Although it was still used in a few models for a couple years after that, most Studes from 1956 on used a Borg Warner model 8, aka Fordomatic, known to us as a Flightomatic. To drain the converter, remove that louvered cover plate just forward of the trans. and rotate the converter until the drain plug, on the outer circumference of the converter, comes around. -------------------------------- Your tranny should be a DG 150. That's the version they used behind the Champion engine. It's virtually the same in external appearance and shares 80+% of the internal parts of the DG 200 & 250. -------------------------------- It has a red tag Bob. David, get your shop manual out and look in it for the transmission identifier information. The tag color tells you what it is. The DG transmission is different from the later Flite-O-Matic, but they used the same method to identify them. It is very possible that you have something other than a 250, and I'm giving you the wrong information, (going on pure memory as to the color identification), but it could have been changed or upgraded at sometime in it's long life. Perhaps if you don't have that information in your shop manual someone here does. The main differences in all of the DG transmissions are about the same as the Flite-O-Matic, the size of the front servo, governor assembly, torque converter, and construction of the control valve assembly. The DG-150 was the lightest duty automatic. -------------------------------- Yeah, I've never pulled the servo plug, I didn't know that it would let the fluid drain out faster. I'll tell you one thing that I highly recommend, put a can of Trans-X in it and drive it for a bit before you drain it. It seems to be a great cleaner, and it has done wonders with cars that have been sitting, for seal leaks and shifting both. I dunno what the stuff is, but it works real well, (best thing of course is a converter off flush). In fact, another recommendation is the "in car" tranny flush available at some of the fast change oil places. It's a bit expensive, but it makes a difference, especially with Ford products, no converter drain plug! The only problem is that most of our Studebakers don't have external cooling lines, which is what the cleaning machine uses. It has really helped with my heavy duty trucks, and I do it about once a year. -------------------------------- -------------------------------- --------------------------------