Chrysler PowerFlite transmission

PowerFlite

1953-61

Used in various Chrysler products.

Chrysler wrote in 1954: “PowerFlite, which requires no clutch pedal, combines a torque converter and a two-speed planetary gearbox in a smooth-flowing driving operation. It is 100 pounds lighter than the heaviest competitive unit, and contains 110 fewer parts than the most complicated of these. Dodge engineers claim it will deliver more accelerating power more smoothly than any other transmission. Neutral and drive are on one level of the selector level. Reverse and low gears, on a higher level, are selected by a slight lifting of the lever and sliding left or right. This makes it possible to select a driving range by feel. Also, because reverse is next to neutral, it eliminates the dangerous practice of switching directly from drive to reverse.”

It started in low, unlike some Fordomatics, shifting into high at eleven miles per hour. It could also be manually held in low, and the car could be push started without any damage to the transmission. Its one negative drawback was the lack of a Park position or a lock-up in Reverse. This made an effectively operating parking brake a necessity. Consequently, the latter was changed to an internal-expanding unit mounted on the transmission tail shaft as was the external-contracting brake on the manual gear box.

The 6 cylinder and V8 transmissions in 1955 were all the same except the clutches. These transmissions have a tailshaft parking brake which simplifies the rear brakes. 1955 was the only year for the automatic transmission lever mounted on the dash, although Corvair used that location for awhile.

The PowerFlite transmission is air-cooled, as is the torque converter. The absence of a vacuum modulator enhances the simplicity of this unit. On the V8 car a full throttle upshift occurs at about 60 mph. Kick-down will occur all the way up to 50 mph.

Above information was downloaded on 10-10-2015 from:

http://www.allpar.com/mopar/powerflite.html