Re: Push Button Controlled Ultramatic

Posted by Mr.Pushbutton  On 2010/8/25 10:04:00

Bernardi, the problem is in the actuator, on the transmission. A contact finger is either bent or the unit has overtravelled, and is now stuck in whatever gear it was in last. You need to get to the unit, and take it off of the car, I have put instructions on how to do that somewhere here on Packard info,I'm not sure where though!
Ole Book has a good unit I rebuilt, on the shelf, ready to go, that would be a quick solution, or you could fix it yourself. You may find that the Bakelite bridge that holds the fingers is broken and the fingers are bent. If you have to remove the motor from the actuator to get the set screw around to facing the bottom (reverse position) be careful, the armature wants to stay on the shaft and pull out of the motor housing and brushes, and it is a royal pain to get it back in the right way, and there is a danger of bending/breaking the phenolic plate that holds the brushes if you aren't patient. I have a special fixture now to do that on the bench, and it is only slightly easier with that.
I am in the UK right now (Tywyn, Wales, at the moment) I'll be back home after the 2nd of september.