Re: The History of Packard

Posted by BH On 2008/10/8 15:59:40

OK, wanna talk slippery? Hydramtic had a mere fluid coupling. THAT'S why it needed four forward gears, with first gear as a mule gear - something you'd expect to find in manual gearbox for a dump truck.

From the get-go, the Ultramatic had a two stage, dual turbine torque converter that offered true torque multiplication (2.4:1 in High range, according to a October, 1950 article in the Texaco Lubrication Magazine). Then, when the Direct Drive clutch engaged, you had NO slippage - something the rest of the industry wouldn't have until nearly three decades later. With the torque of a Packard engine, there wasn't a need for a mule gear in a car like this.

While the Hydramtic has some strong points, it wasn't without it's flaws, either. With a wide open throttle, the vehicle would lurch forward on the 1-2 upshift; hard to believe most Cadillac, let alone a Packard, owners would care for that. Then, as the seals aged, the Hydramatic would not only exhibit engine flare on the 2-3 upshift, but could get tied-up in both of those gears simultaneously, which led to failure of the front band. I've also heard of some problems with reverse gear, but don't have all the details.

Saying the Ultramtic "had NO foward speeds" is a lie - something you'd expect from someone trying to bait people into a fight (rather than presenting facts).