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I have a '52 ultramatic that we put a rebuild kit in (from Kanter Auto). Everything worked great but after about 300 miles I started to get a clacking (best described as if you shook a PCV quickly back and forth...but a bit louder).
This only happens when you accelerate. Its noticable when just cruising along (and accelerating) but VERY noticable when going up any grade.
Thoughts or ideas are greatly appreciated.
Thanks in advance.

What makes you think it's the transmission? Sound you describe sounds exactly like spark ping resulting from the ignition advanced a bit too far, or low octane gasoline, or a faulty distributor vacuum advance diaphram.

Thanks for getting back to me,
The noise definetly is coming from the transmission. Its much louder than spark ping. Maybe a better description would be the sound of a marble in a small tube...shaken violently. It seems to be a valve of some sort fluttering (quite loud under acceleration).
On another unrelated note...I was having problems with overheating (I could idle all day long but under power it would boil over). The motor was rebuilt to proper tourque specs...the radiator and waterpump were new.
I re-tourqued the head (using the proper sequence of course) as tight as I could by hand and it solved the problem...maybe this will help someone in the future.

There are a few notices of various noises caused by various items and valves in some of the technical literature. None are very descriptive as Packard usually just called things "disturbances" or "rattles". Most would seem to apply to the earlier units but might be worthwhile to have a look at them anyway.packardinfo.com/xoops/html/modules/serviceinfo/catindex.php?cat=9&series=2

OK, another shot in the dark. Again, if it's not the transmission that kind of sound is typical of a worn (and/or w/o grease) front ball & trunnion joint - noise usually heard under acceleration and sometimes under EXTREMELY heavy braking, nearly never under absence of load on the joint.

Thanks HH56....the service manual seems to have provided some answers...or at the very least it got me in the ball park.
Thanks again!

Quote:G'day bilzpack,
to PackardInfo, with the experienced and knowledgeable Packard people here helping you address your problem you're in good hands.

And I invite you to include your '52 in the Packard Owner's Registry here, together with a pic, any known history and how you acquired it?

Packard called this noise a "chatter" A quick check of the manual indicates some possible sources: Direct Drive clutch, High Range clutch, Low band tightness, and Reverse band tightness. All except Direct are related to takeoff.

The bands are easier to address than the High Range clutch and Direct Drive Clutch. The Direct clutch chatter is very pronounced and I'm sure someone familiar with the UM could correctly identify it for you. It is a low pitched chuckle and tends to be load sensitive although it also can happen at low speed due to low front pump pressure dumping into a sticky rear pump ball check.

I would check pressures at the High Range clutch and Direct.
Direct should be getting mainline pressure as identified in the Manual.

If the oil used is Dexron, I would try changing to Type F. Perhaps there are a few magic potions that might work as well.

Another easy one is to make sure the throttle valve is properly adjusted.

Hope this helps.

In early Ultras, at certain speeds the pump selector valve would shuttle and create a sort of rapid clacking sound. They solved this (and saved a lot of money) by changing to two small spring steel check valves. See the April 52 Service Counselor. If the trans is otherwise working normally, I'd give this a go.

Thanks Ross, any ideas on where to get the replacement springs? I called Kanter and they suggested Ultramatic Dynamics but he said he'd never encountered that before. If its not that and is one of the things that Tim Cole suggested am I going to damage my transmission by running it a few more times this year before I repair it...winters coming soon in Vt so it'll be put up shortly.