Packard Forum Index » V-8 (1955-56)

Thanks for the info. The tranny has been rebuilt, so I'm wondering if it's the type of fluid or execess heat build up.

Should be clean as it was rebuilt several years back.

Would slip sometimes when starting in High or once in a while when going from second to high gear. More noticeable on sustained driving.

Is the transmission fluid level best checked with the fluid at operating temp or cold just after it is started?

Thanks

Had the mechanic tighten the filler pipe as it was leaking there.

Thanks,

Is it much of a job to disconnect the hoses to the old cooler and reroute to the front of the car?

With your mention of the slipping, would check the linkage adjustment very carefully. Too low a throttle pressure caused by bad linkage adjustment will cause all the slipping problems you mention. Unfortunately, so will a bushing that is leaking pressure.

Proper adjustment of transmission throttle linkage is indeed pretty critical as to shifting points on the Ultramatics. Should be covered in the Shop manual for your car. There was a rubber (I think) spacer bushing in the throttle linkage on my car that was worn out that initially caused me some problems in this area when I was trying to line out the transmission. I, too, have an add-on transmission oil cooler on my car of the type described in Eric's post above (it came from JEGS about three years ago) in addition to the factory one - also subscribing to the belief that you can't over cool transmission fluid.

FLAT TUBE, not ROUND TUBE. This is KEY. What you are looking for is something like this: B&M Trans Cooler

There's several different styles and sizes, but it's important that the tubes themselves be flat, not round. This means that there's more surface area as compared to a round tube and fin type that just makes a couple of passes through the fins.

And it's not "new and improved", they've been around for years, just not standard in Ultramatic equipped Packards. The worst thing you can do to a hot engine is have even hotter ATF heating up the coolant even more. An external fluid to air trans cooler is the only way to fly.

Eugene. Who rebuilt the transmission????

Packard Motor Car in CT.