Packard Forum Index » Modification Discussion

I wonder where all the junk Ultramatic parts go.

They should just be giving those away to us less fortunate ones!

BH,
Thanks for pointing that out to me. I'm still new to this and am just starting to learn how many resources are available on packardinfo.com. I'll print them and get them to my tranny guy. Thanks again.

the 727 swap is attractive to me at this time because im not sure anyone could rebuild an ultramatic correctly except one of the super pricey guys (3500!)
.the cost seems about the same for a great rebuild and a 727 conversion with a rebuilt 727 .
that sierra co makes the adaptor kit and the 727's are easy to find but i havent caught on completely to a couple of tid bits

can I use my original starter?i love my 6 volts !

the artical reference for the a-518 overdrive in hemmings was brilliant

after reading the hemmings artical ,i didnt catch if the first a-518 or 46rh was hydrolic controll, im trying to avoid going 12v
the artical mentions a 3 pin connector to controll 2 solenoids an overdrive solenoid and a torque converter clutch solenoid the 46re or late 518 had a none pin connector and require a computer (out)
could the hot wire be 6 v ? the grounds wound be the same ,but the car is positive ground
is the cross member mod a tough one?

Have you actually priced places like Custom Auto Service in CA for an Ultramatic rebuild? $3500 seems to me to be on the high side - I've generally heard figures of about $2500. To me (and you all know I'm a purist) it would seem a shame to mongrelize another Packard.

Not to get too far off the subject, but I was recently talking with some guys at a Packards Virginia club meeting and naturally the conversation drifted to the Ultramatic. Go figure ...

Anyway, it was their contention that the Twin Ultramatic is a fundamentally souind transmission which requires a fairly gentle touch (i.e. let off the gas and allow it to shift from first to second) and dedicated maintenance. Both of these seem to make good common sense, if you think about it and are certainly cheaper than replacing a good, working transmission.

One major problem that I found out about less than one hour after I bought my '55 Constellation last June in Richmond, VA was the fluid in the tranny get VERY hot and when it overheats it has nowhere to go but up the filler spout. This in turn means the transmission fluid with spill onto the No. 8 plug wire, which after the next spark, will ignite causing a huge cloud of nasty white smoke that will completely freak out your spouse following you!

The PV boys unanimously recommend installing a transmission fluid radiator, but having never done something like that, have any of you ever installed a radiator to an Ultramatic and if so, is there an after-market one you would recommend?

I've never seen an Ultramatic get that hot, never seen fluid come up the filler. You ask about a transmission fluid liquid cooler - is yours missing? Or perhaps not functioning? Or did I miss something here? Some folks have supplemented the factory cooler with an additional air cooler in series with the factory cooler which might not be a bad idea if you're going to tow a trailer or live in an extreme climate.

You guys in VA, MD and the surrounding areas are really lucky in having Ross in your area, IMO no one does a better job at Ultramatic service.

And in addition the TU should have a breather on the drivers side of the case. Much easier for fluid to exit there than up the fill pipe. It was easy enough for fluid to exit the breather that in 56 Packard issued instructions on relocating it to the top of transmission rear extension if evidence was found fluid was leaking from the breather.

If fluid goes all the way up the fill pipe, I'd wonder if the breather was plugged as well as if there are any cooler issues. Perhaps fluid leaked and breather was removed instead of relocated. Since the fill pipe opening is in the pan and well below the normal level of fluid, without a breather to relieve pressure the fluid would surely be forced out.

I would think that the trans was overfilled by a good bit for overflow to happen. All TUs came with a cooler. I supplemented mine with an air cooler. If your car does not have a cooler, some previous owner removed it.

Having an effective transmission cooler is critial as torque converters generate very large amounts of heat. The only automatic that I recall that came w/o a cooler was the very first GM Powerglides which were notorious for heat-related failures.

As to hot fluid coming out the filler tube, I think HH hit the nail on the head, it should have come out of the breather (unless it was clogged) as that is mounted lower. In any case if you do a little math with the coefficient of expansion of liquids like ATF, it had to have been overfilled as 12 quarts of liquid could never expand that much with the temperatures a transmission generates.

Steve needs to drive either a stick shift Carribean or one of those 727 conversions.

You don't realize how much brawn is digested by the Ultramatic unless you drive the alternative. I hear alot of enthusiasm for the 700R4 and if Steve lives in the wide open spaces maybe that's even better. Too much speed will overwhelm the brakes.

The lack of soft parts in the Utramatic is another total bummer because once those high range clutch shafts wear and start leaking the game is over. I also think the the torque converters suffer from fluid slip in the poor performers.

I don't even know if George Hamlin is still alive, but he made that conversion a labor of love. Behind the V-8 the trans is alot more more acceptable, but for the straight eight it's a dog.