Packard Forum Index » V-8 (1955-56)

Hi everybody,
I recently bought this 56 Patrician. I put some fresh oil in it and it started pouring oil out from a plate at the base of the engine or transmission, I can’t find any diagrams that show this plate. It has two bolts holding it in place, but there’s a hole also that looks like it could have had something attached to the plate. I’m hoping the photos are good enough for someone to help me. If someone knows, can I just plug the hole with another bolt?

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That plate was a 56 change. In 55 and earlier the entire lower half of the bellhousing had to be removed to access the torque converter drain plugs so the plate was added to make fluid changes much easier. The two bolts hold it on and once they are removed it just slides down. When reinstalling, there is a small clip at the top that engages part of the bellhousing to keep that end in position The small hole is there to let any leaking oil or fluid in the bellhousing escape.

If it is transmission fluid that is leaking out there is a slight chance a converter drain plug is loose or the O ring between the halves of the torque converter is damaged or loose bolts at the pump shaft is letting the pump shaft gasket leak but more than likely it is the front seal on the transmission. The front seals can crack or if the car sat for a long time without any fluid circulating to keep it moist it can be damaged when started up again. Except for the drain plugs any of the other causes will require the transmission to be removed for service.

If it is motor oil leaking then the rear main seal on the engine is the likely source. You said you changed oil and that alone should not have caused any issues. Seals leak mostly due to wear or possibly using oil that is too thin. If the engine has the high volume Olds oil pump conversion instead of the standard output version the high volume pumps caused issues for some folks by pumping such a large volume of oil the seal was overwhelmed.

If it's trans fluid, I wrote up more info here:packardinfo.com/xoops/html/modules/newbb/viewtopic.php?topic_id=28297

Do you know how long the car has been sitting for or the last time the trans or engine had a thorough service?

It is oil that’s leaking out. I put in 0W-20 oil. Is that too light of oil? Unfortunately, I don’t know how much was or wasn’t done to the car by the previous owner.
I appreciate the information shared with me.

I am no expert but I would say that 0w20 is too thin. Not being an expert I couldn’t tell you what you should use but i wouldn’t go much thinner than a 5w-30 oil personally

I'd put 20W50 oil in an older used engine this time of year. 10W30 is usually a good choice in winter. Be sure that the engine is not over-filled with oil. Be sure that the oil filler cap and any other crank case ventilation devices are clean and properly serviced. Be sure that the oil filter assembly is not leaking. Oil from leaks at valve covers and other areas will often cause oil to accumulate and drip from the flywheel housing area, which can look a lot like a leaking crankshaft or transmission seal.

There is usually a special procedure for checking the automatic transmission fluid. I would find out what the procedure is for your specific car and follow it EXACTLY. Automatic transmissions can be very sensitive to fluid level.

If you do have a leak after making the checks above, wipe everything clean and drive the car a dozen miles or so, then get under it and see if you can tell what fluid is leaking and where it is leaking. Sometimes, a leaking seal will improve if the car is driven for 20 miles or so several times at moderate speeds over a period of two weeks or so.

Thank you Moody,
I am hopeful that the leak past the rear main seal is because I used a thinner oil than I should have.

Thank you TxGoat. I’ll stop off at the auto parts store on my way home today one pick up some 20W-50 and then check all the areas that you mentioned.

Cartridge-type oil filters can have leak problems. Leaks can occur at the base of the canister and at the point where the bolt goes into it. New gaskets and fiber washers are a must, and the area on the engine where the canister mounts must be clean and free of old gasket material, paint, dirt, etc. Sometimes parts have been damaged due to over tightening. On some types, the base gasket fits into a groove in the block and the base of the canister can be out of line with the groove, which prevents a good seal, and may cause damage to the canister if it is tightened while out of alignment. Oil leaks almost anywhere on the engine can allow oil to find its way to the flywheel housing area due to gravity and air flow around the engine when the car is running.

So, I finally got back out to my car and my insane oil leak. I bought the felpro gasket for the rear main seal, if that is what turns out to be the culprit. I have a few questions regarding some different aspects of getting under my car and performing the repair.

First, has anyone used those type of steel drive up ramps that also have a jack that once the car tires are resting on the plates, the car can be lifted up further than just normal “oil change” type ramps? I found some that say they can support 10000 lbs. I haven’t had the car for a long time and haven’t put the car up high enough to really work comfortably, so I’m wondering how other driveway mechanics put their car up safely.

Second, has anyone posted instructions for installing the felpro rear main seal using the piece of wire as a spacer for the 374 v8, hopefully with photos? I’ve searched, but have come up empty handed.

Lastly, below is a link to a video I took of how bad my oil leak is. In the video, you can also hear a kind of whining while the engine is running, that I don’t remember being so noticeable. If anyone can watch the video and tell me if a rear main seal could leak this bad and if possible give me any insight into the whining noise, whether normal or not?

youtu.be/4aO11f1yKNY?si=OwAceZ1ESZ8aDU2p

Thank you again,
Matt