Packard Forum Index » V-8 (1955-56)

Thanks, but if it was that simple I wouldn't be asking here??

Kinda would rather take it apart, flush it, see how it works, etc.

Also does anyone know how much gear oil to use in one of these?

Also I went ahead and got a shaft seal off eBay so I can replace that. Car has been parked for 30 years remember, so everything of complexity needs attention.

Probably less than a quart. I bought 1 gallon of GL1-90w from Napa, and after filling the 37 transmission, and the topping off/filling the steering boxes on both cars, I still have 1/2 gallon left.

I ended up removing the steering assembly from the car by way of removing the access plate around the brake pedal. Usually easy to get off on a power brake car but a pain on mine since no one has ever needed to remove it in the past. Side note, I can't figure out what the part number is for that. The power brake is group 1.363 but I can't find anything for manual brakes.

I disassembled the components of the gearbox. Someone used no less than FIVE gaskets to set the worm gear preload. 🙄 So no wonder it was a bit off. Also the gearbox itself was filled with transmission fluid instead of gear oil. Thankfully the gears looked fine, though in such an undemanding application it's not very surprising. Side note, I realized I skipped the instructions "remove the Pitman arm" before measuring the preload, so my original checks make no sense. Probably I'll stick all 5 gaskets back on once the rest of it is nice just to check what it actually is. I would imagine far too low.

I washed the components in solvent. I cleaned the splines on the sector gear with a wire wheel. The other external components I dropped in a monosodium citrate solution to get the rust off.

I am buying some gasket sheets and hole punches to make new gaskets. Not sure where to get shims so guess I'll buy some shim stock and make some too.

By the way, Ross sent me a photo earlier and I realized that my lock nut was all but seized onto the adjusting screw. Took some effort to get off, being that I had to run it up all the way, but then the setscrew was too tight to loosen, so I had to get it back on to loosen the setscrew, etc...

Anyway this should be pretty nice by the time it is done.