Packard Forum Index » Modification Discussion

well, the 700-R4 is the typical candidate. Tho still looking for someone to potentially rebuild my Ultramatic. My issue is that I'm planning on keeping my 400, giving it to the kids eventually etc, so i'd like to have some degree of confidence that whatever transmission goes in there might last another decade OR two......haven't had a lot of success with the ultramatic solution so far, thus, I'd hate to have to find a rebuilder 10 years from now.....

Eric, I didn't inquire about the manual xmissions,sorry.

It sounds like I need to get in the business of rebuilding Ultramatics.....

Quote:
<p>There's a good entrepreneurial idea! The old guys are dying off and you have an excellent reputation in almost all things Packard and in cars in general.</P>
<p>I'd refer business to you. Plus I have a couple or three cores (maybe some actually work).</p>
<p>Now, the hard part: do you actually have any experience and the requisite tools to overhaul T-Us? Just asking.
<p>
Craig
</p>

Experience in rebuilding transmissions? Yes. Tools, no, and I need to get them. If I had all the tools I'd start tomorrow.

eric i wish you would...

i guess another question i'd put to the forums is opinions on whether the Ultramatic is sufficiently well designed and/or not so complicated so one could expect 10 or more years of service? Anybody been driving around on one for 10+ years?

Yes, 10+ years of service from 2 of them, and friends with much more than that and still going. But here's the crux as I see it: almost any transmission guy can open a kit, replace the gaskets, seals and soft linings, and send you on your way. If that's all you needed, then all's OK.

But you really want a guy who knows Ultramatics and will check for the things that are unique to Ultramatic's performance, worn bushings, scored shafts, etc. There are also some other things to consider that joe-the-rebuilder wouldn't know about - replacing the wave washer in a 56 torque converter, possibly upgrading to an steel alloy parking lever, etc. Real Ultramatic guys know this, the franchise transmission guy won't and doesn't want to.

Properly rebuilt, you should have no concerns, but you should avoid a steady diet of lead-foot starts from a standstill, and generally drive a Twin Ultramatic in the conventional mode (not the so-called 3-speed option). Simply giving one that has problems to a guy that just sticks parts in it will likely not be satisfactory over the longer haul.

There are more qualified guys around today who can work on Ultramatics, the real bleak days were in the 60s and 70s and a lot of those shlock-jobs didn't help the reputation of the unit. I suspect there will be plenty of guys around in the future as well. Though I may be in a minority, I wouldn't consider buying a Packard with a non-stock transmission if it was a reasonable to high-value car.

thx for the input. i'm a nice grandma driver, no lead footing anymore..Mines a 26th series so not the twin-ultra. It's been rebuilt recently; a company in Arizona swore they had an old guy who did all the old cars... It drove well, for 50 miles, and stopped. So I'm a little gun-shy, not necessarily about the transmission in particular but about someone who can repair them right the first (or should i say, the second) time. So far i've talked to several guys on this and other Packard sites and hasn't been a lot of interest in taking on my little problem.

I drove a 51 with Ultra throughout high school and never was a car so mistreated yet be so reliable. Granted, it couldn't get out of its own way when trying to keep up with Hydramatics or almost anything else but it wasn't for lack of trying on my part--hence the abuse it suffered.

Out of curiosity, when you say it just stopped after 50 miles what happened. No high, no low, no DDrive or no nothing? Did the company in Arizona also re-install it in the car or did a local garage. Aside from a major internal breakage or not replacing something marginal, the only thing I can think of in such a short mileage failure is the throttle linkage totally out of adjustment when reinstalled. Probably the single most important thing yet the one usually overlooked or messed up due to lack of understanding how critical.

Heres my story; i bought the car knowing the tranny needed help. it would have forward or reverse motion for maybe 2-3 minutes, and then nothing.We were able to load it on the trailer this way. It was repaired as I said, and we (my mechanic and I) reinstalled it. Throttle was replaced in as close to previous position as we could do, tho I have to admit, we didn't know there would be any sort of precision issue. Are you referring to what nowadays would be throttle valve cable adjustment? Anyway, as I said, we drove the car (very gently) for approximately 50 miles over a couple of days and just as I was getting my confidence up and driving it home for my wife to see, I started to feel the transmission slipping and within 3-4 miles had the same lack of power transfer that it had when i bought it. On the way to it's failure, i could rev the motor and the transmission would have the slightest pull; i was able to move it to the curb with this substantially reduced motive force. Over the next few days we could fire it up and the transmission would engage forward and reverse but only go 15-20 feet and it'd be done. Didn't take long before that went away.
A couple of the people i talked to thought maybe the shop missed the front pump- I wouldn't know. Certainly would like for a Packard guy to have a look. or even a Packard girl....

Yes, the throttle linkage is same as throttle cable. Interesting symptoms though. If it were only high range forward, would jump on throttle pressure as that is what controls the amount of force the clutches need to keep engaged. Too little pressure and slippage to the point of overheat & burning & finally no moving would occur after the few miles. Does the fluid smell burned or appear discolored?

How about low range movement? If none & since reverse is also involved, that leads to overall pressure. Assume you have checked the main items mentioned in troubleshooting a failure to move -- fluid level-12 quarts, selector valve adjustment and band adjustment. If those OK, then could be front pump --or a sticking valve--.

The pressure tests for front pump (and actually most of the pressures) are easily done by your mechanic with common materials--gauge, hose, fittings & no disassembly as the ports are external. Procedure is well described in service manual. Could go a long way to rule things out. If those pressures checked OK, then would be time for a more detailed internal pressure check or teardown.