Packard Forum Index » V-8 (1955-56)

Let me begin with an apology for not posting sooner, but I haven't yet solved my problem. I haven't had much time to work on my car [56 Caribb.h/t] as my wife just had major surgery [lobe of her lung removed]. The good news is all went well and she is recovering great.

My problem which I posted about probably a month ago. I replaced the shift rod seal on my Ultramatic, which was working fine except for the leaky seal. I removed the pan and took the shift rod out to check its condition, and installed the new seal - no leaks. However, the car now stayed in low gear, even with the "high" button pushed, no matter how much adjusting I did on the actuator. I installed a spare actuator with the same result. Then I removed the actuator and tied it out of the way, leaving wiring attached, and installed the arm from a 56 with regular column shifter on the shifter shaft. Then I crawled under the car and set it manually in the different gears, and all gears worked as they should. My conclusion was that I must have put something together wrong on reinstalling the shift shaft. Off came the pan again. I believe I put the arm that connects the shaft arm to the plunger that goes into the trans for the different detents on wrong. It can be installed with the slight L-shaped section facing up or down. Can't tell from the manual which way is correct.

I'm wondering if someone would post a close up of the shaft and connecting rod in the correct position. Hopefully someone has a transmission pan off that has things together properly. I could install it the opposite way and put it all back together, but I'd rather be sure before going to all that work. Thanks.

What I THINK you are asking about is the orientation of 3.577886, link. This is shown (blurrily) in the part plates:packardinfo.com/xoops/html/modules/parts ... &PlateNumber=36&cat=15#resultanchor

This can really only go one way as if it's backwards, you will never go into reverse (Edit: Meant to say Park... I was thinking about it backwards). That's why the "kink" is there to begin with. This shows the orientation as it is in the car. Mentally flip it upside down if you have the transmission upside down on the bench.

However, I'm not sure why you would end up stuck in Low, instead of High or Drive. Have you driven the car with the column shifter? Often, if all the sudden it refuses to shift out of Low, it means the flyweight on the low speed governor has detached.

Just to be clear, the drawing shows the transmission in park as the trans is sitting mounted in the car. When in park and neutral the control valve will be in the exact same location except in neutral the link and lever joint will be positioned somewhat more downward along the drawn in arc showing the travel. When going from neutral into high and then thru the ranges to reverse the control valve will be pulled out one notch or detent at each position. When in reverse the L shaped stop that goes under the lever nut but is not shown in the drawing will be near or touching the case. That stop is to prevent the shaft and lever from rotating too far and control valve being pulled out of the bore in the valve body.

When installing the electric actuator both it and the transmission should be in reverse range so the setscrew on the actuator worm sector can be accessed.

Let me try to clarify exactly what I'm referring to. As far as the diagram goes, I can't make head or tail of it- it doesn't look like anything in the actual tranny. The exploded parts diagram for the Ultramatic control assembly shows the parts, so lets go with that. Part # 3.57787 is used for the outside shift arm used on cars w/o electric actuator, and also the inside shift arm inside the trans that comes off the shaft. attached to this inside arm is part # 3.57786, which covers both the manual valve [I referred to it as plunger] and the arm that connects it to part # 3.57787. This is the arm I'm referring to. Since the manual valve can turn full circle in the control [if the arm is disconnected], then the arm can be connected with the L-bend facing either up or down. That is what I would like to see a clear picture of to see which way it should be connected.

Rotate the "plunger" so the kink in the attached arm points toward the pan.

Quote:

The drawing is a side drawing and would be like you were looking at the transmission from the drivers side right thru the pan and case at the level of the gear selector shaft where the actuator or linkage lever would be mounted..

I now understand what is being shown in the diagram, I believe. I hadn't noticed the arc on the diagram which shows the movement of the arm. If this is showing the trans. in park, I assume as the arm rotates downward through the various gears & detents, that the plunger would be out to the final detent when the trans. is in reverse. Have I got that correct?

Yes, that is correct.

A precision adjustment of the actuator to valve is needed with the electric shift. Because the actuator fingers are precisely spaced to match the detents in the control valve it is most important there be minimal looseness or wear slop between the actuator to shaft, lever, and valve plunger. When a button is pushed the actuator moves to that expected location and stops precisely at that point. If there is excess wear or looseness in the remaining linkage, when the actuator stops the valve plunger may not be in a full detent and could actually be between ranges.

There is a procedure in the SM when installing and tightening the actuator where once the actuator to shaft setscrew is tightened at reverse, it has you place the actuator in a mid range then loosen the brace and gently hold and rock the motor up and down to feel each side of the detent. Once identified you then place the motor in the center of the up/down motion and lock it down. If there is more than a fairly small amount of up/down movement possible at the end of the motor there is a good chance something is loose or worn inside the trans and needs to be checked out.

Howard is correct but you actually do need a VERY SLIGHT amount of play to take up the tolerance. This is because the valve is self-centering via its detents. So the worm drive gets it very close but the valve ultimately finds its own ideal location.

Normally the slip fit pin between the link 3.577886 and the arm 3.57787 provides the necessary play. If the pin is broken, replace it with a tiny clevis pin secured with a tiny cotter pin. So to be clear, everything else should be tightened correctly.

You should also do the roll pin mod on the arm...

I've read the procedure for installing the actuator in the manual. Always wondered how you rock the engine while holding the actuator in place- must be a 2 man operation. How about this plan- if I pry the trans over and remove the actuator and replace it with the little arm [3.57787 outer] and place the trans in reverse manually, then reinstall the actuator and tighten the lock to shaft, and tighten both bolts on the support arm wouldn't everything be centered properly?