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I bought a 1950 Super DeLuxe 8 about two weeks ago and I know nothing. My car looks to be in great shape but has an Ultramatic issue. The car was parked in a garage for about a year and not started. My brother in law got it started and I drove the car about 120 miles home. It ran a little rough but seemed to drive fine... Since the major tune up the car runs really nicely but can't really take off in "H" you have to floor it or start in "L" and shift into high. When you shift it clunks hard and loud. That was the first thing... I drove it around town yesterday and this morning it won't shift out of "park." Any ideas?? I have read all of Big Kev and 51 Packard's blogs and I thank God I found you guys!!

I can't answer your question why the ultra is stuck in park.
I would like to bring to attention two important things that you should look up in the manuals section.

There is a complete three volume manual set here on the ultramatic and anotehr source here is a complete set of STB's covering the model years 1948 through 1956.


John S.

I don't know if you have driven Packards of that era before but starting and acceleration in high can best be described as leisurely -- particularly if comparing to later Packard models or a modern car. The motor does sound as if it is revving and doing nothing because there being only one gear, essentially it is a straight piece of metal to the wheels and all the work is done by the torque converter while picking up speed.

It is also possible the long sit has resulted in valves sticking causing an issue. The harsh shift could be normal as the transmission was not designed to be shifted when in motion and when doing so, the timing and pressures are not regulated properly. Slipping and harsh shift can also be caused if the throttle linkage is out of adjustment causing improper pressures, and of course if the high range clutches are worn. If the trans fluid smells burned, I would look into that possibility. Packard53 makes a good suggestion in downloading the Ultramatic information. There is a trouble shooting guide there that lists some causes of various symptoms you or your mechanic can check.

Park is a mechanical function. When you move the lever to park, the linkage pushes a pawl against a spring up into mesh with a toothed gear preventing it from rotating. When you release park and go into another gear, the spring pulls the pawl out of engagement so the gear can turn. It sounds as if either the long sit has varnished up the shaft or pawl to the point it is sticking, something has been bent and is jammed, or else the spring has broken or does not have the strength to pull it down. The pan can be removed and all is available within view to see exactly what is happening.

Try rocking/rolling the car forward and back while trying to shift it out of park. This is actually one of the recommend methods for unsticking the park as covered in one of the STB.

One of the way the stuck in park can happen if you parked on an incline and put in in park and let it roll a bit before you hand the parking brake on. That little bit of roll can wedge the pawl against the gear and get it stuck. Rolling the car the the opposite direction can take enough stain of the pawl to allow it to shift free.

If that doesn't work and then the pan would have to be dropped to manually unstick it.

G'day all especially Paul. I would like to comment that the harsh shift from L to H is due to the fact that you are manually changing from a band application in Low to a clutch pack in High. There is always some internal torsional confusion within the box as the Low band disengages and the High Range clutch pack engages. You mentioned that you drove it about 120 miles, do you know if the Direct Drive clutch engages? That is does the car feel like it has a solid drive over about 35 mph, when you lift your foot from the throttle does it get engine braking instantly? If you are not sure you need to check it out as the front pump should be shut down by the rear pump at this time or the trans will overheat fairly quickly if it stays on the front pump. As HH56 suggests, it may be prudent to drop the pan and sus out what is happening with the Park pawl. A change to fresh trans fluid would also be a good move. Best regards Peter Toet

Thanks guys! I am going out to see if I can take the backward pressure off the tranny. The car is sloped rearward, so that maybe it, and I have never used the handbrake. The transmission is holding the weight of the car... I realllllly appreciate all the help, this site and you guys are a Godsend.

Paul, perhaps out of an abundance of caution, I try to avoid ever using PARK on my Ultramatic, upgrades or "fixes" not withstanding. If I do use it, I apply the parking brake FIRST, and sometimes use a wheel chock. The worst case of course is parking with the nose of the car uphill as the parking brake is less effective in that position.

Thanks Owen! I think I'll follow that advice from now on... WHEN I get the thing moving again, Moving the car forward and back didn't work. I have no ability to take off the pan, wouldn't even know what I was seeing if I did! I think I may be learning LOTS of new skills! Thank goodness I can ask the man who owns one...

O_W wrote: Quote:

I cannot say that I blame you on this "procedure."

I've never had this "stuck in park" problem on my 55 Pat, but its parking pawl may well be modified. I have had this problem on the 55 Clipper here in my yard. It took unlinking the linkage and smacking with a BFH to get it out of park. Again, I do not know what the inside of the T-U looks like. It was on level ground, though.

Craig

Hey thanks for the alternative! Did your transmission suffer any from the beating? Or was all well after that? I don't want to do any harm if I can help it...