Packard Forum Index » Post-War (1946-54)

How do you check the fluid level on a 51 Ultramatic?

Dip stick has to be reached from under the car. Jack it up level and it will be on the side toward the top of the trans. I think on the driver's side. A real pain to get to!

Very short dip stick and I would agree a bit of a pain.

I think there was a bit of "method" in this rare example of Packard "madness". The 24th Series Operator's Manual advised that as Packard Owners, they were entitled to a Free Inspection Service every month or every 1,000 miles free of charge as long as they owned the car. With that I doubt that the original owner's even knew where or what the transmission fluid was about. If there was any needed work or fluid replacement required, the owner's were advised and could have these items seen to "at a reasonable cost".

That's one way of keeping maintainance work "in the Packard Family".....

Some have cut a bloomin' hole in the floor of their '51 so as to get to the offending dipstick. Apparently that is not a bad idea! Needs a door fitted and a 'carpet flap' cut in the floor covering etc but might be less trouble than jacking up every month etc.

i find on my 54 i can just partly slide under the car and reach the dipstick without having to jack the car up at all. now filling i use a suction gun to top it off now and then

i find on my 54 i can just partly slide under the car and reach the dipstick without having to jack the car up at all. now filling i use a suction gun to top it off now and then

Dear jesse:

The problem with the hole in the floor idea is that Packard put the darn thing under the gas pedal. Hydramatic put the dipstick on the passenger side.

There are two other ways to check it. There is a level plug at the rear of the trans. According to Packard the correct level is something like add one quart after reinstalling the plug.

The next method is let the car sit and the fluid should be high up on the dip stick. Like within an inch of the top of the fill tube. You can do that with your finger.

Of course the problem is getting the oil into the trans. Here is a little trick I learned up in Canada. Get a bottle and epoxy an inlet tube (short) and outlet tube (long) to the lid. Fill the bottle with transmission oil. Using plastic hose fitted to the tubes, fill the trans using a little air pressure (as in blow). Just make sure the tubes aren't too small or the fluid pressure will inhibit action.