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My 55 Patrician with a twin Ultramatic now runs like a Swiss watch when she is so inclined or traveling down one. Opened up the pan a few months ago to fix the reverse stop pin after she turned into lawn ornament and ever since I have noticed little by little more and more transmission fluid on the floor pan up to about 1/2 a quart per week. It is not coming from the bottom plate that I removed. I had her on the lift a couple of times and cannot get a grip on the problem. I am using Trick Shifter with a little Lucas and have not rebuilt the transmission. I am not losing any engine oil. The drips are coming from the rear portion of the transmission casing just before it starts the taper towards the back and yes the dipstick is on the passenger side. HH-56 mentioned in an earlier post that twins have a breather on the back, could it be coming from there?

The breather is on the drivers side above and in front of the shift lever. 55 is shown in the top photo and 56 style is lower, however either type could be installed.

If not leaking from front and being blown back, another possibility is the seal around either the shift lever or throttle lever into case. Now that you are driving the car, all the shaft motion could be causing a leak--not uncommon after sitting a while.

The airstream from driving may not make it possible, but you might be able to wipe everything and use a bit of detergent to get things very clean & dry around those areas and bottom of pan. Drive and see if a cleaned area is now oily.

EDIT: Just remembered a possibility of a third location for the breather. A 56 service counselor article (Vol30#9) advised relocating to top of tail housing if certain conditions caused oil to leak from breather. Read the article for specifics -- 55's might have had the issue too so slight possibility it might have moved from side of case.

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HH56, have I ever congratulated you? You give among the very best-researched and documented responses I've seen on this website, or any other. Keep it up!!

Without question, how may times has HH56 been on the point with his illustrative pictures and fixes when my subject line reads "Help Help".

Regarding the transmission fluid, as only one 1/2 quart is ever in the drip tray and the stick shows fluid in the middle, could the stick be incorrect and the fluid an overflow? Just for fun I cleaned the drip tray and took her out for a drive without topping the transmission fluid (the temp here in Florida is bitterly cold in the 60's) so I tried out the front and rear heaters for a change. I will let you know tomorrow if any fluid is in the pan. I am most likely incorrect but what the hell. Thanks

From first post of this thread:

"Opened up the pan a few months ago ...and ever since I have noticed little by little more and more transmission fluid on the floor ... about 1/2 a quart per week"

Does that mean that it did NOT leak PRIOR to removeing the pan??????

Does the leak occur only after about 36 hours of setting in the same place????

It is the 55 CAST IRON transmission???? NOT Al. ???

Thanks for the nice words, O_D and Morgan.

Quote: Finally! Someone with whom I concur. All you guys with snow and 4 seasons -------. It's cold here too and only going to be in low 50's today so almost hibernation time.

As to the subject at hand, 1/2 quart is quite a bit so would really expect you should see something dripping--unless it is actually coming from front seal when driving and being blown back collecting on things and dripping down..If that the case, would also think you would see a bit on trans tunnel or floor underside behind trans.

There was a dipstick & tube change in 55. Service counselor 29 #3 has the details. Doubt that would be the issue & depending on combination if wrong, don't know which way the reading would be off if you did have a mismatch but worth checking.

EDIT: PV8 has a good point since the pan has been removed a couple of times. It might be seeping from the gasket area. Once the pan bolts are tightened, they can distort the surface of pan upwards where it meets the gasket at each location. If these areas are not flattened when replacing, then the rounded area will meet the gasket, compress there but not be able to compress the area in the flat stretch between bolts.

I know that I have a very minor leak at the front engine seal and you see a drop or two of motor oil under the radiator. The rear seal was mentioned as was blowing back but one should see some drips below where the engine and transmission attach, right? The only drip location is several feet behind and on the passenger side of the transmission where the tapering section begins but well before where the drive shaft exits and it is Trick Shift for sure. I will have her up on the lift again this week for a minor brake leak. She drives and shifts so nicely I really don't want to mess with too much but need to know. I really do not remember exactly when the leak was noticed but it was not immediately after the pan was dropped. The trans is cast iron and if you remember we had so many leaks at one time it was hard to figure out what was what, now that everything is fixed or manageable I started noticing the extra fluid in the floor tray when she was driven several times a week, so far I have logged several thousand miles with only one trailer me back home papa.

Quote:

I'll second that. I am amazed at the truly great responses you give to postings on this site. The lengths you go to take photos and make diagrams to say nothing of your disemination of your verbal encyclopedic knowledge of Packards of all eras is truly astounding and very greatly appreciated. Without you and O-D who also freely gives of his experience and knowledge this site would be a so much less valuable for keeping our Packards running and on the road. Thank you both very much.

Appreciate the comments.

Found pictures work best when I can get or have them. If I try to describe something, brevity is not my strong suit so people stop reading halfway thru & miss the point. When I try to be brief, they still miss the point because I forget & leave some important detail out.

Some take me to task for giving out more information than a question asks for, but as long as Kev's bandwidth allows for pictures, will use them & add my two bits so thanks again for putting up with me.

All in all, think everyone on this forum makes valuable contributions in one way or another.

Morgan.
Most likely it's either the pan gasket or the seal on the selector lever on the side of the trans. Just because it appears to drip from the rite side of the car mite only mean that it is running along (adhereing) to the trans until it finds a place to drip from.

On my 56 T'ultra it leaks at the pan gasket (replaced twice with vendor gasket) and also at the seal for the selector. Mine has PB so changeing the seal at the selector is not easy.

I've found that mine will not leak much until it sets idle for about 18-24 hours. What i think happens is that the oil in the torque converter is slowly raining out and into the pan.

The 56 is especialy troubesome since the 56 T'Utltra is missing the center bolt in the rear side of the pan. 55's had provision for the extra pan bolt.