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Just rebuilt my 54 ultramatic and have ran it only about an hour in the shop. noticed a bad smell coming out the vent and the trans seemed a little warm to the touch. notice that when in park it wanted to try and move but couldn't because parking pawl was set. think I've figured that out to be in adjustment of detents. I also checked the flow to the aftermarket cooler and just about no fluid was flowing. Question is: does anyone know how much fluid should be passing thru the cooler lines and what would cause the flow to be reduced to a trickle? HELP!

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Sorry I'm a noob and don't have any idea on the cooler flow. But I just wanted to say that your car is outstanding!

I'll second the outstanding looking engine and car.

I don't have a number offhand for the flow but it is enough to empty the unit over a few minutes if it gets loose. Maybe Ross has measured it and will have an actual number.

The fluid goes to the cooler immediately after exiting the converter so a restriction in that path would be a place to start. The path in and out of the converter occurs in the space between the pump shaft and reactor shaft for one direction and between the reactor shaft and input shaft for the other.

Sealing and flow control between the shafts and into the converter is done by the bushings and/or rings. Assuming there is no blockage or problem in the line or cooler restricting the output, if you changed the bushings during the rebuild, one of the bushings being slightly out of position would be a possible reason for a reduced flow.

Some bushings have holes or a groove which has to line up with a groove or hole in the front pump or a hole or groove on a shaft. Other bushings are positioned with a space between them so a hole or groove in the pump casting or shaft opens into the empty space. If any of the openings is partially blocked by a misplaced bushing, the flow would be compromised. An improper alignment between the pump or bellhousing and case is a remote possibility.

If the bushings are OK, one other possibility is the valve body has a sticking valve. Too much torque on the retaining bolts causing a bind was a frequent cause of sticking valves.

WOW. Thanks for the info. Just knowing how it flows helps a lot. Been a while since I rebuilt it(over a year ago)so can't remember all that I did at the time. Does look like a removal and tear down again is in order though. I should have expected it since I had to rebuild the engine twice might as well to the tranny again too. phew!

Ken

thanks. been a fun but long build and it looks like its not over yet.
Ken

Is there anyway to check with a pressure gauge at one of the ports coming off the bell housing to narrow it down as to the problem? Car to want go when in drive, low and rev. but I'm sure the lack of cooler flow will destroy it if driven much.

G'day Ken(flatbeaver),
to PackardInfo and I agree that engine and trans really is outstanding! What is the body and radiator shell you used? See you have a Goddess mounted. And could you tell us what you did to the engine?

Normally I'd ask you to include your "Packard" in the Packard Owner's Registry here on Site, but.......with just the engine, trans and Goddess as Packard it's a stretch to do so.

BTW I like the pole dancer!

Thanks Ozstatman

The body is a 37 ford pickup cab with the top cut off, Packard goddess is a 39 without the glass wings (which I bought for my 38 Packard before I discovered it was the wrong year), radiator shroud is 34 Chevy, axles and wishbones are 40 ford as are the back brakes, Packard motor is a 54 327 thunderbolt and Ultramatic tranny. I had the motor bored .080 and still had to sleeve three of the cylinders to get them to cleanup (she was pretty sad when I found her), new Egge pistons, hardened valve seats, new valves and guides, crank was so nice all I did was have it polished, stock cam with new bearings, stock hydrolic lifters, home made intake and exhaust manifold with four Carter YH side draft carbs (only two are being used right now), rebuilt the water pump, decked the block and head, Chris Craft boat linkage for throttle linkage with 54 corvette style home made brass inter linkage between carbs, home made frame, seats, door panels, floor boards, firewall.

Yea I know its not a Packard. I do have a 38 1601 club coupe
that I'm in the process of restoring and am about 90% done with. I love the Packard straight 8s so much that I decide to build a hot rod around one and so here it is.

I'd like to thank everyone here for the attitude and friendly messages I've received. Most car sites are pretty unfriendly and even mean spirited.

Ken

Ken,
for the info. And yes, you'll find were a friendly bunch who are happy and willing to share knowledge and experience.

And now that you've said you have a '38 Eight Club Coupe, I have no qualms in inviting you to include IT in the Packard Owner's Registry here on PackardInfo!

Love the car and particularly like the copper and brass accents on the engine. I also have a handmade roadster built from Packard scrap--also running a straight eight and Ultra.

I have never actually measured flow through the cooler lines. That flow is largely dependent on convertor-in pressure which you can look up in the hydraulic charts in your shop manual. The fluid that is pushed out of the convertor by the incoming is what is being sent to the cooler. Convertor pressure is rather low when idling in neutral, but jumps up when you start to accelerate. It drops very low once direct engages. That is controlled by the convertor valve.

Howard is quite correct about the flow path and that all bushings need to have a good fit and be in position. The correct nominal fit all through an Ultra is .003" clearance and the upper limit for good performance is about .006-.007.

The only bushings that have any tendency to walk out of position are the two inside the high range clutch drum, but they are only "active" in H position.

Ah, very important in the overall cooling flow is that the brass spool that bridges between the input shaft and the planetary set be in place. Otherwise all the fluid will just dump out at the planetary.

It seems you have already caught that the adjustment of the selector valve is critical and must be set at 5/16" exposed when in reverse.

Let us see a photo of the manifold setup.