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                                                                   Exhibit 10.23

                                 AMENDMENT NO. 1
                                       TO
                    TENNECO AUTOMOTIVE INC. CHANGE IN CONTROL
                    SEVERANCE BENEFIT PLAN FOR KEY EXECUTIVES

     This Amendment No. 1 (the "Amendment") to the Tenneco Automotive Inc.
Change in Control Severance Benefit Plan for Key Executives (the "Plan") is
hereby adopted by Tenneco Automotive Inc. (the "Company") effective as of May 9,
2000. Capitalized terms used and not otherwise defined herein shall have the
meanings ascribed to such terms in the Plan.

1.   AMENDMENT TO SECTION 3 OF THE PLAN.

     Paragraph E. of Section 3 of the Plan is hereby amended in its entirety to
     read as follows:

     "E. Intentionally omitted."

2.   AMENDMENT TO SECTION 4 OF THE PLAN.

     Section 4 of the Plan is hereby amended in its entirety to read as follows:

     "4. OTHER BENEFITS. Upon a Change in Control, and without regard to the Key
     Executive's employment status following such Change in Control:

         (i)     All Stock Options granted under the Company's Stock Ownership
                 Plan or any other similar plan maintained by the Company
                 shall become immediately vested and remain exercisable for
                 the lesser of 36 months or the remaining life of the option.
                 The term "Stock Option" shall have the meaning ascribed
                 thereto in the Company's Stock Ownership Plan.

         (ii)    The Key Executive shall be entitled to be paid in cash the
                 total of the fair market value, determined immediately prior
                 to the Change in Control, of any Restricted Stock, Stock
                 Appreciation Rights, Performance Units, Stock Equivalent
                 Units and Dividend Equivalents which he or she held
                 immediately prior to such Change in Control. The terms
                 "Restricted Stock," "Stock Appreciation Rights,"
                 "Performance Units," "Stock Equivalent Units" and "Dividend
                 Equivalents" shall have the meanings ascribed to those terms
                 in the Company's Stock Ownership Plan."

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3.   NO OTHER CHANGES.

     Except to the extent expressly amended by the terms of this Amendment, all
provisions of the Plan shall remain in full force and effect following the date
hereof and shall not be modified by this Amendment.

     IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the Company has caused the Plan to be amended as set
forth herein by its respective officers thereunder duly authorized, effective as
of May 9, 2000.

                            TENNECO AUTOMOTIVE INC.

                            By: /s/ Richard P. Schneider
                                ----------------------------------------------
                            Name:   Richard P. Schneider
                            Title:  SVP - Global Administration<PAGE>   1

                                                                   Exhibit 10.24

Tenneco Automotive                                         [TENNECO LOGO]
500 North Field Drive
Lake Forest, IL  60045
Tel 847-482-5000
Fax 847-482-5940

                                  July 27, 2000

PERSONAL AND CONFIDENTIAL

Mr. Mark P. Frissora
1170 Elm Tree Road
Lake Forest, IL   60045

Dear Mr. Frissora:

     On behalf of Tenneco Automotive Inc. (the "Company"), I am pleased to set
forth and confirm the terms and conditions of your continued service as Chief
Executive Officer of the Company:

1.        COMMENCEMENT. Except as specifically provided herein, the terms and
     conditions hereof will be effective immediately upon the signing hereof.
     You will report to and serve at the pleasure of the Board of Directors of
     the Company (the Board ).

2.        BASE SALARY. Effective on January 1, 2000, you will be paid a base
     salary of $640,000.00 per year, which will be subject to such increases as
     may from time to time be approved by the Board or such committee of the
     Board to which such power has been delegated (the "Committee"), payable
     according to the regular pay schedule for salaried employees.

3.        ANNUAL BONUS. You will be eligible for an annual performance bonus.
     Commencing with calendar year 2000, your annual target bonus will be, at
     least, $590,000.00 subject to fulfillment of performance goals as
     determined by the Board or Committee.

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Mr. Mark P. Frissora
July 27, 2000
Page 2

4.        PERFORMANCE UNITS, STOCK OPTIONS, RESTRICTED STOCK AND STOCK
     EQUIVALENT UNITS. At the time of the spin-off of Pactiv Corporation
     (formerly Tenneco Packaging Inc.) by the Company (the "Spin-off"), you were
     granted 75,000 performance units under the Company's Stock Ownership Plan
     (the Plan ), payable in shares of the Company's stock in January 2003,
     subject to fulfillment of performance goals as determined by the Committee
     and the other terms of the grant determined by the Committee. At the time
     of the Spin-off, you were granted under the Plan an option to purchase
     375,000 shares of Company stock, subject to terms and conditions set by the
     Committee under the Plan. You have received a restricted stock grant of
     68,385 shares and one-third of such restricted stock will vest on each of
     the first three anniversaries of the Spin-off if you continue to be
     employed by the Company on such anniversary. The number of shares set forth
     above with respect to the performance unit, restricted stock and stock
     option awards is after giving effect to the one-for-five reverse stock
     split completed in November 1999. In January 2000 (effective November 5,
     1999), you were granted 150,000 stock equivalent units under the Plan for
     the one-year period ending December 31, 2000. This grant is payable in
     cash, subject to and in accordance with the terms and conditions of the
     grant determined by the Committee. The grants described herein are without
     prejudice to your receipt of additional grants as determined by the Board
     or the Committee under the Plan and/or any other similar benefit plan or
     compensation program or arrangement of the Company. The vesting terms and
     the other conditions, events and circumstances under which you will be
     entitled to receive the Performance Units, Stock Options, Restricted Stock
     and Stock Equivalent Units shall be the terms, conditions, events and
     circumstances set forth in your grant agreements for the Performance Units,
     Stock Options, Restricted Stock and Stock Equivalent Units as of the date
     of this letter.

5.        EXECUTIVE BENEFIT PLANS. You will be eligible to participate in all
     employee benefit plans applicable to salaried employees generally and all
     executive compensation structures applicable to senior executives
     generally.

6.        PERQUISITE ALLOWANCE. You will receive an annual perquisites allowance
     of $40,000.00 which you may receive in either cash, perquisites, or a
     combination at your election.

7.        VACATION. You will receive four weeks vacation (with pay) per year.

8.        KEY EXECUTIVE PENSION PLAN AND SUPPLEMENTAL EXECUTIVE RETIREMENT PLAN.
     You will be a participant in the Company's Key Executive Pension Plan and
     Supplemental Executive Retirement Plan (the "SERP"), which includes your
     SERP special benefit. The vesting terms and other conditions, events and
     circumstances under which you are entitled to receive benefits under the
     SERP, including your SERP special benefit, and the Key Executive Pension
     Plan shall be the terms, conditions, events and circumstances set forth in
     such plans as of the date of this letter.

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Mr. Mark P. Frissora
July 27, 2000
Page 3

9.        CHANGE IN CONTROL. You will participate in the Company's Change in
     Control Severance Benefit Plan for Key Executives (the "Change in Control
     Plan"); provided, that your cash severance benefit under Section 3A or 3B,
     as applicable, of the Change in Control Plan will be 3 times the total of
     (i) your annual base salary in effect immediately prior to the Change in
     Control (as defined in the Change in Control Plan), plus (ii) the higher of
     (a) your highest target bonus over the last 3 years of your employment, and
     (b) the average of your annual awards under any bonus plan of the Company
     or its subsidiaries, including any special awards, for the last three years
     of your employment (or such shorter period as you have been employed by the
     Company or its subsidiaries); and provided further that all of your
     outstanding awards under the Plan or any other similar benefit plan or
     compensation arrangement or program of the Company or its subsidiaries will
     be treated as exercisable, earned at target and vested, as the case may be,
     immediately upon the Change in Control (as that term is currently defined
     in the Change in Control Plan) and shall be paid to you or otherwise
     treated in the manner currently specified in, and in accordance with the
     current terms of, the Change in Control Plan.

10.       SEVERANCE. Subject to the provisions of paragraph 9, if your
     employment is terminated other than by you voluntarily or for death,
     disability, or non-performance of your duties, subject to your execution of
     a general release and such other documents as the Company may reasonably
     request: (a) you will be paid a severance benefit in an amount equal to two
     times the total of your then current annual base salary plus your bonus for
     the immediately preceding year; (b) subject to Board and/or Committee
     approval, all your outstanding awards under the Plan (or any other similar
     benefit plan or compensation program or arrangement of the Company or its
     subsidiaries) may vest and/or become exercisable on the date of your
     termination; (c) vested stock options you hold will remain exercisable for
     a period of not less than 90 days from your termination; and (d) the
     Company will continue to provide to you, for one year following the date of
     the termination of your employment, health and welfare benefits amounting
     to no less than the amount of health and welfare benefits you receive at
     the time your employment commences. COBRA continuation coverage will begin
     following this one year period.

11.       TAX GROSS-UP PAYMENT. If any portion of the payments described herein,
     and/or any other payments, shall be subject to the tax imposed by Section
     4999 of the Internal Revenue Code (the portion of such payments which are
     subject to the Excise Tax being referred to herein as the "Payments"), the
     Company shall pay you, not later than the 30th day following the date you
     become subject to the Excise Tax, an additional amount (the "Gross-Up
     Payment") such that the net amount retained by you after deduction of the
     Excise Tax on such Payments and all federal, state, and local income tax,
     interest and penalties, and Excise Tax on the Gross-Up Payment, shall be
     equal to the amount which would have been retained by you had the payments
     not been subject to the Excise Tax.

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Mr. Mark P. Frissora
July 27, 2000
Page 4

12.       GOVERNING LAW. This letter agreement shall be governed by, and shall
     be construed in accordance with, the internal laws (and not the laws of
     conflicts) of the State of Illinois.

13.       EFFECT ON JANUARY 2000 AGREEMENT. This letter agreement supercedes the
     terms and provisions of the agreement dated January 11, 2000 between you
     and the Company.

          Please acknowledge your agreement with these terms by executing a
copy of this letter in the space provided below and returning it to me.

                                   Sincerely,

                                   TENNECO AUTOMOTIVE INC.

                                   By:  /s/ Roger Porter
                                      -----------------------------------------

                                   Its: Chairman - Compensation/Nominating/
                                        Governance Committee
                                        ---------------------------------------

ACKNOWLEDGED AND ACCEPTED

/s/ Mark P. Frissora               Date:
----------------------------             ---------------------------------------

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