The Packard V8 OEM pistons have steel struts cast into the side of the pin bosses to insure even circumferential expansion. Thus, the Shop Manual instructs they be fitted at .0005"-.0015" piston-to-cylinder-wall clearance.

Egge Machine pistons are simple permanent-mold slugs of cast aluminum. They do not have the expansion control feature, thus need to be fitted at .003"-.0035" or they will scuff, overheat and otherwise give a bad account of themselves. Some of the sets I received in the past have been substantially heavier than the OEM pistons, thus necessitating rebalancing the engine.

thnx, jack vines

We've been over the piston topic many, many times. I regularly rebuild Packard V8 engines and have on-going conversations with Joe Hall, who also rebuilds many V8s. Our combined experience is:

1. Egge Machine pistons are suitable for normal driving. They are not the equal of OEM pistons, as they do not have the steel expansion-control material in the pin bosses.
2. The Egge pistons need a minimum piston-to-wall clearance of .003" and .0035" is better. The OEM pistons were installed with .0005"-.0015" clearance. If Egge pistons are installed with the Shop Manual recommended clearances, the pistons will scuff, the engine will drag on hot starts and will run hot during the first 20,000 miles.
3. Some Egge pistons I have received in the past are heavier than the OEM pistons. The weights should always be verified and the engine rebalanced if necessary. I pay $125 for an engine balance, so if that has to be done, consider it added to the cost of the pistons.
4.Egge pistons are absolutely, positively not suitable for any performance use, such as an occasionally raced Studebaker Golden Hawk, or Rich Fox's Bonneville engine.
5. Currently, I am building two 352"s bored to 4.125" to use re-conditioned OEM 374" pistons. These are going into '56 Golden Hawks which will be driven a bit harder than most Packards.
6. The 4.188" diameter 413" Mopar pistons are NOTa recommended interchange. The compression height is .047" less than the Packard, which will eliminate the quench/squish band, which causes the engine to ping under load, the only currently available pistons are dished tops for trucks and motor homes, which lower the compression substantially and further reduces the power output. Additionally, the 1.094" piston pin bore is larger and the pin boss is narrower, requiring substantial machine work on the rods. Just because they can be made to fit the hole doesn't mean they are good science.
7. Custom forged pistons from Arias, JE, Venolia, Ross, are the best pistons available, but for $800+, are overkill for a casually-driven Packard. I use them, can get them, talk to me off-list if interested in a performance Studebaker or Packard V8.

Bottom line - for most restored Packards, Egge pistons, fitted at .0035" are OK.

thnx, jack vines

FWIW, the cost to rebuild any of the engines is about the same, so no one besides Eric would waste his time with a 320" ;>) Build a 374" and have bragging rights. The good news is most of the Studebaker-Packard (but not Hudson-Nash version) 352: and 374" engines came with a compression ratio in the 9:1 - 10:1 range.

On most of the heads I have measured, the combustion chambers are in the 78-83cc range. If you are not building a performance engine, either the '55 or '56 head will be fine.

I am in the process of rebuilding two 352" blocks and boring them to 4.125" so as to use Packard OEM 374" pistons. I completely agree with Eric, Egge Machine replacement pistons are OK for for show cars and casual street driving if clearance is at least .003"-.0035", but definitely not a performance application.

Also, I have two .030"-oversize 352" engines already rebuilt and on the shelf. If you are interested in any of these, let's discuss it off-forum.

thnx, jack vines

Both Studebaker and AMC used small-diameter rear cam journals. In fact, the AMC V8 cam is easily mistaken for a Packard, just an inch or two shorter.

thnx, jack vines

Cam Bearing set numbers, both NLA:
TRW #SH293S
Federal Mogul 1147M.

The cam bearings I've bought lately coming out of Kanter, Egge, Terrill, et al are shrink-wrapped-white-box-made-in-Taiwan, as are their rod bearings. Anyone have a source for made-in-USA rod bearings, cam bearings, pin bushings?

FWIW, for many years, Kanter has listed in their catalog and on their website, "5.1401 Piston pin, standard or oversize .003",.005", .010", each $8.80"
I tried to order three sets last month. The phone order taker called back to say they don't have them and aren't sure they ever had them. I then talked to a parts guy who has been there forever, "You're obviously the first one in all these years ever to try to order oversized piston pins, or we'd have taken it off." Kanter STILL has the listing on the website.

thnx, jack vines

Hi, Loyd,

I talked to a GM engineer and asked exactly that question, "Why don't OEMs use the Jacobs and/or MSD technology in their ignitions?" His answer was, "Because it isn't necessary with current EFI and spark control. An older car, with the carb not calibrated correctly and a wobbly centrifugal/vacuum distributor, especially if it uses oil, might need more than one spark to light a wet fire, but when the A/F ratio is as it should be, one spark at the right time is sufficient."

thnx, jack vines

Hi, Bob,

I was in Cal State Hayward when it was a bare hilltop, back in 1972.

In the Bay Area, 20w-50 would work. Some of my sources say, since no post-cat cars ever specified 20w-50, it has not been reformulated to remove as of the wear additives as the 0w-30. However, as per Jeff Rice and others, there are enough other additives and the spring pressures are low enough on your 327", you shouldn't have problems with 10w-40.

thnx, jack vines

Actually, Studebaker fixed their lifter wear problem by changing from a steel cam to a cast iron cam.

thnx, jack vines

Lots of opinions on oils. Here is an excerpt from a recent thread from the Studebaker Driver's Club Forum posted by Jeff Rice:

I spent a good part of today at a HD truck dealer open house plying my trade...The guy in the next booth was the senior technical trainer (ie: real smart guy chemical engineer) for Chevron Oil. I peppered him with all of the zinc of the week questions I could come up with. He has written several informative articles (without marketing hype) regarding the 'new' oils, the 'old' oils, the 'zinc' issues, and what the market is hyping to the old car folks...

Shell Rotella diesel oil... "Why in the world would anybody run diesel oil in a gas engine?"
Zinc supplemental additives: "Ask the oil manufacturer if they will stand behind their oil if you add a zinc supplement to their oil....They won't.."
Zinc 'reduction' in current oil: "Zinc hasn't been totally removed from current oils... It has just been reduced. Other compounds have been added to the oil to prevent scuffing problems.
Oil testing: The current test method (latest and greatest...I don't recall the official test number right now)is done on a Nissan flat tappet engine.
(What does this mean?)
It means that the latest engine oil sold today will NOT wipe out your camshafts or tappets.
It means that adding a supplement will not make things magically better...
It means that the engine oils marketed as 'vintage engine oils' are no better than any other oil, but are a whole bunch more expensive...
20w50 oil is fine to use in older engines, as the 20w 'cold pour point...(at 0 degree's)will be just fine in older engines. The 50 number actually 'seems' more like 30w due to the long polymer chain additive that gives it the higher number...
Gospel?
Don't know, but I asked for some followup from him to help us all out with good info... Biased info? Maybe, don't know, probably not.
He didn't have anything to gain by trying to sell me anything.
I found it fascinating...
Hope the info helps...
Jeff

Black smoke is usually carburetor trouble, as the Carib 2x4 is prone to develop.

Oil smoke is blue. If the Carib is driven only in warm weather, any name brand 20w-50 will have the best additive package and prevent lifter clatter. Don't use synthetics, as their smaller molecule chains leak past old seals more easily.

thnx, jack vines