Big Kev

You've done it again! Thanks for providing not only a great site to swap info, but now a way to tell it to the world. Just ordered my "Made in the USA" shirt.

Bernardi

Thanks for all the replies.

In this warmer weather, the oil pressure needle now shows a little below the middle. Apparently the sending unit was messed up with the cold. The mechanical gage shows normal pressure. I was sweating out bearing replacement, but that doesn't appear to be in the works.

For one of my 55 400s, I had a generator shop install an alternator and reverse polarity of the car from positive ground to negative. The starter spins the same way. The radio (with the old vibrator) worked, and the T/L still functioned properly. The amp meter shows discharge instead of charge with the engine running (I have yet to get under the dash to change those wires). He changed the connections to the coil to compensate for the polarity change, but I don't know exactly what was changed. The gentlemen retired, so I can't ask him exactly what he did.

He commented at the time that the change probably wasn't required, but apparently others making the conversion did it that way so he would, too.

If you get an electronic converter (vibrator replacement),
definitely buy one for the polarity you are using. You are guaranteed to blow it otherwise.

I'm installing a Vintage air conditioner. Vintage says definitely to use negative ground or their electronic stuff won't work. Darned if I know what "electronic" stuff is in an air conditioner. It occurs to me that maybe the salesman didn't know what he was talking about after all. Or maybe their blower motors reverse if the polarity is reversed.

Good luck!



Bernardi

Diagnosis from afar --

Yesterday the temperature was in the 20s in Pittsburgh. I started my 55 400 which has 15W 40 Shell oil in the crankcase. The oil pressure needle pegged on high. I drove the car about three miles, the engine warmed up a bit, and the pressure fell to about 1/4 of the gage at idle. During the summer, the warm engine oil pressure is in the middle of the gage.

It will be awhile before I can investigate. Any guesses on the huge change in pressure? The engine presumably had 30,000 +/- miles on it when I bought it. The oil pan was gunked up and the piston rings stuck. Compression was so low the engine would not start.

Cleaned the oil pan, checked the mains, had the head reworked (cleaned up and valves ground)flushed out the block, installed new rings and an Aller oil pump and put it back together. No valve clatter. The car has been driven less than 50 miles since reassembly. The valves were still quiet when I discovered the oil pressure was so low yesterday.

Any thoughts on what happened? I fear that some gunk plugged an oil line temporarily, just long enough to ruin the bearings, then flushed through.

Bernardi

I'll put my two cents worth in, too.
I have a couple of 55 400s. As someone indicated, there are some spouses who won't ride in a non-air conditioned car. To put in a Vintage unit, the system must be negative ground. I had a generator repair shop install an alternator and change to negative ground. Still haven't changed the amp meter to negative ground so it shows discharge when the alternator is charging.
In talking with an auto A/C shop owner, he pointed out that the one wire alternators pump all the juice into the battery. If you are driving with lights and air conditioning on, a lot of current is being driven through the battery. With two wire units, the alternator feeds the accesseries directly and anything left ovr charges the battery as needed. Logically, this would lead to lower temperatures in the battery and longer battery life.
Was the A/C shop owner correct or blowing smoke rings?
A couple of years ago I found a distributor in Pittsburgh that carried 6 volt alternators. Don't recall if they were positive or negative ground. Also found a shop that converts negative ground alternatives to positive ground. Email me if you want names and phone numbers. Bernardi11@comcast.net

Bernardi

One other thing, Randy. When the doc says "don't bend over" and "no lifting for X days", pay attention. My sister had a friend who did not pay attention, and regretted it.

That is a might clean looking engine!

Bernardi

Randy -

If your eye surgery is cataract removal, I hope your results are as good as mine. The first week was discouraging - the surgeon had put a stitch in which slightly distorted my vision. When he removed it, my sight went to 20-30 for distance and almost 20-20 for reading in good light. (I was about 20-200 before)
The change wasn't immediate - things resolved themselves over a period of weeks, but the improvement was obvious in a few days after the stitch came out. Even before the stitch was removed, my sight was much improved.

Good luck.

Bernardi

Randy -
I'm a little behind in raising a question on the oil pump, but, considering all the problems the V8s had with the stock pump, why are you going that route rather than the Melling conversion that Craig has put together? As the engine is out of the car, the machine work can be done to install a full-flow oil filter.

I just looked for his Packard Panther site, and couldn't find it. Has he removed it?


I didn't look far enough - the Packard Panther site is alive and well.

Bernardi

Mr. Pushbutton -

Thanks - guess I'll stick with original plan and use a Sanden unit. I'm not adverse to upgrading a system if the original is problematic.

Bernardi

Jack -

Foolish question - how does the Lehigh compressor compare to a modern compressor in performance? I'm about to put a Vintage Air Conditioner in a 55 400. The compressor is smaller and would mount on the passenger side of the engine as the mounting hardware was designed to fit under a Golden Hawk hood. It sounds as if the stuff you have would permit mounting the compressor on top of the center of the engine. "Don't know how that would affect the oil filler, but it is an 0interesting thought.