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Board index » All Posts (Lex)




Re: 1941 Packard 110 - Fan Wobble and Belt Tension
#1
Not too shy to talk
Not too shy to talk

Lex
From what I've seen on a number of old-school trucks, belt-driven fans can handle a remarkable degree of wobble before they get problematic. That said, there's potential for a broken-off blade to punch through the radiator or dent the hood, so the stakes are high. If it's a case of bent blades (versus poorly-distributed weight), you can attach something to the back of the radiator as a distance marker to see how far off each fan blade is. Set the marker to a blade of your choice, then rotate each blade to it and see how far off they are. Blades can then be carefully hand-bent to match the marker. Not as good as professional balancing, but it should reduce the wobble.

According to 26th-series Packard manuals, the belt should be tight enough to rotate the engine when rotating the generator or water pump. To my mind, that seems aggressive, especially with a dry or partially-glazed belt. With a brand-new belt, sure, but realistically, V-belts are not especially sensitive to tension. If you're at the limit of the tensioner arm, I would definitely grab a shorter belt (1-2in shorter should do it), just so you have room to add tension as the belt stretches. Hard to gauge if that 1in of deflection is "about right" without knowing more about the level of force applied.

Posted on: 2016/8/12 10:27
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Re: In Search of:
#2
Not too shy to talk
Not too shy to talk

Lex
Quote:
PAC is The Packard Club (Packard Automobile Classics Inc.)

Probably should have guessed that. Thank you.

Posted on: 2016/8/3 11:55
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Re: In Search of:
#3
Not too shy to talk
Not too shy to talk

Lex
Quote:
The lenses are otherwise reproduced by PAC National Projects at $70 per pair, with gaskets and screws.

Where can I find PAC National Products? Google isn't bearing fruit, and I'm looking at either casting new fog lamp lenses from repaired versions of my pitted and cracked originals, or grabbing something off the shelf. Didn't realize the latter was an option until now.

Posted on: 2016/8/3 11:08
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Re: 1953 Clipper hood release lever
#4
Not too shy to talk
Not too shy to talk

Lex
I'll check with Gerry. Much as I like having an excuse to fab some parts, if the price is right, I'll cheerfully save the time on something this minor. Thanks!

Posted on: 2016/7/29 21:23
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Re: electric fuel pumps
#5
Not too shy to talk
Not too shy to talk

Lex
The "redundancy" of the electric pump is twofold. First, and most importantly, it cycles fuel through the system more quickly than with a mechanical pump to help prevent vapor lock, but this will only be effective if the system is plumbed with a return loop. Instead of any vaporized fuel or air pockets needing to be pulled through the returnless system and the carburetor by the factory mechanical pump, vaporized fuel is returned to the tank, and the carb can draw from a more solid stream of cooler fuel.

Second, it takes some work away from the mechanical pump, extending its life somewhat. Note that an electric pump can fully replace a mechanical pump, if the pressure doesn't pulse too much and the pressure regulator is set properly.

Regarding the problems while driving, vapor lock is most likely while restarting the vehicle after a heat soak. Engine and chassis heat bleeds into the lines, with no fast-moving air to cool it, and vaporizes some fuel. It is definitely possible to have this problem while driving, but I suspect a weak mechanical pump delivering substandard pressure is a more likely culprit.

Posted on: 2016/7/29 21:20
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1953 Clipper hood release lever
#6
Not too shy to talk
Not too shy to talk

Lex
One of the my Packard's minor problems is a broken hood release lever. As you can see below, the lever cracked off just ahead of the rivet. I've drilled it out to release the lever and sandblasted the latch plate, revealing a crack I'll weld up. The plate appears to be bent downward significantly at the leading edge, so I'll probably hammer it back up a bit to close the crack slightly and hopefully return it to a shape closer to the factory form. Planning to turn a new solid rivet, and more importantly, fabricate a new lever. The catch is, I don't know exactly how they looked from the factory. I'm fine with an imperfect match, but I want to at least get close to the factory routing and latch position. Does anyone have a photo of their latch arm available as a reference? Can't find anything clear in the service manuals. Bonus points if you don't mind going to the trouble of removing it from your car for a clearer photo.

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Posted on: 2016/7/29 12:57
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Re: Fuel sender & 12V conversion on a 1953 Clipper.
#7
Not too shy to talk
Not too shy to talk

Lex
Quote:
Geez Lex, I am about as unmillenial as they get as I am happily running 7 different cars quite happily on 6 volts, points, generators, the whole nine yards.

The main reason I'm making the 12V switch is that I plan to road trip this car pretty extensively, and I want to be able to roll up to NAPA or the average neighborhood pick-a-part and get more or less anything I need. The old-school crowd, for whom I have tremendous respect, will be glad to know that I'm sticking with points ignition, because hey, NAPA still stocks the parts!

Quote:
...I do know from real live experience that I can bolt any pre 55 Packard starter into any pre 55 Packard bellhousing (excepting the big senior stuff from the thirties)...

I am willing to bet $220.50 plus shipping that you're right.

Posted on: 2016/7/25 19:18
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Re: Fuel sender & 12V conversion on a 1953 Clipper.
#8
Not too shy to talk
Not too shy to talk

Lex
I am constantly amazed at how different these old beasts are from the fuel injection and transistor-based circuits I'm used to. Now I'm wondering if the gauges would run on a "real" 5VDC instead of the pulse width modulated system voltage. No real need for the information, since they'll clearly work on the pulsed voltage. Just curious. Might test it, but I'm reluctant to risk rare components.

Posted on: 2016/7/25 14:58
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Re: Fuel sender & 12V conversion on a 1953 Clipper.
#9
Not too shy to talk
Not too shy to talk

Lex
Thanks for the tips, Kev. The car shows signs of wiring modifications for purposes I haven't figured out yet, so I don't know exactly how it deviates from the factory wiring diagrams. Coupled with a new system voltage and aged cotton insulation I don't trust, I'm planning to replace every single conductor on the car with modern TXL wire, a central relay and fuse center, textile loom, and welding cable for the high-amperage connections. All documented for easy diagnosis.

It sounds like the instruments will be good with the factory regulator, but I'll bench-test its output on a 14.4V feed to be sure. If it doesn't kick out 5V, I'll go with a modernized IC or a Ford regulator.

Posted on: 2016/7/25 14:47
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Re: Fuel sender & 12V conversion on a 1953 Clipper.
#10
Not too shy to talk
Not too shy to talk

Lex
Quote:
The horns will work fine on 12v, you'll just need to take the cover off and adjust them slightly to the proper tone.

Simple enough. Coupled with the new starter and instrument voltage regulator, there's no need for any 6V circuits on the car. Excellent.

Posted on: 2016/7/25 13:28
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