'39 flathead 6 questions from a newbie

Posted by Old_Crow On 2013/8/19 14:59:07

Assembling the flathead 6 motor on a '39 Junior Packard.
My main experience is as a GM dealer tech for 25 years and about 7-8 years in restoring old cars(mostly 50's to 70's classics).
I know how to build a motor, but the old Packard has just enough differences to make me scratch my head.
The "service manual" I've got(provided by the owner)contains just enough info to get me into trouble.

I bought my pistons, bearings and gasket set from Max Merritt. The gasket kit contains the wooden dowels for the side of the rear main bearing cap and also a package of graphite impregnated rope seals such as are used on later model cars.
I looked at the rear main cap and the engine. I can tell where the dowels go to seal the sides of the main cap, but I can't tell if you're supposed to insert the rope seal in the channel where the oil slinger rides, or just let the slinger and the extra groove on the back of the rear main bearing handle the oil.

Another question I have is in regards to the head nuts. Several brackets go to the studs for the heads. Some of these brackets were between the nuts and the heads. I would think that proper placement of the brackets is on top of the nut...thus, install nuts, torque head, install brackets, add second washer and nut to hold bracket.

Help a Packard newbie out, please.

Wally Crow
Vince's Vintage Vehicles
Fox, AR 72051
501-723-4080