Re: Help with 34 Club Sedan, please!

Posted by Owen_Dyneto On 2008/12/28 16:59:38
Page 109 of the reprinted 7th through 12th series service letters goes into exquisite detail on fitting aluminum pistons - such as when properly fitted, ringless, a .0015" thick full length feeler can be withdrawn with thumb and forefinger and a similar feeler .002" thick cannot with the piston in its bore.

That advice is only relevant when installing original, thermo-strut type pistons. If your rebuilder installed cast pistons like Egge you must follow the clearance recommendations of the piston maker. You didn't state which model you have but cast pistons are the only choice I know of for the Eight (3-3/16 bore).

You could drop the pan and make check to see if the piston expansion slots are ont he correct side (though even Packard recommended both ways at different times) and if the squirt holes in the rods are aligned differently in the rear cylinders, but I suspect you're in for a teardown to find the reason.

What style oil rings did you install, one piece or multiple-rail? The latter generally are better but given the multiple components I suppose some could be installed incorrectly. Can we assume you measured and fitted the rings for correct end-gap? Cylinders bored to oversize or just honed and original pistons installed? More information on the engine work would sure be helpful for us to diagnose.

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