Re: KPack
Posted by kevinpackard On 2021/7/19 16:37:31
I've been doing a few more small things to the car in between taking it out for runs. I finally replaced the old heater hoses with black (old ones used to be red, but were mostly brown). NAPA didn't have the correct wire style hose clamps, so I just used screw type for now.
I'm running straight water in the cooling system right now while I check for leaks. I've been running water only for about a month now since I've been messing with the heater core and heater valve. During my drives today I didn't see any leaks, and I turned the heat all the way up to get water moving through the replacement heater valve and new hoses. All looked dry. I'm assuming that water was actually going through.
Car still tends to get a little warm when driving. Not much, but the needle moves up past half. Temp gun on the top of the head shows a range from 180-192 directly over the spark plugs, with the higher readings being around cylinders 6-8. Ambient temps aren't helping. Today's drive was in 93 degrees. I'm hoping that coolant will help keep it cool. Temp gun on all parts of the radiator shows pretty even distribution.
I double checked the timing and it looks like it's hitting at 6-7 degrees BTDC at idle. I wondered if the car was running lean, so I hooked up a vacuum gauge and it looks like I'm pretty low. About 14-15. Messed with the idle screws, but couldn't get it above that. How do I improve vacuum?
Perhaps the exhaust is part of it? I seem to have excessive vapors coming out the road draft tube when sitting....maybe the exhaust isn't flowing out the system like it should?
Also noticed that once that car is really warmed up the idle speed is lower, so much so that the oil pressure seems low. When warmed up at low idle (engine is very quiet except for my ticking valve) the pressure is below 20. When first starting the car at high idle it's closer to 25. When driving at 30-50 mph it's 30-32. Normal?
I finally filled the tank all the way up to see what the gauge would do. Went to just above half. So once the needle drops below a quarter tank I'll just fill it up. Eventually I'll have to tackle that problem, but I really don't want to drop the tank again anytime soon.
Went to a local cruise-in on Saturday. The straight 8 attracted a lot of attention. Lots of Chevy's and Ford's here but only one Packard. Lots of heads turning when I drive it.
Took my boys out for a spin today after hooking up all heater hoses, then took all the girls out to lunch at a burger joint. Again, lots of heads turning (all the guys) and one person at the restaurant even knew what year and make it was. He's the first one to ever get it right.
Lastly, one year ago my friend and I were cutting the old rusted windshield header out. Lots has happened in a year! I'm so happy to be driving the car now. I only wish that I could have taken my Dad for a drive before he passed.
-Kevin
Attach file:
New heater hoses.jpg (74.03 KB)
Low idle oil pressure.jpg (71.06 KB)
Full tank fuel gauge.jpg (124.17 KB)
Cruise in.jpg (144.87 KB)
Kids ride.jpg (108.35 KB)
1 year from July 2021.jpg (99.95 KB)
1 year of progress.jpg (102.94 KB)
I'm running straight water in the cooling system right now while I check for leaks. I've been running water only for about a month now since I've been messing with the heater core and heater valve. During my drives today I didn't see any leaks, and I turned the heat all the way up to get water moving through the replacement heater valve and new hoses. All looked dry. I'm assuming that water was actually going through.
Car still tends to get a little warm when driving. Not much, but the needle moves up past half. Temp gun on the top of the head shows a range from 180-192 directly over the spark plugs, with the higher readings being around cylinders 6-8. Ambient temps aren't helping. Today's drive was in 93 degrees. I'm hoping that coolant will help keep it cool. Temp gun on all parts of the radiator shows pretty even distribution.
I double checked the timing and it looks like it's hitting at 6-7 degrees BTDC at idle. I wondered if the car was running lean, so I hooked up a vacuum gauge and it looks like I'm pretty low. About 14-15. Messed with the idle screws, but couldn't get it above that. How do I improve vacuum?
Perhaps the exhaust is part of it? I seem to have excessive vapors coming out the road draft tube when sitting....maybe the exhaust isn't flowing out the system like it should?
Also noticed that once that car is really warmed up the idle speed is lower, so much so that the oil pressure seems low. When warmed up at low idle (engine is very quiet except for my ticking valve) the pressure is below 20. When first starting the car at high idle it's closer to 25. When driving at 30-50 mph it's 30-32. Normal?
I finally filled the tank all the way up to see what the gauge would do. Went to just above half. So once the needle drops below a quarter tank I'll just fill it up. Eventually I'll have to tackle that problem, but I really don't want to drop the tank again anytime soon.
Went to a local cruise-in on Saturday. The straight 8 attracted a lot of attention. Lots of Chevy's and Ford's here but only one Packard. Lots of heads turning when I drive it.
Took my boys out for a spin today after hooking up all heater hoses, then took all the girls out to lunch at a burger joint. Again, lots of heads turning (all the guys) and one person at the restaurant even knew what year and make it was. He's the first one to ever get it right.
Lastly, one year ago my friend and I were cutting the old rusted windshield header out. Lots has happened in a year! I'm so happy to be driving the car now. I only wish that I could have taken my Dad for a drive before he passed.
-Kevin
Attach file:
New heater hoses.jpg (74.03 KB) Low idle oil pressure.jpg (71.06 KB)
Full tank fuel gauge.jpg (124.17 KB)
Cruise in.jpg (144.87 KB)
Kids ride.jpg (108.35 KB)
1 year from July 2021.jpg (99.95 KB)
1 year of progress.jpg (102.94 KB)
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