Re: 288, 327, 356 Spotters Guide
Posted by HH56 On 2018/12/7 16:20:20
The 288/327/356 heads will interchange as evidenced by this Packard article on changing compression ratios. If I remember correctly, there is a slightly more rounded or softer profile on the designated 356 head edges and corners.
Because the heads interchange and might have been swapped, even if a head has a large cast CID number there is no easy external way to differentiate a 288/327 5 main block other than the motor number. You can download the Packard Engine Serial Number Reference from the Misc info category in the literature section if you want to have it for reference.
The 327 9 main block is identical to the others if looking at the distributor side. You can externally tell the difference between a 5 and 9 main by looking on the passenger side and counting the number of 1/8 brass plugs on the main oil gallery. The gallery is a rounded area which extends the length of the engine below the valve covers and just above the oil pump. There is a plug at the drilled passage going to each main bearing so an easy way to tell -- although a couple of passages will not be obvious as they are behind other items.
The 288/327 engine has the distributor located slightly forward of the middle of the block between two core or freeze plugs while the 356 distributor is positioned dead center directly under a core plug.
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Because the heads interchange and might have been swapped, even if a head has a large cast CID number there is no easy external way to differentiate a 288/327 5 main block other than the motor number. You can download the Packard Engine Serial Number Reference from the Misc info category in the literature section if you want to have it for reference.
The 327 9 main block is identical to the others if looking at the distributor side. You can externally tell the difference between a 5 and 9 main by looking on the passenger side and counting the number of 1/8 brass plugs on the main oil gallery. The gallery is a rounded area which extends the length of the engine below the valve covers and just above the oil pump. There is a plug at the drilled passage going to each main bearing so an easy way to tell -- although a couple of passages will not be obvious as they are behind other items.
The 288/327 engine has the distributor located slightly forward of the middle of the block between two core or freeze plugs while the 356 distributor is positioned dead center directly under a core plug.
Attach file:
(219.59 KB)
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