Re: Argh still overheating 49

Posted by Joe Wareham On 2019/5/3 13:18:05

I had heard so many stories about Packards overheating, I was careful to try and get the block in my '49 as clear as possible during the rebuild short of having to hot-tanked. After the engine was removed from the car but before it was completely disassembled, the water pump was removed along with the cooling tube and casting plugs (welch plugs/freeze plugs) and the holes that might cause excess water to get inside the engine were plugged. Took it outside and used a power washer to flush water jackets. This took quite a while but was able to get most of the loose scale out of the block. The cooling tube was in good shape and it was cleaned inside and out before being re-installed. New casting plugs were installed as well as a new water pump, new radiator hoses and a 180 degree pellet thermostat and the radiator was flushed. Since the car is back on the road, I've had no trouble with overheating. Don't trust the 70 year-old temp gauge so after a few good runs I checked the head, block and radiator with a non-contact thermometer several times and never gotten over 180. The real test came a week ago when I was driving back from a show in Sarasota, there was a wreck on the Sunshine Skyway bridge. I was going 5 MPH for half an hour in mid-80s heat and the only overheating that occurred was myself. I'm confident that if your car is properly tuned and all the components are clean and operating properly, there should not be an inherent overheating problem with your Packard.

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