Valve lash cold on 288 engine

Posted by Fred Puhn On 2009/7/20 15:21:05

I am finishing a ring and valve job on my 1950 288, 2300 series Deluxe Touring Sedan. The factory book says to set the valve lash with the engine hot and running. They must be out of their minds! The valve adjustment is difficult with the engine cold and the exhaust pipe off the car. Hot and running must be nearly impossible, so I plan to use a cold setting and compensate for the thermal expansion of the valves. After running for I while I plan to check the valve lash hot, on the few valves that are easily accessible.

The exhaust valves are most critical. Using valve lash values developed for a Hudson engine the Packard should be set about 0.015 clearance on the exhaust valves cold. Does anyone have experience with the cold valve lash on a Packard? I feel I am not the first Packard owner in all the world's history who wants to use cold settings to avoid the burn injuries to the arms and oil in the face.