Re: 1950 Packard 288 Auto overheating HELP

Posted by Mike On 2011/2/16 9:21:15

I got my "wrong" fan belt at napa and asked owen the same question. They just gave me a 1/2" industrial belt i believe, something for a mower or elec motor or something.

It didn't "Squeal", but basically riding on the base of the pulley doesn't give enough grip so the pulley slips a bit. If you have the right belt, it grips the sides of the pulley because it's pulled down into the V without bottoming out.

My water pump was tired anyway, but that slippage was all i needed when the pump was about done to make it cool only at highway speeds. On the last trip home from Columbus (about 3 hours) before i parked it for service it was hot only when not moving to well in traffic, and fine on the highway. At the very end of the trip it was running hot all the way around. It could only have been the belt or water pump, but i ended up putting a 327 in anyway or else i would have swapped the pump. (It was starting to rattle.)