Re: Just a few RPMs from total destruction

Posted by Tim Cole On 2013/8/3 8:19:21

The diameter of the spring affects the frequency. Larger diameter lower the frequency. That is why high performance motors have a smaller inner spring. By definition valve float is the pistons hitting the valves. It's not called valve smash because the contact forces are very small. The valves aren't getting out of the way fast enough and so the redline is set before the point of valve float. Exceeding the redline risks valves hitting the pistons. My guess it that Packard used the larger springs because they are quieter. When those motors are good they are very quiet.

Given that a Nissan Six can be hot rodded to 1000 horsepower or a Honda Del Sol four to over 600 I don't understand beating the daylights out of the Packard V-8. It's not a deep block so it has a lot of flex, the rockers need to be replaced with stamped steel, the lifters need to go out the window, the oil feed to number eight rod bearing is bad, and the carburetors and ignition need to be replaced with computer controlled fuel injection. Given the situation, my favorite Packard V-8 was always the 2bbl Clipper because those were the ones I saw coming in that were still original owner cars. Although up in the barn Charlie Clancy's 55 Patrician was sitting idle with 99,000 on the odometer.