Re: At a Loss - Valve Washer Broke

Posted by Jack Vines On 2020/6/7 19:24:29

Many old Packard V8s have a sixty-five-year-old rattlesnake living under the hood. It will bite the owner sooner or later.

The valve spring retainers were too soft and eventually will pull the keeper through and drop the valve into the cylinder. Hard running makes it happen sooner. Slow driving makes it happen in 2020.

You'll have to change the other fifteen retainers, as they'll do the same thing eventually. It can be done without pulling the head on the side which didn't fail.

jack vines

P.S.- I did learn something from reading the Service Bulletin; that Packard was installing the hardened retainers only on the intake valves and using up the soft junk on the exhausts. I mean, a retainer is a five cent item; cheaping out on a part which if it fails can destroy an engine.

Wonder if they ever used up the old stock and began using hardened retainers on exhausts as well.