Hi guys,
Was on a vacation last week in Slovenia and Croatia that I don't want to repeat. My Renault Clio broke down 3 times -blew a seal between the turbo and intake manifold, and my girlfriend broke her leg
Today I double checked the compression on cyl 8 and it is indeed zero. I might be able to work with Kurt (who has the 1954 Pacific here in Germany) and take care of my engine and rust problems all at the same time....hope to organize transport the 80 miles or so to his neighborhood sometime soon and dig deeper.
-Sometimes your the pigeon and sometimes your the statue!

There are new lawn mower engine valve spring compressors available, and a few 'vintage' or 'antique' compressors on ebay. Bidding for one of the antiques in case I need it. What do you mean with snake oil? Should I 'snake the oil' onto the valve head and down the stem? Or do you mean put some mavel mystery oil or some penetrating oil on the valve/soak the valve stem?
Thanks.

Well, Oil pressure is 35 psi at idle and 40 psi at 1000 rpm, so that looks good.
I ran a compression test with a 'somewhat warmed up' motor, all spark plugs removed and throttle blocked open... Here's the Good, Bad and ugly...
Cyl: Psi
1: 120
2: 100
3: 100
4: 100
5: 120
6: 120
7: 120
8: 0 Nichts, n?ll Toten Hose! (Dead pants)
I guess we can rule out the blown headgasket between cyls 7-8.
I can try putting oil in the three cyls that read 100psi and see if the rings on those cyls are just hanging on, which would suggest a ring job is needed, and that a ring in cyl 8 is broke.
I'll also double check the compression on cyl 8. I can't believe that 0 anymore... Strange that cyl 7 is not running if it has compression. Spark is there at the wire end...Champion J11C are the plugs that only have about 400 miles on them... suspecting perhaps a bad plug now with cyl 7, but 8 must be some mechanical problem....Ach mensch.

OK, oil gauge and compression tester are on the way. I was able to determine cylinders 7 and 8 are bad. #7 spark plug was black and seemed a little oil fouled, and #8 was clean, but not combusting. I was able to pull plug wires 7 and 8 at idle and noticed no change in idle, so they're the bad ones.
The oil dummy light goes off right after starting the car, so I imagine the oil pressure is OK, but also noticed my oil filter is plumbed in 'full flow' and not bypass mode which has me thinking the oil filter could have gotten plugged and starved oil flow? Is the return into the block after the filter/gauge only feeding the valve train, or rods and mains also?
I will test compression and oil pressure when I get the tools, and plan to remove the rear valve cover and inspect the valve stems next before I remove the cyl head.
The engine doesn't blow smoke, but the engine was replaced about 15 years ago from a well running doner car. I don't know how many miles are on it.

Are the valve spring compressor tools available someplace? I have a contact coming over from the US in 2 weeks, so will ask him to put some tools and parts in his luggage
Thanks for the ideas guys. Mike

edit:
When I shut the car off, the oil filler vent smokes a little bit. Is this bad blowby, or normal since there is no PCV?

All stores except gas stations are closed on sundays in southern (and most) germany, but monday I will have some time and will try and get a compression tester locally and a 'USB endoscope'. The USB cameras are pretty cheap, and I can plug into the laptop. Then I can tell any passers-bye that the Packard is OBD conform, and I am reading trouble codes. haha
I had pulled the 4 rear plugs and none were damaged, so at least the combustion chamber carnage hasn't gotten too bad.

Now I'm a little confused, nothing showed up on inspection after removing the valve covers. I checked all the clearances cold, and the rear-most exhaust valve was .030 while all others were about .010-.014. I warmed up the engine, and reset the valve clearances, all springs and retainers seemed to be in order. No parts loose or missing. Noise and miss are still very much there. One cyl is definately not good. More noise with load, less noise at idle.
You know, I was at a show yesterday and thought about buying a compression tester, and didn't. Wish I had now....Anyway. I have to organize a place where I can do some longer term work on the car and remove the head and look at the valves. That job I did about 20 years ago as a teenager on my first packard...This packard I plan on putting back together
In good news, the girlfriend learned how to remove air filter, heater fan, and inner-fender splash guard, as well as how to cut new gaskets for the valve covers. Working on the car is a place where I can boss her around
Anyway, here is a video of the valves that doesn't really have the 'bad noise'.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=s2mzG-eQkZM

Sound is still more of a clack clack than a deeper (Rod/Piston) tone, but now I am not so certain the problem lies in the valve train.
Oh, and in case anybody is in souther Germany and needs their Small Block Chevy repaired, go to Frankie's Garage. Nice guy.http://www.frankiesgarage.com
In german we say, 'keep your ears stiff' instead of 'keep your chin up' That's what I'll do!

There is a bit of a miss now, but not very bad. At idle the hood shakes a little, before I wanted to try balancing a nickle on the engine It does not seem to be spitting back up through the intake, so perhaps an exhaust valve...I reviewed my shop manual and parts list from the known suppliers. Parts don't seem too bad. Hope I can do this myself -with the help of my girlfriend
Just a sanity check here, driving 50 miles back home would be a bad idea without getting that valve secure. Correct?
Thanks for the 'virtual' support.

My engine started making some unhealthy noises.

I had driven yesterday about 100 miles to a show in Friedrichshafen Germany in the rain with no problems. Today was a beautiful day sunshine 75 degrees, and cruising at about 55 mph on a secondary highway heading back to munich. (327 with 3 speed manual trans) I heard a high frequency brdbrdbdr, a real buzzing noise for a second, and though it was the radio or something, then 5 min later, another 1/2 second long buzz, and now a rythmic valve tapping noise coming from one of the rear 2 cyls. A friendly guy stopped to help and took us to an American Car garage 3 miles away (some good luck there) The owner of the shop came out to look at the car and confirmed my diagnosis as valve noise. I was able to drive the car to his garage and leave it there overnight.
Tomorrow I will go back and open the valve covers and see what is wrong. Any thoughts first of all?
Valve guide loose in the block? Spring,lifter...Motor number is M301759 (mechanical lifters)
What can I fix with the motor still in the car? Pretty much anything short of a new valve guide right?
To get the lifters out I have to remove the cam correct?
Oil pressure is good(light goes off right at start up) fresh 20w50 is in there, and is clean, no water or anything. Water temp was also right in the middle. Idle is a little rough and engine runs a little bit rougher now since this valve noise started.....
OK, thanks for all advice, hope I can afford to get on the road again soon.
Viele Gr??e!
Mike

OK, 20-60 might be a little thick, That's what some of the aussies here seem to be running. (Germany is colder than austrailia I guess) I had run 20-50 in the past, and last year ran 15-40 diesel oil, and will most likely go back to a 20-50 non detergent oil. Castrol also has a 'classic oil here in germany that I can get locally.

I can use an EP oil in the trans also? It's not bad for the synchros? Then I might run this 'Mild EP' which is an EP GL3 140...

Oh, and regarding this 30wt = 90 wt business, if you go to
http://www.penriteoil.de/visko.htm there is a diagram that has transmission oil (Getriebe?l) and motor oil (motor?l)...I wouldn't run the same oil in my trans as the engine, that would be a little crazy, these ain't minis we're driving here!

Hi guys, I'm looking at Penrite oils for my engine, manual trans and rear axle in my 53 clipper, and their website recomends...

Engine: Classic HPR30, (a 20w60 that sounds good to me)
Rear axle: Mild EP Gear Oil (a SAE140 GL4 also sounds good)
Manual Trans: Gearbox Oil 30 (Not certain about this one)

Anybody have experience with Penrite gear oil? I'll only be driving in warmer temperatures...the sae scale for engine and trans oils is somehow different?

http://www.penriteoil.com/uk/nextpage.php?navlink=

Dankesch?n!
Mike