Thank you both,

DD, I like your idea of vacuuming up as much as possible of the loose stuff first. I also intend to drop-sheet the area extensively before hitting it with the pressure cleaner; I don't want to spray rusty liquid all over the car.

Main problem right now is that I just can't seem to get at the car lately; life is too busy and there are other priorities to balance. I really want to get all the preliminary post-hibernation tasks finished and have it ready to test-fire by mid to late January. I'll keep you posted if I make any progress in the next few weeks.

Cheers, John

Thanks again Fred,

And sorry, I should have been more clear about the proposed pressure cleaning; it's the water jacket of the block that is in need; not the crankcase. The water channels are an absolute nightmare.
Unless you've an alternative solution?

Cheers, J.

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That's encouraging, thanks Fred. I actually took off the valve covers as previously advised in this forum, back in May. They all looked okay to my inexperienced eye, so I just put the covers straight back on (pics attached). Should I have cleaned the valves or done anything else in there?

Also, please excuse my ignorance but how do you "remove and clean the oil pump screen"? Mine has a degree of freedom of movement but it is not obvious to me how it comes off, and I don't want to force it and risk damage. Does it screw out, or is it some kind of bayonet fitting? I've just left it in situ for now.

Thanks again, John

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Great, thanks gentlemen, will do.

Life has been hectic for the last couple of months and I've had very few chances to work on it. Looks like there will be few opportunities this side of Christmas to make progress. I'm very keen to roll it outside to pressure clean the crud out of the block next; but that probably won't be before January.

John

"Happy to take advice on what I should look for, test, clean check, inspect etc., now that it is off. Thanks in advance for all input."

Given the absence of response to my previous request for advice after the oil pan removal, I guess I'll just clean it and put it back on. But if anyone has any guidance on how best to clean it; I'll listen appreciatively.

Also If there's anything up inside the engine that needs attention before I do put the oil pan back on; I'll gladly learn of it. (Views in the previous post).

TIA again for any help.

Cheers, John

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Mal,

Best wishes to you and all participants for a fabulous Packard meetup. I tried to clear my diary to make it up from Tassie for it, but it won't be this year.

Have a great time!

John

PS: I will post an update on our Tassie coupe restoration soon, (not that there's much to report).

Located in Oz: 1948 Packard Straight 8 Touring Sedan RARE Factory RHD Aust Delivered

http://www.ebay.com.au/itm/1948-Packard-Straight-8-Touring-Sedan-RARE-Factory-RHD-Aust-Delivered-/322225171162

J.

Here are the pics from yesterday. Sorry they were rushed at the end of the day, in poor light. Mostly just snaps on the iPhone while laying underneath looking up. When I next return I will document it more carefully.

Happy to take advice on what I should look for, test, clean check, inspect etc., now that it is off. Thanks in advance for all input.

J.

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Peter, thanks, it's off! And it came off pretty much exactly as you describe. Pics soon.

BDC, I haven't seen Fosters for years; think it's purely marketed overseas. Probably no better or worse than some of that soapy water that is heavily pushed in the States. Our beer industry is fairly similar to yours, with a vast and excellent selection of small-scale hand-crafted beers readily available. I noticed on my last trip there that IPAs were riding a wave of popularity, at least in the states I visited (Montana and Alaska). Same here, along with APAs, PPAs and just plain PAs. Been some great heavy beers matured in retired whiskey barrels lately too. After yesterday's sump job I just enjoyed a couple from my local brewery, James Boag, one of the best commercial-scale breweries in Australia because we are lucky to have excellent quality fresh water here in Tassie. Cheers, J.

It's off!

Happy to report that the sump (oil pan) is off after today's session. Thanks to all who gave advice, including a couple of useful off-forum messages in addition to those posted here. I incorporated all the advice ; a bit of heat, a bit of solvent, a bit of strategic wiggling of thin blades followed by careful insertion of thicker blades and an increase in carefully applied muscle. It was the extra muscle that eventually did the trick. I just gradually increased the force with which I whallopped the numerous wedges. It came free in the nick of time as the evening sky was darkening and I was being summonsed to finish for the day.

I can't post the pictures directly from the iPhone, have to resize them and change the file names to make them comply with the sites' needs, that might occur tomorrow or Tuesday. When I do I'll be grateful for further advice on all the things I should check, inspect, measure, clean, recondition before the sump goes back on. To my untrained eye it all looks good; but I don't really know the subtle signs and symptoms to look for.

Looks like there was no gasket, just a thick deposit of two kinds of adhesive, the white soft stuff previously described and some darker shellac stuff.

Catch you all soon, and thanks again for your interest.

J.