This is a little off topic but....

As regards to the Windshield Wipers, after I bought a new WW motor from Max Merritt Packard, my '55 Pat has had very few issues other than the WW slowing after stomping on the accelerator.

To handle that, I found a small vacuum can in one of the boxes of parts that came with the '55 or the '51 200 Deluxe. The vacuum check valve proved out good so I hooked it into the line between the vacuum T and the vacuum motor and found much to my delight, that the slowing under even very hard acceleration was pretty much gone.

For now it is attached to the heater box by one of the heater box's screws.

Here are some pictures should anyone want to try it.

Thank you Owen for your help with this and other things that have come up in the past.

Thanks also for the picture of your beautiful '34.

Jim

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Hi Duane,

Thank you very much for sharing your past with Packards & Fuel Pumps. It never ceases to amaze me the number of parts that will mix and match on cars you'd never think of. I have to say that in spite of all the other combinations I've heard about, I would have never dreamed that you could put a Peugeot Pump on a Packard!

One of the other combos I've heard here is that a Ford fuel pump with a vacuum side like the pre V8 cars will fit. I've been doing a web search and have the candidates down to two. The benefit of these is of course you can connect the vacuum section into the wipers so that under hard acceleration your wipers won't stall out on you. Of course I'm sure no one here would ever "Play Bullitt" in the rain with their Packard, but. you never know if you'll run into a pack of rampaging - and hungry - Zombies!

The Hudson and Nash cars that used the (I think) 320 Packard V8 used a combo pump as they were still using vacuum motors for their wipers.

That aside, it's great to know yet another fuel pump that will keep our cars on the road where they belong.

Thanks again,

Jim

I thank you for your fast response, Owen- I really appreciate it.

23 years is good for a freshly minted pump let alone a re-man.

As for additives, I haven't used any of any kind after I added a can of "Transmission Stop Leak" in my '60 Imperial back in the early 70's and promptly lost Reverse.

I just don't trust them.

Thanks again, Owen. I love your '34 as I think they were the most beautiful car of the era before streamlining took hold in 1935.

Jim

Thank you Ross for the quick response. I really appreciate it.

This afternoon, I wiped down the pump and the surrounding area as best I could and then started the engine - with my usual results which manifested themselves in the pump being as clean and dry as it was before I started the engine. Not a trace of gas or anything else. Just to be sure, I then stuck my nose in the Lawn Mower's gas tank which was basically empty and then the rag I wiped the pump down with. The rag didn't smell like gasoline. As a matter of fact it didn't smell like anything except for a slight hint of motor oil. I run a 50/50 mix of coolant and the rag didn't smell like that either. It hasn't been caught in the rain or driven on a wet street for over a year so that lets out the cooling system and splashes of street surface water. It's like taking your kid to the doctor and having all his symptoms vanish as he walks into the doctor's office.

My job for tomorrow will be to take a very close look at the Throttle Passages to see if I can find any likely suspects such as you describe and I'll report back.

Thank you once again, Ross

Jim

I have heard that the Studebaker Museum has some records of 1956 Packards. That's where I would start looking.

Jim

I guess I forgot to ask the question.
First, is 5 years the approximate life span of a mechanical pump these days; Second, how after three days can there still be gasoline, or what I presume is gasoline in that ring around the pump - is it wicking from someplace?

When I first got the car and figured out why it hadn't been able to start in 25 years (shorted ignition switch and blown Ballast Resistor) it would roar into life so fast I think it almost could be started on the switch. After the carb rebuild, if the car has sat for any length of time, it takes a while to get gas to the carb. At least that's all I can think of.

My main concern though is could that leakage on the pump be the reason I'm getting this "stuttering" on steady throttle?

Any thoughts would be very much appreciated.

Jim

Hi all,

I've got a question about fuel pumps for the V8s. As some of you may remember I bought my 1955 Packard Patrician through the suggestions of a member Portlandon in 2010. One of the things I did at the time was rebuild the fuel pump as the car hadn't been driven since 1985. I bought a kit from a supplier recommended by people here, though for the life of me I can't remember who or the name of the supplier. At any event, the kit was supposed to be made from Ethanol resistant parts.

The last couple of weeks when I've been driving the car I have noticed a sort of non-rhythmic stumble when travelling at a steady speed. It disappears when I press down on the pedal or release it. As soon as I maintain a steady speed, the stumble is back.

I last drove the car three days ago and today I raised the hood to see what I could see. What I found was gas pooling around the ridge of the pump. I would have thought that it would have evaporated by now but evidently the "pool" is being replenished even with the engine off. I've attached a picture that I hope will show the gas on the pump. All the screws I've been able to reach are tight.

Help please!

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Not very much progress this week, mostly just thinking through what I'll need. Took a real hard look at the valves and seats as I rotated the engine by hand and felt encouraged by what I saw (or didn't see).

Found 4 examples of the valve lapping tool that Wes mentioned online at NAPA and reserved the 1 1/8 X 1 3/8 version with the textured plastic handle. It was even on sale! Will probably fire up the '55 and drive over to NAPA to pick it and some Lapping Compound up tomorrow.

Many thanks, Wes for posting the pictures of the lapping tools and the example what to look for and where to find it on the valves.

As I mentioned before, when I got the '51 200 Deluxe in my haste to have an actual Packard to drive, I had my mechanic do the needed valve job. This time around, I'm going to do as much of the work as I can or am able to do.

This is going to fun!

Thank you O_D for the help and description of the "hand Lapping" tools and procedure. I would have never come up with the "suction cup on a stick" idea yet it makes perfect sense.

I think that biggest challenge will be not so much in finding the power grinder as finding the stones or I should say the correct stone to do the seats. When I first got my '51 200 Deluxe I had it gone over by my mechanic and though he has an extremely well stocked shop, he had to track down the power grinder for the valve seats. He wound up borrowing one from one of his older neighbors.

However before I get too far ahead of myself, I will need to remove the valves, springs and lifters from the engine. I plan on getting to that during the coming week. When I do, I'll take pictures of the valves and post them for comments and suggestions from all you with more experience with this process than I - which is a lot of people!

Again, my thanks to you, O_D, as well as Avanti64 and Wes for the guidance over and around the many pitfalls.