Thanks Wes, it does indeed and what you've suggested is exactly what I'm going to do. I'm hoping that H-B has the hand valve grinder you mention and I'll be back for advice on how to use it I'm sure.

According to the paperwork that came with the car, it was last registered in 1994 and there were notes about a compression check which was nothing to write home about except it points to the old L-head curse of sticking valves. As I mentioned earlier, they all appear to be working as they should. If the tremendous good luck I've had with my first two Packards holds, I should have her moving under her own power by Labor Day. I was going to say "The Fourth of July" but after a little experience with these things I now know better.

It also looks like I better go get another bag of corks.

Hi Wes. I was wondering if someone would suggest doing that as when I first looked inside the valve chamber I thought it was is pretty good shape.

I have turned the engine over through 4 cycles at least once a month and many times more often so I can say they all open and close and have no slop or wiggle room once they are open. I'm not sure about the need for a "valve job" as I figure that will be easier to know once the valves are removed. Good thing I didn't throw out the valve rack I made out of a piece of 4X4. I do plan on cleaning the lifters and doing a leak down test to make sure they're all playing the game.

So thank you once again for helping with this. As I said earlier, I know just enough to be dangerous.

Thank you 64avanti for your help with this. You've helped me focus on how careful I need to be so that I don't do more harm than good. I'm going to post pictures of the valves (once they are out) for comments on how good they are and if any need to be replaced. I'll also take pictures of the valve seats for help in looking for places that need attention. If problems are found I might need to track down someone who can do a valve job in my garage.

Thanks again. You and O_D have kept me from possibly doing more harm than good. It is appreciated.

Thank you O_D for the prompt reply and for keeping me from messing up what I believe to be a pretty good engine. A little knowledge is a dangerous thing and it seems that before I posted this, I was a real danger.

I looked at the pictures I sent and I want to point out that the shiny surfaces are not wet but glazed - which probably makes the problem worse. I had planned to use corks for the drain holes but the cam followers and the oil feeder lines sailed right over my head. That sludge might get into the rod and main bearings sailed right after. MY reason for the corks was to keep the little things like valve spring locks from falling into the engine. I honestly thought that cleaning out the oil pan afterwards would be all I needed to worry about.

So, I'll buy more corks. I can see already that this project has grown larger than I had originally thought it would - and I'm only on the engine! I did plan on dropping the pan and cleaning that out. When I have solvent in the pan, I think I'll try using a magnet for trolling for small pieces of metal.

Once the pan is down and out, I'll take some pictures of the underside - even if it looks good to me - and post them so that everyone can look for things that I probably will miss.

Thanks again O_D for your help. It is definitely appreciated.

I'm going to try re-posting this as I could really use some guidance here. Also, I want to clean the bay up after I remove the valves and lifters. I was thinking about using something like Carb Cleaner but don't want to do any damage. So PLEASE someone let me know if they see any problems in the pictures and what I should use to clean the bay up.

Thanks in advance -

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I see the pictures didn't copy so I'll reinsert them.

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Last evening I opened up the valve chamber on my '51 Patrician and got a rather pleasant surprise. But I thought I'd better show some pictures of the area in case someone can spot something I missed.

In 1994 I bought a '79 Lincoln Continental which had oil pressure problems. When I removed the valve covers from that it looked like the valve covers had been filled with "black cottage cheese". So almost anything I could find behind the valve covers of the Packard would feel like good news.

I've also posted some before and after pictures of the engine on my blog "The 1951 Patrician of Jim L in OR"

So PLEASE if you see anything that needs attention, let me know!

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Hi John, I'm in Portland.

Although it's a little belated on my part, welcome to the group!

I did mine from my '51 200 Deluxe and am preparing to do the one from my '51 Patrician with a combination screwdriver and needle nose pliers. Get a good kit - one that is alcohol resistant - and have at it. That is the thing about these cars - they are so elegantly simple!

When the SBC fad is over - and it is a fad and it will be over - what will you have. A Chevrolet with custom body work. Ten years from now, when GM has quit making the 350 and, more importantly, the electronics that make it run you'll have a car that is only good for parts.

My 1951 Packard 200 Deluxe is all stock. The big scare that kept me from getting into Packards years ago was parts and price of parts. I was delighted to find out that in both cases, the fear was completely unjustified. Mechanical parts are plentiful and cheap - and I'm not talking about the quality. When I go out in the morning it ALWAYS starts instantly - more "instantly" than does my Lincoln Town Car. I've never driven a Packard older than my '51(s) except for what was my Grandmother's 1935 120. But from people who have and whose veracity I believe in have told me that there is no road in today's world that the Packards from 1940 on up cannot feel at home on. Indeed, the faster I drive my '51, the better it likes it and seems to sort of hunker down and goes! This is with a stock Ultramatic too - which I've found to be as smooth and purposeful as the electronic overdrive automatic that's in my Town Car.

I have found that both my running Packards, the other being the '55 Patrician can do almost everything my late model daily driver can do. The "almost" is cornering in the '51. It does roll over into a commercial for seat belts (to keep you behind the wheel) but when I drive the '51 I'm usually in a different mindset - one that enjoys the drive and the marvel of a sixty four old car that can and does do all that the designers intended it to do. I wish I had held up as well. The 1955, if I'm in a hurry, will let me drive it just as fast and hard as my Lincoln. In fact the '55 with the Torsion Level Suspension corners and tracks just as well and in some situations handles better than the Lincoln.

About the engine, I think you'll find that there is very little wrong with it. The low compression was something a previous owner ran into with what is now my '51 Patrician. It needed the valves unstuck and I'm almost willing to bet that's what your main problem as well. If you let these engines sit over time, the valves will get stuck in the open position or not completely close. Both have the same symptoms you are describing.

My best advice see if you can find someone to let you try driving their 47. If not that, then get enough done to it so that the Packard - the WHOLE Packard can show you what it can do. Once it does, that top of the tree, limited production full classic (I believe) will make you forget all about the SBC.

One more thing. If you are driving your complete Packard and something should happen, if you have any mechanic in you at all, I from what I've read it sounds like you do, these cars are so simple, that you can probably fix it on the spot. If you're driving a new car (whether is has a Packard Skin or that of a Chevy) and it quits - about the only tools you'll need is a cell phone and AAA card to take the whole mess to a repair shop. If it's something electronic, you'd better hope Chevy is still offering the part - something less likely with every passing year - or you've got a Lawn Ornament.

Please, just see what you'll be missing.

Hi All,

My '55 Patrician has the factory provided Trico vacuum windshield wipers. I've actually had very little trouble with them. The only time they get close to stopping, is if I really stand on the loud pedal in which case the speed cuts to about 1/2, And this is entirely on manifold vacuum as a previous owner replace the OEM Oil Pump with one that doesn't have a vacuum pump. I don't know anything about it but I'm suspecting a sticking relief valve. I intend to drop the pan this Summer to find out just what's in them and with an eye to converting to the Olds unit.

However, when I bought the '55 a box of "parts" came with it. Some '56 Senior trim such as the "V" and Circle from the grille and another from the rear deck. What this posting is about is a cure (or at least a remedy) for fading vacuum wipers. In the parts box was was a Vacuum Canister about the size of small can of "Dinty More" beef stew with a built in check valve.

I replaced the "source" to wiper motor vacuum line with two longer ones. The line that carried the vacuum to the wiper motor now goes to the intake side of the vacuum canister. The other goes from the "Output" nipple to the wiper motor. The length, of course, is to give greater freedom in mounting the canister to the car. At present, the canister is held in place by one of the screws that goes to the Heater Core Assembly. It's not really the best of locations but I want to put some "time in the rain" before I make anything more permanent. The main thing the current heater box location has going for it is that I didn't have to drill any holes. I've been toying with the idea of placing it in the same place as the big Vacuum Canister only on the right (passenger) side of the car instead of vying for space with the big one.

Now I have a wiper set up with all the benefits of a conversion to electric as well as the silence and features that were designed into the vacuum system with it's various speed and sweep areas. Whatever speed selection I make, the vacuum canister makes sure it stays constant. Flooring it does little to change wiper speed.

Part of this is due to the really excellent and strong vacuum my V8 produces so results may vary depending on the condition of your engine.

I've (hopefully) attached a couple of pictures of the set up.

It figures that since I did this back in February Portland has had LA's weather. Indeed most of the time from then to now Portland has had higher temperatures and less rain than Los Angeles. So I really haven't been able to really try it out but so far, It works for me!

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