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Hi all,
Great to see such a busy forum, feeling very alone here in Ireland, not to many Packards around these parts!

I have a problem I need help with. I have totally rebuilt the motor in my '34 Club Sedan, spending loads of money and time on it. Yesterday while out driving I noticed a lot of blue smoke when I drove off from traffic lights. I pulled out the spark plugs and found the back 4 badly oiled up. The front 4 are perfect. I have not checked compression, there are around 500 miles on the new engine (new pistons, rings, valves, etc, etc) but I dont think 4 cyclinders would be worn out or break rings together at once. The ignition is electronic, all 8 plugs share the same power source.

Before I go insane can anyone give me any ideas as to why the rear 4 are oiling up...................please!

Pat Feeney,
Galway,
Ireland.

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Pat,

Welcome to Packard Info! You will find all sorts of extrmely helpful folks here. And, before Mal can get to you, please post your very nice Packard in the Owner's Registry. and .

As for your rear 4 cylinder's getting oil into the combustion chamber, I am afraid I am at a loss. I have a 34, and have never experienced that problem. Are you experiencing any other symptoms besides blue smoke and the oiled plugs? Does it start fine, run smooth, etc.?

Again, Welcome to Packard Info!

Cheers,

Tom

Hi Pat:

Page 109 of the reprinted 7th through 12th series service letters goes into exquisite detail on fitting aluminum pistons - such as when properly fitted, ringless, a .0015" thick full length feeler can be withdrawn with thumb and forefinger and a similar feeler .002" thick cannot with the piston in its bore. Do you suppose your engine man had this information at hand?

John Oder

Wild idea. Is there anything vacuum related plumbed into back part of intake manifold that could be drawing oil that would reach the rear cylinders before the front.

G'day Pat,
A beautiful bride and a beautiful Packard to be sure. I'd like to add my to those who have already done so.

And Tom,
Good to share the load on the Owner Registry,

Quote:


Too late, he's already been hounded!

Page 109 of the reprinted 7th through 12th series service letters goes into exquisite detail on fitting aluminum pistons - such as when properly fitted, ringless, a .0015" thick full length feeler can be withdrawn with thumb and forefinger and a similar feeler .002" thick cannot with the piston in its bore.

That advice is only relevant when installing original, thermo-strut type pistons. If your rebuilder installed cast pistons like Egge you must follow the clearance recommendations of the piston maker. You didn't state which model you have but cast pistons are the only choice I know of for the Eight (3-3/16 bore).

You could drop the pan and make check to see if the piston expansion slots are ont he correct side (though even Packard recommended both ways at different times) and if the squirt holes in the rods are aligned differently in the rear cylinders, but I suspect you're in for a teardown to find the reason.

What style oil rings did you install, one piece or multiple-rail? The latter generally are better but given the multiple components I suppose some could be installed incorrectly. Can we assume you measured and fitted the rings for correct end-gap? Cylinders bored to oversize or just honed and original pistons installed? More information on the engine work would sure be helpful for us to diagnose.

Hi all,

I am overwhelmed with the speed of replies and dept of your collective know-how!

I am a 'nuts and bolts' man, talk of ring clearences and such matters are akin to asking me to fix a nuclear reactor with a vice-grip and sledge-hammer!

The motor ran fine for the last year, all plugs a good colour ( or as you may wrongly spell 'color'!). Never used any oil. All parts were ordered by my engine builder from JD in Max Merritt in Franklin Ind., he seems to know his stuff. This particular problem manifested itself yesterday. I was on a long run, driving easy when I stopped at traffic lights. I drove away and 'Holy Blue Smoke, Batman!'.
Same thing again today, if the motor idles for a short while, it smokes like a trooper driving away. It is also dripping out oil from the vacuum drain tube on the inlet manifold.

I have been thinking hard about this problem, there has to be a connection between the 4 plugs oiling up together suddenly. Cracked block, camshaft problem or something that links them. Yes, there are various vacuum take offs on this side of the manifold, could oil be sucked back up into the manifold?

Keep the answers coming Boys and Girls, a bottle of old Irish whiskey for the winning answer!

Pat.

Oh by the way its a '34 Club Sedan 1101 Standard 8.

Can't speak for your car but later ones had a dual chamber fuel pump with a vacuum portion. Sometimes that diaphragm would rupture and allow the manifold to suck oil.