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This disease is ridiculous.........I'm looking at purchasing my second Packard, 1953 Mayfair Hardtop....the owner says it runs hot, and the radiator has been re-cored. I am having it delivered as opposed to driving it back. This was the response I got from the current owner when I asked about it running hot:

7 hours is a pretty long drive for the car. It’s been running a little hotter than usual the past few years. The radiator has been re-cored, but that didn’t seem to help. It may need to have the timing adjusted. Some of my Packard friends have told me that it should be set at 6 degrees before top-dead-center, but my mechanic set it at 10 degrees because that seemed to be the sweet spot for best running. The overdrive has been inoperable for a while, and so running it much over 50 has it running at a higher RPM, which of course puts an additional strain on the engine.

I'm trying to get ahead so when it gets here I can tackle the over-heating and the OD issue. I've attached a file, she's a beauty!!

[PROCESSING IMAGE.... PLEASE WAIT]

The mechanic may be correct, in that a little more spark lead may keep engine temperature down. As miles accumulate, the timing chain and distributor drive gear will wear some, which will let the distributor run a little behind the crankshaft. Adding a few degrees to the factory spec will offset the wear. Assuming the radiator is the correct one for the car and is not clogged, the water distributing tube in the block may need replaced. (Or the temperature gauge may be defective, or the thermostat may be defective or missing, or there may be a water pump issue, or the distributor advance mechanism and/or the vacuum advance unit may be out of order, to mention a few more possibilities) It's possible that the rebuilt radiator was put back in the car without flushing the engine block water jacket and heater core. If that is the case, debris from the engine may have fouled the rebuilt radiator. ....or maybe the fan belt is loose....?

If the OD has been inoperable for a while and the over heating issue has been getting worse of the past few years, it sounds like maintenance issues to me. TXGoat covered the likely culprits.

TXGoat
I hadn't considered that my timing may not be exactly what I think it is because of a worn chain or distributor gear. Right now I have my car timed to 6 degrees, but maybe it's only 4, or who knows. How can a person determine if things are lining up and timing marks are indeed accurate?

Engine manual gives the timing chain spec. 1/2" deflection usually.

Distributor specs in the rebuild section for off the car inspections like radial play. On the car just move the point away from the cam and see how much rotational play is in the shaft.

Uh, if the timing light flashes when 6 degrees is under the pointer then the plug is firing at 6 degrees. The distributor might be in a slightly different position than when the car was new because of the timing chain, etc. The strobe does not know or care about any of that.

That said, I have found that the Packard straight eights do love a fresh timing chain as it brings the valve timing back into spec. My old 200 cooled down quite a bit when I tossed in a new chain while attending to a front seal leak. And they start better.

10 degrees is a lot of advance for one of those engines; since the compression is already high for a flathead, it makes them harsh and usually hard to start as they begin to push back against the starter with that much advance. If that is the "sweet spot" it is so likely because the vac advance is not working. That will leave the ignition retarded through most of the working range which makes a lot of heat.

Before most any other work get the overdrive to work as that will reduce the revs.: get a wiring diagram and work backwards from the relay on the firewall to the governor. Remember that the overdrive control system activates by grounding. The governor provides a ground to turn everything on when speed is reached. Ground at each component, each connection, listening for the click of the solenoid on the trans. You will soon find out which component is not working.

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That is not necessarily accurate; it depends. The higher RPM (within limits), by itself, does not means more strain on the engine. Usually, higher RPM and speed, if anything, reduces the engine temp because you are ventilating the radiator and circulating the coolant better.

First order of business, when you get the car, is make sure that the system is not clogged. Specifically, check the block drain etc. In my car (non Packard) a wrong thermostat was also installed by the PO, so the car would take forever to warm-up and then overheat

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I have a friend with a Model T that for some reason always wants to try and start it with the advance lever down a bit (on a T, down = more advanced). Predictably, the starter goes rrrRRRrrrr....rrrrRRRRrrrr.... as it can barely get past TDC since it's firing too early. Meanwhile I can set the advance all the way up and start it with just one good pull on the starter handle, no kickback at all.

Good idea on the vacuum advance.

And a new timing chain is only Packard-$51.egge.com/product/timing-chain-94/

If your engine kicks back against the starter, usually when the engine is warmed up, you have too much initial spark advance. It's still possible, even with a little too much initial advance, to have late timing at higher engine speeds, if the distributor is not functioning correctly. As for Model Ts, advancing the spark a few notches when hand cranking ON MAGNETO will often make starting easier. When starting on battery, the lever should always be at full retard. This assumes that the car is in good condition and all linkages are properly adjusted. (Many are not) Too much spark advance when cranking a Model T can break your arm, or damage your starter, so proceed with caution and double check the various control settings before cranking the car. A Model T will often start simply by turning the ignition key to the battery position, so always be sure the parking brake/clutch lever is pulled all the way back before attempting to start the car, lest it run over you!

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You don't say...

Yes, I always verify by eye that the advance is all the way up immediately before I pull the crank. As for linkage adjustment, who knows, I've never checked it and have no service manual. The car has other minor problems like having to run with the choke half out, and having worse steering control than a 15 y/o ride-on mower.