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Re: What kind of Engine Upgrades/Mods?
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Home away from home
 
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You could mill or use a 288 head to bump the compression some, but you have to be wary of valve clearance.
I wanted to soup mine up like crazy, but then someone on here said "i've never been in a packard street race..." Made me realize that i'd enjoy it more and have less issues keeping it stock, and rodding out a different car.
Posted on: 2011/4/11 23:14
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Re: What kind of Engine Upgrades/Mods?
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Home away from home
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These engines respond nicely to porting, that is cleaning all the extra lumps, ridges, and nascent stalagtites out of the ports and intake runners. The sharp edges of the little pockets the valves sit in on the block can be knocked off also. You already have a head that gives 8:1 compression, I'd probably leave that alone lest the engine get fussy.
My experience with 2 bbl vs 4 bbl is that the 2bbl has a more dramatic tip in feel, tho the 4 bbl will give you more at the top end and generally better mileage. Try to find a 54 camshaft driven gear to get the 54 valve timing or have your shop make a step key for your existing gear to bump the cam forward to the 54 spec. Be sure to have the valve guides carefully checked. These engines almost always need exhaust guides. Have your distributor checked over; it almost certainly needs to be rebushed. In general cars with Ultramatic need to have good low speed torque to feel responsive on takeoff. Engines with weak rings and a lot of blowby have lost a lot of that low speed torque and can feel really doggy.
Posted on: 2011/4/12 6:07
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Re: What kind of Engine Upgrades/Mods?
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Ross, that is exactly what my engine felt like the first few times I drove it and when it was still smoking like hell. It felt sluggish and couldn't get out of it's own way on initial acceleration. I thought that was just how the Ultramatic was. But on the last two drives I made in the Clipper, the smoke suddenly stopped, and now the car feels completely different. Responsive right off the line, and right up to speed. I guess those stuck rings finally found their rightful homes.
Posted on: 2011/4/12 11:26
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-BigKev
1954 Packard Clipper Deluxe Touring Sedan -> Registry | Project Blog 1937 Packard 115-C Convertible Coupe -> Registry | Project Blog |
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Re: What kind of Engine Upgrades/Mods?
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Home away from home
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This is very interesting. Can you tell us how much driving was required, how many miles, short or long trips? Did you use any Marvel Mystery Oil or other tricks?
Posted on: 2011/4/12 17:41
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Re: What kind of Engine Upgrades/Mods?
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Home away from home
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You will probably find that the rebuild gives you all the power you want. No kidding. Old flathead engines can be in an advanced state of wear and still seem to start and drive normally with no taps, knocks, or bangs or other bad behavior. Except they get slower and more sluggish. When you restore the original power it can be surprising how powerful they feel.
It is possible to hop up the engine but most hop up procedures increase top speed, they do not show up in normal driving in fact may reduce low speed performance. Best idea is to keep it stock or do the cam and head milling tricks already mentioned and let it go at that. You will be surprised by the new found pep of just a stock rebuild.
Posted on: 2011/4/12 17:51
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Re: What kind of Engine Upgrades/Mods?
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Well the motor was stuck when I got it (rings stuck to cylinder walls). ATF soaking in the cylinders and a breaker bar got it free. But it smoked out the tailpipe, and blew smoke out the road draft tube like crazy on acceleration. On Jim's advice: I ran it with a couple of quarts of ATF in place of oil. Just through multiple warmup up cycles. No driving. Oil came as black as coal when changed. Then a couple cans of Motor-craft cleaner went down the carb with it running. Lots of crap came out of the tail pipe. So I think that got a lot of the buildup out. I think the longer drives at higher speed was the last push it needed to free up the rings and get them to reseat.
Posted on: 2011/4/12 22:07
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-BigKev
1954 Packard Clipper Deluxe Touring Sedan -> Registry | Project Blog 1937 Packard 115-C Convertible Coupe -> Registry | Project Blog |
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Re: What kind of Engine Upgrades/Mods?
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Home away from home
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Thanks that is good to know. Can you tell us how many miles you drove before the rings came free?
Posted on: 2011/4/13 19:11
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Re: What kind of Engine Upgrades/Mods?
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Since I got the car.... less that 50 driven miles. But, lots of warmup cycles in the garage.
Posted on: 2011/4/13 19:26
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-BigKev
1954 Packard Clipper Deluxe Touring Sedan -> Registry | Project Blog 1937 Packard 115-C Convertible Coupe -> Registry | Project Blog |
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