Packard Forum Index » V-8 (1955-56)

My freshly rebuilt engine(352)came without a flywheel, can my manual flywheel be swapped on or is this engine externally balanced, necessitating additional work ?
Also, the oil pump appears to be rebuilt. Should I just run it or trade up to an Olds pump conversion. You can see in the attached photo that the top appears to have an extended bushing so maybe it has had the "treatment". The block has a late 1955 casting date(June) if that maters.
Thanks in advance for your expertise!

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64avanti Quote:

IMO, absolutely no question about it. Get the Olds oil pump conversion. It's 100% certain to provide proper oil delivery whereas various "fixes" on the original Packard pump are questionable. Why take a chance? There's probably over 100 Olds pump conversions out there. Those guys can drive their cars.

Craig

U ought to be able to swap flywheels with no problem. I've done it across a variety of engines. This "engine REbalancing" we often hear of is just alot of bullshit. UNLESS some massive internal changes were made to the engine such as using custom made stroker crankshafts or other wild custom engine parts then balancing can become an issue.

Note that since u're using a clutch then need to determine what u'll need for the end of the crank to accomodate the trans input shaft pilot bearing.

Is that a cast line, or a crack in the picture?

I can't tell from the picture if the pump was bushed or not. Is there any movement side to side on the shaft?

Good eyes, I think it is a crack.

(o{}o)

Well, the freshly rebuilt pump is NOT cracked, it is a casting line you see. Whew.
& V8, thanks for the info, the engine must be internally balanced unlike Pontiac V8s that are externally balanced & flywheels cannot be swapped so easily. PM sent.
This engine will likely get an Olds pump & the heads are getting dropped off for hardened seats & new valve springs.
Then it's rattle can time

The Packard V8 uses a ball bearing in the end of the crankshaft for a manual transmission pilot.

This bearing is becoming rare and expensive. The last I bought were $25 each and going up each time. One guy with some NOS was asking $50.

While I do install hardened exhaust valve seats in all the Packard V8s I rebuild, they are only necessary if one is contemplating a lot of highway miles.

Most hobby Packards don't get enough continuous highway driving miles to require hardened exhaust seats.

Do check your valve spring retainers with a file. A '55 probably has the early soft retainers and a file will cut an edge easily. The later hardened retainers will cause a file to skate and not cut easily. The hard retainers are a must for any rebuild.

Your opinions and results may vary.

jack vines

Agree with Jack completely about the valve seats. Currently all my cars are more than 50 years old and are driven at all times and speeds. Valve recession is not a problem.

As an example, my 63 Lark convertible, six and automatic. If there was ever an engine that had to work hard for a living, its this poor little thing hauling that heavy convertible around. 93K miles with no end in sight. Has been from MD to CO and back and keeps up with traffic in the Baltimore area. Head does not seem to have ever been off, and certainly not in the last 40K I have driven it.

Ross Quote:

Not trying to be too argumentative, but if you haven't removed the head for inspection, how do you know you don't have exhaust valve seat recession?

On my 55 Pat, prior to hardened valve seat fix, the engine was still running smoothly and a compression test was OK (not really up to spec, but acceptable). But, it turned out the exhaust valve seats were pounded down over 0.100IN and the exhaust valve face edges were razor thin. The only clue was that the exhaust note sounded "flat", not healthy. I don't know how long it would have gone before one of those exhaust valve edges broke off dropping nasty metal parts down into the cylinder.

Craig