Packard Forum Index » V-8 (1955-56)

Getting my to do list ready; couple of cooling system questions.

Last spring (right after I got the car) had my packard cooling system flushed and pronounced to be in good health by a qualified mechanic.

Not satisfied, because it overheats. Two major instances: did a parade in 95 degree weather and watched with growing terror as the heat gauge just kept going up and away. Speed was mostly taking foot off brake and letting the idle move the car (at a snail's pace), After several miles the temp guage was at 1 o'clock and the car ran rough. gently eased it onto a through road and drove 25-35 for a couple of miles, which calmed it down pretty much.

next incident: got caught in a road construction parking lot on the highway for 45 minutes in 85/90 degree sunshine and watched the same scenario repeat.

Otherwise, on the highway or around town car runs cool and gauge pretty much just moves enough to let you know its hooked up.

Coolant looks fine and does not leak at all. After 2000 miles last summer nothing needs to be added.

What are your thoughts on this? Does it fell right to you? What would you do?

Car is a Patrician with 73,000 miles which looks real...

The car in front of me got hotter than normal, but the owner was focused on the parade and did not notice the heat so much..... Of course he had two models in his car....

thanks!

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Fortunately, I have not experienced anything to that extent but it sure does sound like not enough air flow is being pulled thru the radiator by the fan. With the increase in speed the ram effect is keeping it cool.

I know others have mentioned Packards not having a shroud lets the fan pull air from directly in front of fan, but not necessarily thru the radiator. Since they didn't have problems new, wonder if any of the radiator cores have been blocked off in front of the fan area either with sediment or by a shop fixing leaks with the resulting reduced capacity?

One thing to try if there is a next time is roll down the windows & turn the heater on full blast. While you suffer, the added air flow thru an additional radiator of sorts may help. I drove home about 100 miles that way when a thermostat stuck barely open on a car. The engine temp stayed higher than normal with the heater going but not where it had been.

Myself and another owner of another 56 Carib had about the most severe test of cooling systems with the V8s that we'd expect here in the northeaast enroute to Gettysburg this past year. Ninety-degrees, stuck in the hot sun on blacktop for about 2 hours on a closed Interstate due to an accident. Both cars got hot, temp gauges moving to about the 3/4 position or a bit more - we were both concerned about boiling over or vapor lock but luckily had no problems. I run a 180 degree thermostat which puts the gauge a abit short of midpoint - and had checked with a laboratory thermometer to verify the temp. Other than flushing with a garden hose, my radiator has never been serviced and the engine is a 90,000 mile original. To me, that was a real testament to how adequate these cooling systems can be. Maybe we were just lucky.

I guess you've already checked the usual culprits? Retarded ignition timing, restricted exhaust, dragging brakes, slipping fan belt, poor waterpump, too much paint on the radiator fins, and the like.

As anyone who was there can attest, the rest of the week at Gettysburg didn't get any cooler - I think the coolest day was 96; surprising but overheating problems were almost non-existant, and only 1 case of vapor luck that I recall.

I can second what O-D said about Gettysburg. I did not observe any Packards overheating but my modern car (2003 Ford Windstar) sure did. I used the heater trick and took the temperature out of the red line.

I had the radiator recored, installed a new water pump and system flush on my '53 in 2007. The coolant still looks good and haven't lost much since. I have had the same experience as Pat under similar conditions but it hasn't overheated. Temp will rise to 3/4 on the gauge but drop down to 1/2 after a few miles of good air flow. If you have checked the usual suspects that O-D recommended (thermostat included), and they look good, I'd leave it alone.

Patgreen;
Did the radiator boil???? Did it puke coolant out of the radiator cap or thru the overflow hose onto the ground?????

Just about ANY production factory engine ELECTRIC temp gauge is not reliable.

If u're not sure. Install a MECHANICAL or bourdon tube type temperatir gauge. I'm using a 2-5/8 diameter SunPro gauge. Not top of the line gauge but not a cheap no-name gauge either. IT's about $30 if i remeber rite.

I guess you've already checked the usual culprits? Retarded ignition timing, restricted exhaust, dragging brakes, slipping fan belt, poor waterpump, too much paint on the radiator fins, and the like.

As far as I can tell none of the above are players. Couldn't do the heater trick because I had two seniors in the car that were dying of heat. Someone gave us cold bottled water towards the end; to say it was appreciated.....

Both cars have wires; we got a chuckle from the enthusiastic person who told us he had never seen such realistic wheel covers.....


Did the radiator boil???? Did it puke coolant out of the radiator cap or thru the overflow hose onto the ground?????

No, no fluid loss. FWIW it has a new radiator cap.

Here's mine mounted in the clock hole or a 56. EZ!

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What dashboard? Does the A/C give you heat problems? Thinking of adding one....

No heat problems at all. But i cheated. I mounted a NEW Ford truck radiator bout at AAP for about $120. It fits just fine but is a little trickly to remove and replace due to it's size.
I'm Tennessee and 95++ degrees with 90% humidity is very common here.