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Monday 13th August 2012

Wade was doing some housekeeping when I arrived during which he had discovered a lower radiator tube to fit Noel's 356! It was attached to a radiator I think Harvey had "donated". Anyway after a session on the wire wheel to knock off the dirt and crust a session in the new blasting cabinet gave it a nicely finished look. And why was Wade housekeeping? 1) To better organise the available space, 2) To remove the grill shell and shutters from Big Red's radiator. The radiator is going to be cleaned and tested so when the engine returns from Tamworth it can all go back together. 3) To free up the stand the 320 crankcase is sitting in. The stand is going to Tamworth to hold Big Red's engine when it's ready for the trip home.

The engine crane was used to elevate Big Red's radiator and grill unit which was then separated into it's major component parts. A b#gger of a job with lots of bolts and screws holding shell to radiator frame. Then a fight to prise the grill shell off the radiator frame, it needs to come forward at the bottom then swing up so the top of the grill shell clears the neck of the radiator. During this there were 3 interruptions. 1) Arrival by UPS of a head gasket and manifold gaskets from Olson's Gaskets for Big Red. 2) Arrival of Noel bearing a '41 steering box and column, 2 double action fuel pumps and a spark plug wire loom. 3) Big Bad Barry bearing a '61 Ford Falcon radio for Wade to weave his magic on. Barry and wife Pam, besides having a couple of Packards also have a couple of Fords including the very original Falcon.

Visitors attended to, returned to the housekeeping with the 320 crankcase next. Engine crane lifted the crankcase up undid retaining bolts holding it to the Snapey built engine stand and dropped that down. Next removed the front engine mount and timing case. Then maneuvered the crane and crankcase and dropped the crankcase onto a pair of plastic milk crates. Milk vendors countrywide didn't realise what a boon these plastic crates were when they were introduced 30 odd years ago. Forget milk, they are perfect for storing parts and are stackable! Cleaned up the timing case and engine mount and these were parked with the 320 engine stand ready for a trip to Tamworth.

Turned then to the fuelpumps. One had an arm length of about 40mm from the flat of flange to the centre of the pump arm, while the others distance was 50mm. The ineffectual pump, that was being used, also has a distance of 50mm. Trial fits later the 50mm arm pump was plumped for but a trial pump test revealed little to no suction. Fortunately Noel had also provided a rebuild kit from Max for a double action pump so tear down commenced. As Wade removed components I cleaned them in the parts washer followed by a brake cleaner rinse and wire wheeling of specific components if required. Wade also commenced reassembling the pump. Reassembly will be completed tomorrow and the pump mounted on the 356 and tested. Although a bench test during assembly, hard to do with 2 bl**dy big springs to work against, looks positive.

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Mal, a couple of comments on the photo titled: "Just about ready to roar into life". Looks like that is a V-8 crankcase oil breather/filler cap; and, the fan blast tube that directs air into the breather cap (for enhanced crankcase ventilation) is missing. Just picking a couple of nits. Thanks for keeping us posted on all the activity at Wade's. Your blog is one of the things that makes this site so special.

(o[]o)

Quote:John,
Keep picking those nits! Noel is very much a stickler for correctness and I imagine, after he reads your comments, an earnest search will begin to locate and install the parts mentioned! However before we send Noel off, what are we looking for? I've included another pic of the filler cap to make sure it is NOT the correct item. Reason I'm doing so is that Big Red has the same filler cap so is it possible that they came on pre-war 356's also? Regarding the fan blast tube, the 356 was assembled from the parts supplied, and never having seen one would like to know what it looks like?

I enjoy writing the Blog which I try to make entertaining. That doesn't mean embellish the stories, just present them as best I can. Sometimes with a human element which isn't always present in the more nuts and bolts orientated threads. I didn't know I had any writing skills when I bought my first Packard a bit over 5 years ago and it's grown from there. I also write articles for PACA's magazine "The Packardian" and, of course, the ego feeds off this as well. It's a wonder my head hasn't exploded as it's swelled in size these last few years.!

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Mal,
I think what you have is the filler tube for a late-1940 or later, and the cap from a 39-early 40. The short filler tube, which I have on my car, doesn't provide as much ventilation as the longer one. And the cap was changed, too, to provide more ventilation in late 1940 or maybe later on 356s. Then the fan tube was added to blow more air that way.

I'm keeping my short tube and filler cap because it is correct for my early 40. But I have the longer one and updated cap as well.

I think the filler tube should be green, btw.

And your blog is the greatest. Restorers here have not learned that sharing their challenges and techniques actually builds great credibility and appreciation of their skills. It takes time to keep a blog, take pix, and share. But one result is tremendous goodwill toward your shop, and confidence in the value of the work you do there. What you're doing is entertaining all right, but also educational.

My Duchess blog is all about one car's misfortune to have ended up in the hands of a clueless mechanic. But one car doesn't have the variety of problems, though it may seem that way sometimes, that Wade tackles there. The pictures and explanations are well done. Both Packard clubs stopped restoration assistance in their publications long ago. That fact makes packardinfo.com even more valuable, much thanks to you and the usual suspects.
Joe

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Mal, in addition to Joe's post, here are a few shots showing the cap and tube as revised in 1941. A taller fill tube came first in trying to correct the problem of oil filter blocking air or creating turbulence and hindering air flow into the original cap and crankcase. Made another small change and then revised things again.

Finally settled on the tall tube and cap with large slot for air vent facing front to catch air blowing from fan. The horizontal air tube was added for 356's only and used on all those engines from the revision on.

The items were suggested to be retrofitted on the earlier engines as a help in preventing sticking valves.

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Quote:

Actually, the horizontal air tube was dropped for the 22nd/23rd series 356's. Not sure about the post-war Clippers.

Definitely used on the 47 and I'm also wondering about how long it stayed on later cars. I'll agree it was dropped sometime in that period so the phrase used from the revision on is in error. Believe I also remember a postwar bulletin with some of the same sticking valve issues. Perhaps dealers installed it again if they thought it would help. There is a photo on page 137 of the new 48-50 Packard book showing one installed on a 22nd series.

For what it's worth, the filler tube and cap were the ones on the car when I bought it. The engine was built in August, 1940 and this is the very first 160 they produced (#2001). Could it be that they used "left over" parts from 1940 models?

Not sure of the used leftover parts bit. Originally the cap and short tube was as Joe has on his car and shown in post #1213. They had some sticking valve issues and decided because of excess condensation the crankcase needed better ventilation.

They tried one thing and then another and in the final combination settled on the tall tube and slotted cap. The large slotted area facing forward allowed enough air capture on smaller engines. The 356 engine was different enough they also decided it needed the horizontal tube to direct air directly into the cap and force more flow from the fan when the car was stationary.

All this was done starting in mid 1941 and a suggestion was made to retro fit the earlier engines if the owners had noticed or complained about the issue. How many actually were retrofitted with the latest and complete package is a question. Whether the cap might have been changed later in life is another.

Tuesday 14th August 2012

First order of business today was finishing off the fuel pump for the 356. Necessitated some backtracking when it was realised one seal had been omitted during assembly. Extra parts come with the rebuild kits to cover a number of similar pumps so it wasn't readily apparent because there are always leftovers. Only when looking to discard one of the old diaphragms realised there was a seal on its shaft. Finally all bolted up and bench tested, bl**dy hard to do against the heavy springs but there was suction and the appropriate noises from both the fuel and vacuum sections of the pump. Bolted onto the 356 and......nothing! No suction, no noises appropriate, inappropriate or otherwise! Off with pump more checking against the 120 single action pump and the other double action pump. Measuring of levers, again, and measuring from pump mounting surface on block to fuel pump cam lobe, the 50mm length looked right. But it didn't work. Took the top off each pump section, fuel and vacuum, and checked valves and filters and all were correctly installed, but it still didn't work. Nothing to do but put it aside because Noel had said he had a line on a genuine '41 160 fuel pump! And speak of the devil, who should phone at that moment? Noel! He had been advised by the Flackmaster that the pic's I posted of the pump being rebuilt were of the wrong pump, it's an earlier pump probably for a 120! But it won't go completely to waste as Noel is going to use it in Fleurette, his '39 120. And it looks like with the other rebuilt pump I'll have a spare for my '41 120. Something about Schadenfreude?

That aside I then turned to what else, cleaning parts. A sparkplug wire loom/funnel(?), the steering box outer chassis plate and the battery access cover. Did the first two then a break for lunch. It was Wade's turn to provide lunch today, which consisted of beef and capsicum rissoles, beef sausages, sliced onions, sliced tomatoes, a capsicum cut into rings with an egg fried in its middle. All this BBQ'd by yours truely. Then served on hamburger rolls with sauces, spices and condiments of your choice and washed down with beer, Aussie white or red wine. Although one Aussie, moi, with type 2 diabetes quaffed diet Coke! If you're coming to Sydney, try and make it a Tuesday and come visit us at the workshop. Note 1) Bookings are essential to ensure catering is adequate for the numbers expected. 2) The menu varies from week to week as the person providing lunch usually chooses the type of food and method of cooking, but BBQ's are in the majority. Bon appetit!


After lunch returned to my parts cleaning, this time the battery access cover. But the blasting cabinet wasn't co-operating. Before lunch had cleaned up the sparkplug loom and steering box plate easily. After lunch it was insipid. My thought was that the media pickup tube was starved for "sand" so juggled the temporary pickup tube a number of times to better embed it in the "sand" hopper. Seemed to work a little better but performance quickly fell away. Called in Wade, to trouble shoot, repositioned the pickup tube again and still no joy. Then topped up the hopper with Barry's "sand" which had been replaced by Wade's "sand" last week. With a near to full hopper no possibility now of "sand" pickup starvation. Then I looked at the pressure gauge which had been registering in the vicinity of 80psi earlier to see it at about 20psi. Problem solved, turn the compressor back on! Turned out John had turned it off at the start of lunch thinking I'd finished with the blasting cabinet, I hadn't. Later in the afternoon John came and asked me if I'd now finished with the compressor, I had, and could he turn it off, he could!

With progress on the 356 again stalled turned to the '33 Super Eight sitting patiently under a cover under the carpark ramp outside. Wade removed the fuel pump, the sediment bowl of which contained about 1/2" of a very dark brown liquid which no longer resembled fuel in any way. Wade also removed the carburettor. Kits for both these components are on their way to address the woes of sitting for the last 6 years. Back inside took the top and bottom off the fuel pump and PONGO! the residue fuel in the pump section sure caught my attention! No such problem in the vacuum section, instead it had a problem of it's own, oil, obviously the diaphragm had leaked! At least now Wade can say he's started on the '33!

Quote:Joe,

Shhhhh! I hope Noel didn't read that! As I said he's a stickler for correctness. Are you trying to give me more to paint? But it must have struck Noel's stickler nerve as it elicited a post! Well done Noel, keep 'em coming.

Besides Joe I'd like to thank Howard and Dave for their inputs. And of course John for this "...the fan blast tube that directs air into the breather cap (for enhanced crankcase ventilation) is missing...". I said I didn't know what it was. But I now remember it had been in another thread a fair while ago but had faded from memory. It certainly elicited some great responses,

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