Packard Forum Index » V-8 (1955-56)

Owen gives excellent advice in post #30 above. Pending firther inspection i see nothing to indicate a complete overhaul.

If the oil pump checks out ok then probably just continue on with it. My comment about the oem Packard V8 pump being of poor design is a rather relative comment. Relative in the sense that we are dealing with a PACKARD and not somekind of a utility grade vehicle like a jeep or chevy. But the pump should be inspected before any final decision is made.

Dip stick clearence:

Look at the top of the float. Does there appear to be any etching where something mite have been touching it????

Engine upside down on engine stand. Put oil pan on engine. Run dipstick into dipstick tube and feel/hear for tip of dipstick hitting float.

OR

Place dip stick in oil pan. put dum-dum on tip of dip stick. Set assembly on engine. push dip stick in. remove oil pan to see if dum-dum is flattened out or it's original shape compromised in any way.

If it hits the float cut about 1/4 or 1/2 inch from end of di stick.

No evidence of contact between the dip stick and oil float, but there is some on the tube going between the pump and block. I should be able to just bend that tube out of the way a little bit.


I used some plastigage on three of the main caps. #1,2,3 all checked out at 0.0015 plus or minus 0.0002. Manual says clearance is 0.0005 - 0.0025 so I should be okay?

I'll check #4 and #5 when I pull the oil pump for it's inspection.

More to come.

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based on the pics and the measurements u took it all looks pretty good to me. Mite want to check one of the rod bearings NEARSET the front of the engine. Front of engine is furthest away from oil pump. If there is going to be any problems it will usualy occur furthest away from oil pump.

IF u remove any of the shell bearings (shouldn't have to) then look at the back side of the shell bearing and record any names/numbers on the back side of the bearing.

NOTE that the rod bearings usualy take a heavier beating than main bearings. Just ONE will do.

***** Interesting that the CENTER main bearing measures the same as the front 2 mains. There has been some reports of excessive cebter main bearing wear on the V8's. *******

As a side note:
the 0.0015" clearence on the mains is exactly hallf way between the lower and upper limits. That's about as perfect as it gets even on a very hi dollar custom built engine where price is no object.

U'll often hear alot of arm chair or HRM engine builders brag about how tite their engine is built. " OOOOOHHH that's a tite, real tite engine i built." THeir full of shit as a christmaAs turkey. Follow them around to the nearest coffee shop and it won't start when they come out after breakfast until it's had a couple of hours to cool off.

Your .0015" is as good as it gets.

When u're done with the bearings and the pump is out then just look up into the cylinders to inspect the cylinder walls and pistons without removing the rods/pistons. This of course assumes u are not removing the heads.

Don't be alarmed if there is some slight scoring or if the bore has what appears to be a kind of microscopic sponge texture appearence to it.

Minor vs worrysome scoring is not something easy to describe. Of course there is always blatantly obvious scoring that is real deep. Look at pistons for cracks or other peculiar maladies.

THus far it sounds like u have pretty good engine.

Took the oil pump off and started to check clearances per the repair manual. I think this one is No Good. Gear to Housing clearance more than 0.010. Manual states max of 0.005. Shaft also appears to have quite a bit of movement.

I sent Mr. Vines a message about the Olds kit.

I'll hopefully have some time tomorrow to check a rod bearing or two and also inspect the cylinders as PackardV8 suggested. I sure appreciate all of the help and advise.

Removed one of the exhaust manifolds to clean it up in the blaster. Found one of the mounting holes has been damaged. Looks broken off but not cracked. I'm thinking about trying to build it up with weld metal and re-drilling the hole. I've had some success welding cast manifolds in the past, but it's always a crap shoot.

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I assume an arc welder will be used to repair. Heat the area with a torch, not cherry red tho. Just get it hot enuf short of color change and then apply the arc welder. Note that the arc welder will make for a hard fill and maybde difficult to drill. Use a carbon rod or sha[ped block to fill / sculpt the hole to redure drilling/filing to finsih.

But like u say it's always a crap shoot. Sometimes it works just fine other times not.

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That's the technique I've used before when welding castings. Preheat is critical and you can't let it cool too fast.