Packard Forum Index » Pre-War (1899-1942)

Hello
Hope to get some advice from forum users regarding suppliers of engine rebuild kit for the above.

Is there any credible alternative to Kanters deluxe kit? Their website is a bit unwieldly with ridiculous questions about air cond and manual/power steering! Doesn't give you the ability to specify new tolerances required etc...i.e. 40 over pistons, 20 over mains.

Called them and found they were more keen to get my credit card details than anything else. Despite current ad in Hemmings specifying availabilty of head studs and acorn nuts the reality was somewhat different. May well have just encountered someone having a bad day however would appreciate any advice on alternate suppliers.
Am in Australia so want to get it right and not have to send anything back across the ocean.

Thanks and regards
Peter Wakem

Egge Machine in southern California, Terrel Machine in DeLeon, Texas, have good, helpful reputations. You should be able to Google contact info. Max Merritt in Greenfield, Indiana, outside Indianapolis, was always a square shooter.
Steve at Just Packards, Napa, CA 1 (707) 254-2046 has probably done as many One Twenty engines well as anyone since 1955. Call him, he'll know. Tell him a black '47 Super Clipper in Walnut Creek, CA referred you.

BTW, skip the chromed acorn head nuts. Those are tacky and for the birds. Packard, Chrysler and some others may've so fitted the odd show car engine, so to this day you get monkey see/monkey do. You've got a nifty little car as is.

Remember to set the valves a trace loose, .007/.009 and .010/.012 intake and exhaust go/no go gauge, so you can still hear a trace of tappet sound. When Packard instructed .007 and .010, every good-sized city had a Packard dealer/garage, labor was cheap, and inaudible idle was a the mark of refinement. Better a trace of tappet clicking than a burnt valve.

Don't listen to the old wives' tales---use chrome rings. They'll seat.

Remove and inspect or replace your water distribution tube, reproductions are available if needed.
When your block's being machined, make certain you have it boiled out and flush the hell out of it.

Retorque the head warm, assuming iron head, after a few miles, then again after a couple hundred more, once more at a thousand.

In the day, checking head and manifold torque was part of a complete tune up.

Make certain your manifold heat control valve is free, not frozen. Lube the shaft with a mixture of kerosene and graphite. The graphite will remain.

Remember to reinstall the Bakelite spacer under your carburetor.

I've a feeling one or more of our Down Under Packardites can also guide you.

G'day Peter,
to PackardInfo, another Aussie!

We totally rebuilt my '41 120 engine using parts from Max Merritt with great success, had everything needed for the job. See this Project Blog. Don't know which page(of the 119 to date) the engine rebuild begins on, but we started pulling it down in December 2009 so that'll narrow it down somewhat for you. Since the rebuild have put thousands of miles on it including the 2010 Packard National Rally to Kangaroo Island, which was well over 2,000 miles in itself.

Also have to ask, could you please include your '36 120B Business Coupe in the Packard Owner's Registry here on PackardInfo?

Now, donning my other hat, I'm Secretary of the Packard Automobile Club of Australia Inc(PACA) and invite you to join us with your Packard. Give me a call on 0423 171 170, send me a PM here or Email ozstatman AT SIGN com.au. And where in NSW are you? Would be good to say G'day in person and see your '36 Coupe in the metal if possible.

I would like to apologize for your experience that you had with our online ordering system. Our website is designed to cater to many makes, models and year span of vehicles, so pertinent information (such as with or without A/C, Power Steering vs. non etc) is all the information that is needed to accurately fill a consumers order, as some vehicles it makes a difference on what parts need to be supplied. We rely on this information to quickly code your order and fill. If we left this information out it would then require an additional email or phone to the customer that in turn will delay their order. We ask these questions as they are important in certain makes and not to be a nuisance. It may not apply to your exact vehicle so it is just a simple matter of typing in yes or no. As for requiring undersized or oversized components we ask that you select the item that you are in need of and in the comments/notes section place the required sizing that is needed. This is the format that our webmaster has setup currently.
Advertisements in Hemmings are required generally two months in advance by the publisher. So if the ad runs in July I have to have it ready by the 1st of May. We try to keep all of the items in stock that we advertise but we cannot for see an over influx on a particular item ordered. But I am surprised as I checked with the Packard Department and the studs and acorn nuts are in stock. So I do apologize if the wrong information was relayed to you. Do you have the name of the individual that you spoke to? We take issues of this nature seriously and I would like to correct it on our end.

Thanks
James From
Kanter Marketing Supervisor
1-800526-1096
Ext 316
jfrom@kanter.com

Appreciate very much advice given and response from James from Kanter.

Peter,
for including your '36 One Twenty Business Coupe in the Registry.

Hello from Vashon Island in Washington I just read your blog site, learned a great deal. Do need some help and new to the Packardinfo site, I have a 1941 120 Convert Coupe, Restored a few years back, did a little engine work, rings and a couple of valves, then all the tune up stuff from carb to oil pump. Here is my question, I just checked my compression, car has been sitting a while, anyway, 50lbs on most cylinders, and 25-35 on 8 and 1.. Im thinking about rebuilding the engine, but I really want to do it in the car, we are on an Island and it would be difficult to get it bored and honed. any recommendations?? think I could mike it and replace with standard size pistons and bearings?? open for lots of advice..

G'day Vashon41,
to PackardInfo, but before addressing your query a couple of other matters. One - it would be best if our Webmaster BigKev took your post and any replies to it out of this thread and created a separate thread. BigKev, Can you accommodate this please? Two - I invite you to include your '41 120 Convertible Coupe in the Packard Owner's Registry here on PackardInfo!

Because the car "has been sitting a while" a likely cause of the lack of compression is sticking valves. The valve stems and maybe the valve faces, if they have been open, could be rusted or gunked up. Initially, just remove the valve covers and check the valves are closing fully. If that checks OK then go from there. Others may be able to offer further advice as you get into specifics as they occur.

Thank you. I'm looking for some photos to post and register. I'm hoping its just a valve issue

Thank you. I'm looking for some photos to post and register. I'm hoping its just a valve issue