Packard Forum Index » Post-War (1946-54)

When rebuilding an engine and adjusting the valve lash, what is the proper spacing and additionally does one have to readjust the lash after the engine has started? I have heard in the past that if you set the cold / to a certain setting then when the engine heats up and the predictable we're in that one does not have to readjust the valves. I am asking because the engine is about to leave the machinist and I want to make sure that we have those adjusted correctly.

Any ASAP help would be most appreciated!!!

Bill

For those 1948 Packards with solid lifters Packard's specifications call for adjusting the lifters with the engine hot; 0.007" for intake and 0.010" for exhaust. With a fresh rebuild you'll want to give them an approximate adjustment and then do the final adjustment hot after the engine is installed and running. For a cold adjustment, adding about 0.003" to the hot clearances should be adequate.

Owen thanks for the quick reply.

So if I understand this correctly, we should adjust the valve/solid lifter adjustment (cold/engine not yet started) to .010 for the intake valve and .013 for the exhaust valve???

It sure seems like it would be difficult to adjust the valves with the engine hot because the valve/lifter covers are below the intake and exhaust manifolds. Can this adjustment be done from under the car or does one need to lean over the passenger side fender to get to it?

Per the service manual- jack up and remove the right front tire, remove the inner fender, valve cover, and adjust.

Thanks so much

Yes, as Ken says - adjust the valves from below. Very difficult to adjust the valves with the engine running as per the manual. I would warm up the engine, adjust one cylinder, run it again to restore temperature and adjust the next cylinder, repeat until done. This will give you the warm engine for the proper settings and it will be much easier without the engine running. The middle cylinders are difficult to adjust even with a non-running engine. I prefer a go-no go gauge for setting the valves.

(o{}o)