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

No, of course it can't force it to turn. The purpose is to fracture the rust or corrosive forces which are bonding the two parts.

A nice basic tool to have is an impact screwdriver. You get the best of both motions-- the shock to the screw when you hit the screwdriver with the hammer and at the same time the turing motion. Decent ones are available for $20-30.

No, the screw won't turn.

What you are doing is jarring the screw. The jarring effect helps to break the screw loose from what is holding it and keeping it from turning, usually rust. Make sure the screwdriver head correctly fills the slot in the screw head you are attempting to loosen. If it slips out of the slot it could cause injury to the person attempting the procedure or damage to the vehicle you're working on. After a couple of good hard whacks, then use the screwdriver by itself. Gripping it very firmly and pressing against the screw, this can help to break the screw loose. Once initially loosened, the screw should then come out relatively easily.

Oh, and repeat if necessary.

EDIT - Beaten to the punch!

Not quite that simple. Corrosion in steel is complicated by the expansion of the two metals. Iron oxide, takes more room than just iron. The sharp rap with the hammer/screw driver jars the corrosion (compresses the iron oxide in the threads). Several sharp raps may be all that is necessary. if it still doesn't break free, then penetrating fluid will at least have an easier path to work against the corrosion. Heat works the same way, metals expand and then contract again when cooled. The "rust" gets compressed in the process. Any or some combination of the three will get the job done without damage to hardware. (A co2 bottle fire extinguisher will do the same thing in reverse. Everything shrinks when super cooled....just messier to clean up. Co2 will do a quick chill on your beer though.....)

Lisle Tool markets a nice impact screwdriver. However, the penetrating oil test is very interesting. I always liked Liquid Wrench and the numbers are good for the product.

I tried PB Blaster on a sticky door hinge and the results were poor.

I recently heard about the Acetone/ATF mix and think I will try it given it can be mixed for an oil can. The friction modifiers in the ATF are probably at work.

I'll take a nut, bolt, and washers over to the tooling shop heat them cherry red and put them under the hood of my car for awhile. I'll torque the setup to 100 lbft. I have a torque wrench that goes to 600 lbft.

However, I never took old Packards apart without soaking them in penetrating oil and letting them sit.

I have freed up everything on the 4 GC, EXCEPT, one of the throttle valve bodies is stuck, not rusted, but stuck. I have used PB blaster, and Kroil , I have used a heat gun to warm up the parts.

What would keep the stem from turning? I have used a hammer and can not get it to budge. The front stem is moving easy, the back one is just stuck. If I could move it open, I could get the valves out and maybe tap out the stem. I took the screws out, but I don't want to force it.

Any suggestions.

ATF/Acetone mix? I'm a big fan and use it often. One caveat, make sure it's NOT SYNTHETIC ATF. It won't work at all. Must be old school like "Type F" or old Dexron. Another trick that's too cool for school, candle wax. Take a small torch and heat the offending fastener, dab the candle wax to it and it's almost like magic. I have some straight paraffin wax bars and it doesn't work as well as candle "bones" do (the old clumps that Mrs "Packard owner" usually throws away). My wife saves the run off for me for just that use. Try it some time but, as usual, BE CAREFUL WITH OPEN FLAME.