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

As I understood the clunker program, you could turn in your car for cash and they would pulverize it. I do not think that the authorities can confiscate a car but I do know that in many states a car that fails inspection is denied the right to drive until it is fixed and that is as it should be. If any car violates inspection then it should not be driven for the good of all.

from symptoms presented it seems clear that a $5k rebuild is unnecessary and will not solve the problem. It appears that the car is loading up with gas at idle and smoking on acceleration. Carb or ignition work is simple and cheap.

If a shop wants to rebuild your engine drive away as fast as you can in my opinion.

My '54 smokes on acceleration when I haven't been driving it awhile (several weeks). After I drive it a bit, then it doesn't smoke anymore. For sure thicker oil solved a lot of the blowby issues I was having. I am running 15-40.

@fredkanter those were my thoughts exactly! Haha it seems to only smoke after idling... The longer I sit the heavier the smoke.... And when coming to a standard stop sign and accelerating no smoke. My first thoughts were carb and spark. I noticed my car was backfiring at around 65mph. Which is why I switched from autolites to m8's. And problem stopped. I will seek the comfort of my friends at California Carburator tomorrow. Hopefully they can set me straight on the carb. I also spoke with Santa Ana's finest today... And got some options worst case scenario. if I remember correctly, a wet test should confirm ring issues right? I still have my compression readings, if compression is the same with a bit of oil in the chamber, shouldn't that confirm bad rings? Sorry guys, It's been a while since auto class 😩

Oh! And I didn't have any oil saturation on my plugs, when I pulled them 😐

If the compression comes up with a little oil in the cylinder, it means a valve is leaking.... John

The rings seal against the cylinder wall, the addition of a bit of oil which is viscous helps the seal as the viscous oil will prevent most of teh air from leaking by the rings.

Oil put into cylinder = increased compression = leaky rings


Oil put into cyl = little change = rings OK

The valves are distant from the cyl bore and the oil neither reaches them nor affects them.

If compression is still well below norm with oil in cyl=
leaking valve or valves.

Backfiring at speed

1. Timing too far advanced
2. Lean mixture
3. Intake valve not seating quickly enough due to junk in the guide
4. Maybe it happened on July 4th???

[quote]
fredkanter wrote:
...The valves are distant from the cyl bore and the oil neither reaches them nor affects them...

Hi Fred, agree with all you posted except the above statement. Of course you are knowledge that on the straight-8 engines, the exhaust valves are directly under the spark plug holes. This makes it difficult to get oil into the cylinders to do a wet compression check. Just posting this for others who may not share your knowledge and experience. Also, this design prevents examination of the piston tops and cylinders as can be done with over head valve engines. Enjoying the Limo restoration project. Thanks.

(o[]o)

In my experience with flathead 6's and 8's I pour a "bit" (unmeasuered) of oil in each cylinder, the ones with open valves it probably goes into the manifold. The others it goes into the bore. When I take readings on all 8, if 3 or 4 increase significantly I know the engine needs rings at least on those cylinders. But you never put new rings in just 3 or 4 cylinders, it's clear that all rings need replacement or need to be bored and new piston/rings installed.

Likewise If i detect a few bad valves they all will be done.

Fred, I agree.

(o[]o)

Good you caught that Fred, my thinking was working backward....
John