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Thanks Home away from home,

Will check that out tomorrow morning, its 10 to 12 midnight here now.

Pat.

Vacuum booster diaphram on the fuel pump sounds like a possible candidate, especially as the engine has just barely enough fore-to-aft pitch to keep the oil at the rearward cylinders. Oil coming out of the intake manifold gas drain tube tends to confirm that the intake manifold is filling with oil, rather than oil getting past the rings.

PS - love your car. I have a 34 1100 (sedan) and have owned and driven it extensively for 45+ years, there's not much I haven't been into doing routine work, though it's reliability has been exemplary. Had a major engine job at 90,000 miles, did a valve & ring job and one rod bearing at about 50,000. Other than that it's been pretty carefree driving. Best of luck with yours and here's hoping the solution to your problem is simple.

Hi,
If the Vacuum booster diaphram is punctured would it still pump petrol?
The petrol pump is on my list of suspects. I have installed a backup pump already in case of any trouble. My Packard is on full time wedding duty, it has done 85 weddings this year alone. I really love my Packard, and hope to havwe it fo rmany years to come.
Bit of a fan of American cars, I also own a 1932 DK8 Dodge Brothers, a 1927 Buick Master and a new Chrysler 300c.
Pat.

They should be two totally separate systems operated by a common lever, so you would still be running. If the gas (petrol) diaphragm ruptured, the symptom is gas in the crankcase and probably stop running depending on how big the hole but wouldn't be seen on the vacuum side. The new gas formulations over here do a job on the old rubber so any rebuild kit you get, make sure it is new modern materials if you have the same stuff there.

Good morning all,

Thank you for your reply,HH56. I will be looking into the 'petrol pump possibility' this morning. Do you think its possible for engine oil to be drawn into the inlet manifold through the vacuum line?

You could remove the tube or hose between pump and manifold and wipe a tissue or something inside the ends. Any oil at all and pump would need a thorough check. I'll let O-D answer as to whether your car could suck oil as I don't know enough about where/how your pump attaches/actuates but on the later cars with it low and in the front absolutely can happen--not directly out of cankcase but there is a significant amount of splash etc so droplets get caught in the air flow and pulled in..

The dual action pump is on the non-manifold (driver) side of the engine, centered front to back, and is mounted several inches above the oil pan. It's actuated by a horizontal pushrod from the camshaft which is on the far side of the engine. I've not personally experienced the situation where the vacuum diaphram has a rupture and allows oil to be drawn into the intake, but I'd not rule it out as a possibility. The vacuum line from the intake manifold is attached on the rear portion of the manifold and runs horizontally behind the engine block to the approximate location of the starter motor where the connections are made to the brake booster, Bijur lubricator, wipers, and the connection to the booster pump. I'd disconnect the line at the booster pump and plug it off with a golf tee or similar and see if the problem clears up.

Pump kits are readily available, it's an AC #494 pump.

Hi,

Looks like the petrol pump is the culpit! Blanked the vacuum pipe off, ran the motor for quite a while and hey presto! No oiling! Will know more tomorrow, have a 50 mile drive with a newly married couple, I wont share my concerns with them!

One word of warning, do not drive the car with the vacuum pipe removed from the inlet manifold, there are no brakes whatsoever! Come to a very dramatic stop at the end of my hill. The handbake is very effective!

Thanks all,

One word of warning, do not drive the car with the vacuum pipe removed from the inlet manifold, there are no brakes whatsoever! Come to a very dramatic stop at the end of my hill.

Glad you have apparently found the problem, but what you said above can't be the case!!! By breaking the vacuum line you've disabled the booster but you still have the standard mechanical brakes without power assist, you just have to push a bit harder. If in fact you can't stop the car with the pedal and w/o the booster but you can with the parking brake, you've got some serious problem because all the parking brake does is activate the same system of levers and cables as the foot brake (yes, the parking brake functions on all 4 wheels).

The brakes on these cars (Bendix 14 inch servo) should be nothing short of spectacular. If you have problems after you reconnect the vacuum line and suspect the booster system, consider examining the diaphram in the brake selector (on the dash, determines how much boost you want to apply) and the brake actuating valve under the floor boards. The original diaphrams were of paper construction and mine still worked OK after 70 years but I did replace them with new neoprene ones available from Classic & Exotic. You might also check the brake booster cylinder itself to see it it's capable of holding a vacuum. And while you're under there, check the steel cable from the booster cylinder to the brake linkage - it runs thru a pulley which if not lubricated will sieze and chafe the cable to the point where it will stretch and subsequently break!

I did a few weddings many years back but no longer do, it's a violation of my historic vehicle registration, to be legal here it would require special "car for hire" registration. I just won't take the risk of having an accident and having my insurance denied and sued for all I have. Hope you're legal and proper with those items.

Good evening,

I do agree that the brakes are surprisingly good. I have locked up all 4 wheels on occasion. I will look into the situation re. what you discussed, in the coming weeks. The Packard is off the road for c. 6 weeks for its yearly check over.
My Packard, along with my other cars, are fully insured, tested and licensed for public hire, in fact they must pass the same test as modern cars ( with some small exceptions)to be allowed to ply for hire