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At the swap meet I also picked up a gasket set from Olson's. We'll be pulling the head and cleaning that up. The exhaust manifold gasket will be replaced, if we have time. The water pump was a mess, so it's in for rebuilding at Automotive Friction in Damascus, OR, a family-owned business since 1978 of very friendly, knowledgeable people. They rebuild clutches, too, have hard-to-find vintage auto parts and a machine shop.

Also removing the water distribution tube. A new one is coming from Max Merrit.

I ordered a 6V alternator with a pulley from Antique Auto Battery in Ohio that will handle the new fan belt from John Ulrich. We couldn't get the fan belt on when it arrived last year, so we decided to wait. One reason was the center motor mount was trashed and dropped the engine about ?". A new was ordered from Sonya at Steele Rubber, together with new weather strip for the door.

The alternator will help keep the dual Optima batteries charged and make everything a little brighter than the generator, I am told. The photo is from my friend in Walnut Creek su8overdrive to show me how to attach it in place of the generator.

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The door is progressing to completion. The transplant on the inner door is complete.

The outer door skin has been rolled on an English wheel (Eastwood photo).

The fabrication of the door hinge has started.

Toward the end of the week, the door should be ready to take to Salem for fitting and tack welding, then returned to McKennett's Restorations and Reproduction to finish, before returning it to Tuan at Canyon Auto's paint shop.

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Next I have to strip the 1940 air cleaner. In the oil reservoir, the metallic gauze filter element is totally embedded in the sludge, which is like tar. I'm soaking it in gasoline, but it really doesn't want to budge.

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If the filter element is totally a mess perhaps it would be easier to replace it with commonly available copper gauze or mesh from Amazon and other places. Is your filter element all metal or is it part Kapok fiber?

It's all metal gauze, Howard. Original, I'm sure. The gauze looks just fine. The bottom of the filter frame holding the gauze is what's stuck in the black tar residue of the reservoir pan. I know it will come free when I work on it tonight. I was just amazed at how stuck it was, like it was put in with weatherstrip adhesive. So it isn't kaput or Kapok, yet.

Door is ready to pick up tomorrow morning for fitting. Gee, a solid door that will hang straight. No more little icy breeze on the back of my neck to keep me awake on those late night drives.

Note the door skin finish R&R achieved by butt welding the skin and metal finished, instead of crimping 2 pieces and filling. Hinge has been rebuilt to a full 1/4 thickness, also.

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It looks like I know what it's like to drive a Packard 110.

We're going to overhaul the engine. The exhaust valves are cracked. Why would they be cracked so badly?

Because I put ATF 4oz per 10 gal gas in fuel tank?
Because I occasionally put aviation fuel in the tank?
Because of unleaded fuel?
Because of ethanol?
My driving?

Jim Classen (rip), one of the most respected machinist-mechanics here, installed stainless seats 10 or 15 years ago. The valves came from Egge, but were purchased in '86. I can't check them with a magnet at the moment, but we're pretty sure the exhaust valves at least are stainless. I think Jim would have replaced them if they weren't when he did the seats.

But wow, they look so bad. What do I need to stop doing?

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A restricted exhaust is hard on exhaust valves and can cause some severe burning and warping. Some have had issues with a sticking or closed heat riser valve and others have reported restrictions in mufflers or a crushed spot in the tubing as contributing factors. There is usually some reported overheating and loss of power accompanying restricted exhaust issues so if your car didn't have either problem maybe not applicable -- but still could be worth a look see.

A major underlying cause of burned exhaust valves such as you picture is often the failure of the valve and seat to form a good seal, thus allowing a large volume of very hot exhaust gases to rush at high velocity past the weak point in the sealing perimeter. The split is the result of the erosive action of the gases.

Lots of secondary issues to consider; lean mixtures, steady diet of high speeds, width of valve seat and margin on valve edge, guide wear, stem wear, back pressure, tappet clearances, etc.

I don't understand why folks add all kinds of "stuff" to their gasoline but I doubt that had anything to do with your situation.

Thanks, Howard,
We'll check that the heat riser is working and that the exhaust isn't restricted. My Kepich muffler did this on a backfire. A non-stock was installed. It may be more restrictive, but this one was in the longest.
Very loud bang when it went. I may have posted these pix earlier.

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