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Hi guys I'm trying to get some info.
My 1940 120 has always ran warm since I got her. Now that summer is here the problem is a lot worse. I can only drive her about 3 miles till she pegged out full hot. I've flushed the radiator but it didn't do much good. I blew out the radiator from the engine side and got a lot of dust out. My next step is to pull the lower radiator hose and try to take a look see in the bottom of the radiator and into the water pump.
I had a guy tell me I might have to change out the "Water Distribution Tube" behind the water pump. I see Kanter has them for $171.00. Can anyone here give me some insight into the problem and a possible solution?
Once hot it seems like theres not enough air getting thru the radiator. While driving it tends to cool slightly but if I have to stop at a stop light it pegs again. The fan belt is not slipping and there are no leaks. Has a standard 4 bladed fan.
Replacing that water distribution tube sounds like a real pain. I guess its long and would have to come out through the grill. Im not looking forward to removing the front half of the car.

Sure didn't get many replies on this one.
Update I took it to my local radiator shop - He boiled out the block and radiator. Told me lots came out. It was 96 degrees here today and on the way home it still went as high as 3/4 hot. I wanted to keep it as original as possible, but after noticing how little air movement the old 4 blade fan is putting out I have decided to go with a new 5 bladed flex fan. Ill keep the old one, maybe the next owner will want a winter car.

RedRon, I don't think the temp gauge reading was unusual for driving in 96 degrees heat. The rad flush was probably the main problem. I have found that filling the rad with water + Waterwetter instead of the 50:50 antifreeze/ water mix really helped lower the temperature in my 47. Just have to remember to change it before the snow flies up here. I would be interested in knowing how the flex fan works to lower the temperature also. The water distribution tube is a pain to remove as you know but it is essential to keeping the coolant evenly distributed along that long block.

I just want to add a little emphasis to Clipper47's comments about the distribution tube. It's purpose is to direct cool water flow, and most importantly to the hotest part of the engine, the exhaust valve seats. If it becomes filled with sludge and crap, a possible result is a cracked block, often between the exhaust valve seat and the cylinder. By all means despite the pain, remove it and clean or replace it.

Clipper47 - I've never heard of water wetter. Can you suggest a product by name. It never snows here so that problem is eliminated. Im going to do and log some temp tests today so I can tell exactly how much difference the flex fan makes. I really wanted to keep it stock but I also want to enjoy it too. I've missed almost half the summer fixing a broken valve spring and waiting on parts and tools. It will never have a Chevy engine as long as I own it. Nothing is more disappointing than to see a beautiful old classic car with a modern drive train. The fan is easy to change out so maybe Ill just install it during the hot season here. You change your fluid and Ill change my fan. Our normal outside temp here from June to October runs between 90 and 105 degrees.
Ill keep everyone updated on my results.

RedRon, perhaps one reason you didn't get much of a response is that overheating queries are so common that there really isn't any new ground to explore, so the same responses have been given over and over and over again. Perhaps some just get tired of repeating the same old info for those who don't search first.

That said, let me just reiterate some of the overheating culprits again. Retarded timing, blown headgasket, cracket head or block, excessive water pump impeller clearance or broken impeller, faulty thermostat, collapsed or soft radiator hoses, clogged water distribution tube, inadequate radiator flow rate (clogged), excessive scale build-up on water jackets, excessive bent or broken fins on radiator, or obstructed air flow, collapsed muffler internals and/or undersize tail pipe or exhaust pipe. In perhaps 75% of times it will be either a leaking headgasket or bad radiator.

Have you run the engine hot with the thermostat open and checked for gas bubbles in the top radiator tank (blown gasket or cracked head or block). Or you can use a sniffer and check for carbon monoxide. Have you checked the flow rate of the radiator - should be in the vicinity of 25-28 gallons per minute gravity flow.

RedRon, The product I use is WaterWetter. It is a Redline product. There are several others but this is the most common I think. It is not a panacea to fix any of the problems listed by "Owen" but it does seem to keep my Packard running a few degrees cooler in summer weather. The temperature range where I live varies between 90 to -45 so I have quite a range to contend with! Keep us posted on the flex fan experiments and remember that the best engine your car can have is the one Packard put in the car.

Sorry Owen
I'm new here and not a master of the computer either. Your reasoning makes since. Ill play with the search engine here and try to figure it out.
I spoke with the radiator shop guy and he tells me he super washed the block several times, and said the water distribution tube had to be clean when he was finished. Ill keep a close eye on everything for awhile. I did find a company that makes 6 Volt 10 bladed electric push fans. I could mount it in front of the radiator and keep the old fan. Thereby keep it looking original. The area between the grill and the radiator is almost impossible to see into.
Thanks for the info and for responding. Who says old dogs can't learn new tricks?
Ron

RedRon -

Just keep in mind that this is an all-volunteer site, independent and unfunded by any club - one that charges nothing for access. Meanwhile, I've seen questions posed to more than one formal club that go effectively unanswered.

Though PackardInfo.com hasn't even seen it's second birthday (yet), the count of registered members is coming up on the 300 milestone in this rapidly growing online community. While not every one of those members participates in the Forums, many of those who do still have to work for a living (but I don't think any of us are sworn to any "sundown rule" here).

As such, it may take time to get an answer to any given question - just like it takes some people time to respond to an e-mail inquiry. The benefit of this site over e-mail is that more people will see your question in a public forum. That increases the likelihood that you'll get an answer, but there are no guarantees.

I'm not defending or criticizing anyone - just explaining the situation.

I agree with what Brian just said, and to add to that the summer is always the slowest time of the year for the website. With the good weather, people are out enjoying their Packards, and taking vacations. So you may see a delay in getting responses to questions as the person with the answer may be out driving their Packard around the country.

I have always noticed that activity trails off during the summer months, but as soon as fall and winter start rolling and people put there cars aways for the summer (well I hear they do that in other parts of the country, but that is completely foriegn to me living in So. Calif) then you will see that people will be spending more time.

Also as others have pointed out that the overheating question is something that is asked pretty often, so if you do a search you will find several theads discussing possible causes and how to fix them.

I am intrestested in what you find out what eventually fixes your overheating issue, as living in So Calif, the summer heat, mixed with bumper to bumper traffic is not something I want my Packard overheating in when I get it all running again.

On that note, I was thinking of adding at some point to the website a general troubleshooting section. In that we could list the probably causes and fixes for common problems (such as overheating). If any one would like to help out with putting something like that together, then please let me know.

Also Brian, don't forget "8 in a row"