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Good Evening Mal...Our 23 series ran hot when we purchased it. Flushing out the engine on both sides and removing a freeze plug on the left side and using a power washer can be really helpful. We found that we had a bad head gasket, although it did not look like it until we took the head off to see what was going on. New gasket definitely helped. We also found out that the distributor had weak springs that did not get the advance up to where it should be. We also moved the vacuum advance line from the bottom of the carburetor to a port on the intake manifold to allow the rebuilt distributor to advance a bit quicker in slow traffic. We also found a five bladed fan that moved more air than the four blade fan that the old girl came with. I have also known cars that had their radiators painted with paint that inhibited the heat transfer. We also found that our car had a restrictive incorrect muffler and a slightly smaller diameter tail pipe than is optimum. The muffler should be of the straight through design. We ended up using a 36 inch long 3.5 inch glass pack muffler. The sound from the engine seems to be about the same The 23 series will run cool, but everything must be right. Good Thoughts! Ernie

Seems like you need one of Peter Packard's special reverse radiator flushes. Can assure you - it works great!

Hi Mal, when I had my super Clipper, it ran hot as well. I borrowed a Fluke thermal imaging gun, and I discovered that the thermostat had failed in the closed position (wouldn't open). A new thermostat solved that issue.

Ernie, Thanks for the wealth of information.

Noel, I'm seriously considering that. But with Peter away in NZ for the Destination Warbirds Rally, not likely to happen for a while.

Lyndon, Online, I've ordered a "cheap" infrared thermometer. Will give that go to discover how hot is hot.

Mal, regarding Ernie's discussion on connecting the distributor vacuum chamber line from a ported outlet in the carburetor to a fitting on the intake manifold.

The full manifold vacuum at idle is what does the trick by fully advancing the vacuum chamber's timing. An advanced ignition timing seems to allow the engine to run cooler at idle. We know that a retarded ignition timing will contribute to higher temperature, especially at idle. Connecting the line to the manifold will not affect how the chamber advances and retards the timing once the engine speed is up.

I do this job by setting the timing at specified idle speed with the line disconnected and plugged. Reconnecting the line will speed up the engine. I then reset the engine idle speed and mixture when the line is reconnected. I have found that the engines run just as smoothly or even better with this arrangement, and they run cooler at idle.

I have a pet complaint calling them vacuum advances. They are a modulator device activated by increasing and decreasing vacuum.

Give it a try, you can always go back to the old set-up. JWL

"...one of Peter Packard's special reverse radiator flushes"

There are YouTube videos of this, but couldn't find one quickly. Instead, here's a series of photo's when my '38 Eight received this "procedure" about 10 years ago. Uses exhaust gas pressure from another vehicle, in this instance a BIG Daimler, to push the coolant through the system in an "explosive" action. Also done to a couple of Packards in the carpark of the host motel at the National Rally a few years later, a '36 120B and a '19 Twin Six. In the last picture you can see the Flackmaster in the far background. He was the "tap attendant" and, at a signal from Peter Packard, he'd turn the water on or off. Notice too, that a Clipper was used to provide the exhaust gas pressure for the "procedure". Although very messy, it is nevertheless very effective. And it's done both ways, a number of times, so all rust, gunk, sediment, etc is removed.

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Are both the radiator hoses disconnected from the engine? Looks like awful messy work. Did this solve the overheating issues, or just a temporary fix?

Thanks

How is the "water" for flushing introduced into the system??

The very few times I've done radiator flushing, I've done it using a flushing gun as below using water and bursts of compressed air. I did the block and radiator separately to avoid getting debris from the block getting forced into the radiator tubes. Results were good. This type of flushing gun is not uncommonly seen at antique car flea markets.

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Saturday 24th March, 2018

After cleaning the Packard, refilled the front shocks with the left taking 5mls and the right 20mls. Also refilled the radiator, took about 1.25litres, then did a 21kms, 13 miles, round trip to take in a market day. Was about 20C = 68F with the gauge staying at just over half. Tomorrow intend to do a 160kms, 100 miles, round trip to take in the Goulburn Swap Meet, but I won't be there for the 6:00am start time! Temperature in Goulburn is expected to be about 27C = 80F. Now have infrared thermometer, a cheap one off eBay, but it should give a reasonable indication of what and where it's hot.

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