Hello and welcome to Packard Motor Car Information! If you're new here, please register for a free account.  
Login
Username:

Password:

Remember me



Lost Password?

Register now!
FAQ's
Main Menu
Recent Forum Topics
Who is Online
297 user(s) are online (207 user(s) are browsing Forums)

Members: 2
Guests: 295

dallas, Ross, more...
Helping out...
PackardInfo is a free resource for Packard Owners that is completely supported by user donations. If you can help out, that would be great!

Donate via PayPal
Video Content
Visit PackardInfo.com YouTube Playlist

Donate via PayPal




On the search for 54
#1
Home away from home
Home away from home

Ross
See User information
Just tore down a customer's '54 359. At 91K it is no surprise that it has already had rings and the top grooves had been fitted with ring spacers. Well those rings are now breaking up into bits and have been doing their best to exit via the top of the piston. One nugget of ring has carved a nice notch in the #1 cylinder wall.

Needless to say I am on the search for oversize 359 pistons. All ideas on that front are warmly welcomed. I am sort of expecting to have to have them made.

Posted on: 2019/4/1 13:51
 Top  Print   
 


Re: On the search for 54
#2
Forum Ambassador
Forum Ambassador

HH56
See User information
Can't help on the pistons but am curious about this situation if there is a need for special pistons being made because I doubt those would be cheap. What would be cheaper or most reliable -- sleeving back to standard assuming 359 pistons are available at all or the specially made pistons.

Posted on: 2019/4/1 14:07
Howard
 Top  Print   
 


Re: On the search for 54
#3
Home away from home
Home away from home

RogerDetroit
See User information
Hello Ross:

If it comes to new pistons, then you should try Diamond in suburban Detroit.diamondracing.net/products/custom-pistons.php

My brother uses them routinely for motorcycle restorations. Says the pistons come out like jewelry - so nice you almost don't want to install them. Diamond gets you all the parts: piston, wristpins, keepers and rings.

He guesses that for the 359 you would be looking at $1,200 or so based on what he pays for 4-cylinder motorcycle engines. The call is free to find out.

Hope this works out for you.

--Roger--

Posted on: 2019/4/1 14:19
-

1941 Model 160 Convertible Sedan
[url=https://packardinfo.com/xoops/html/modules/registry
 Top  Print   
 


Re: On the search for 54
#4
Home away from home
Home away from home

Packard Don
See User information
Sleeving the cylinder would do the job without the need for custom pistons and is (or was when I last did it) quite reasonable. When working on my 1952's 327, I saw cracks and those were repaired by a mobile service that came to my storage yard to do the work which was done with the engine installed. The same shop had previously sleeved my 1954's 359 back in the '80 in their facility and it still runs well today. Of course, sleeve only the cylinders that actually need it but I would encourage checking for cracks first as they are often not visible to the eye and typically run to one or more of the valves.

Posted on: 2019/4/1 15:02
 Top  Print   
 


Re: On the search for 54
#5
Home away from home
Home away from home

John
See User information
How about making this a project blog?? Be interesting to see it come a part and go back together.

Posted on: 2019/4/1 15:59
 Top  Print   
 


Re: On the search for 54
#6
Home away from home
Home away from home

Ross
See User information
As of the phone calls I made today, there are no 359 pistons of any size available. The old ones are absolutely unusable so sleeving back to standard is a moot point. Thanks, Rodger for the tip on the custom made pistons. Will check on them tomorrow and begin talking the owner down from the parapet of the bridge.

Posted on: 2019/4/1 20:52
 Top  Print   
 


Re: On the search for 54
#7
Home away from home
Home away from home

Packard Don
See User information
Did you check Egge? They still had them the last I looked a few months ago.

Posted on: 2019/4/1 21:03
 Top  Print   
 









- The following Google Ad-Sense Advert helps fund the cost of providing this free resource -
- Logged in users will not see these. Please Join and Donate to help support the website -
Search
Recent Photos
Photo of the Day
Recent Registry
Upcoming Events
46th Annual Texas Packard Meet
04/03/2025 - 04/06/2025
Packard Salon - Calling All Twelves
05/27/2025 - 05/29/2025
58th Annual National Meet
05/31/2025 - 06/06/2025
AACA Fall Meet (Hershey)
10/06/2025 - 10/10/2025
South Pacific Packard Club 2026 Rally
03/22/2026 - 03/28/2026
Website Comments or Questions?? Click Here Copyright 2006-2024, PackardInfo.com All Rights Reserved