Packard Forum Index » V-8 (1955-56)

Getting to the front seal on the Clipper today, it started leaking after replacing the old vibration dampener that let loose. (Best day ever!)
Of course the oil filter return loops around the water manifold...How "quaint".
Jack sent me a felt seal that might just do the trick but I suspect that Packard would have considered this if it held up long term? Rope seals are a bit of a pain and only seal so well but I see an offering on Ebay for a rubber seal and thought some of you here may have experianced them?

ebay.com/itm/New-1955-1956-Packard-Stude ... h=item592b424c65:g:vh4AAOSwrqhcp9Oy

Actually, this car is for sale so I needent loose too much sleep over this but I really like to do things right the first time...

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My machinist went with a similar Neoprene seal as the ebay item on my 56 and have had no issues. One word of caution is be extremely careful pressing the seal or knurled retainer (if that is kept) into the pot metal timing cover. Going in a bit crooked or with some extra pressure and the casting can develop a crack on the seal seat which if large enough will lessen tension on the metal seal housing enough to allow the entire seal or retainer to spin. Some can be saved from rotating by a small sheetmetal screw or two thru the casting and seal retainer but if a bad crack, the casting will need to be replaced.

My experiences with the factory graphited cord front seal have been totally satisfactory, never an issue or a drip.

Egge sells that.

The original rope are beefier. Have no problem with them.

The newer ones yes. Questionable.

Going with neoprene seems to have worked ok on last engine.

Random thoughts on front oil seals:

Their job is made much more difficult by an old engine with poor ring seal. Crankcase pressure is the #1 cause of front seal leakage. We find in many of the oil pumps we rebuild the vacuum pump is not functioning and/or the road draft tube is plugged. Often the tube and fittings from the bottom of the block to the windshield wiper are plugged.

Anytime the front damper is removed, have the keyway magnaflux checked for cracks. About one in three is cracked

Before reinstalling the damper, put it on a lathe and polish the seal surface.

jack vines

As Jack suggests, I always clean up the seal surface with a little 600 grit paper. If they are really bed, speedy sleeve!
Fortunately, it never comes to that.
NAPA had a gear puller big enough :)

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Just be aware that the jaws on that Napa puller are not exactly what Packard used. Believe the J5992-1 adapter has jaws that reach well behind the edges of the damper to grab the solid hub portion of the assy. Too small a reach and the pull is only on the outer half of the damper. Several instances of pulling at the outer half and the old vulcanized rubber which holds the two parts of the damper together being torn or damaged allowing the pieces to separate either then or worse, in use have been reported.

Back together & dry
Interestingly enough, the front cover already had a rubber seal in it that I had nicked when replacing the dampener last summer.R&R'ed it with a new one.
Now to run last Fall's gas out of it tomorrow.