Packard Forum Index » V-8 (1955-56)

Hello All,

I'm a bit stumped. Driving home on the highway yesterday, my 1955 Patrician made an awful noise, then I lost a cylinder. I limped home and took off the valve cover to find the washer on the top of one of the springs was broken through, and the spring was no longer attached to the valve. I can't find a breakdown of how the valve is fixed to the spring in my manual, and I don't even know what these various parts are called. Does anyone know what these are and where I could find new ones?

Many thanks,

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Here is the breakdown illustration.packardinfo.com/xoops/html/modules/parts ... &PlateNumber=28&partslist=1955-1956

You can drop to the bottom of the page and locate the group number to see it is called a valve spring seat. Click on that group number and a page will appear giving the actual part number. You will see there is a different number for intake and exhaust and are only used on 55-6 models.

If Kanter, Max Merritt or maybe Joel at Patrician Industries does not have them new then used are certainly available either from one of them or possibly someone on the forum will have an old head where a couple could be removed.

I can't tell if the whole seat cracked or if only the retainers pulled inside. If it is an intake valve seat and since you have a 55 it may have been an original seat which was found to be weak. Packard issued a bulletin to that effect and announced a harder seat. If the rest are like that you may want to change others and if used are all that is available try to find them from a late or hopefully already changed 56 model.

Packard had a procedure and special tool developed to change the seats without removing the head. The article starts on page 28 of this service counselor.packardinfo.com/xoops/html/downloads/SC/SC-VOL29NO5.pdf Perhaps you could find or make a similar tool.

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I don't know the availability situation today for the replacement hardened spring seats but I had no problem buying an NOS set a couple of years ago.

Be sure to locate both of the keepers (I see what looks like one below the spring) and all the other bits and pieces of metal. Otherwise they may cause future damage.

Many old Packard V8s have a sixty-five-year-old rattlesnake living under the hood. It will bite the owner sooner or later.

The valve spring retainers were too soft and eventually will pull the keeper through and drop the valve into the cylinder. Hard running makes it happen sooner. Slow driving makes it happen in 2020.

You'll have to change the other fifteen retainers, as they'll do the same thing eventually. It can be done without pulling the head on the side which didn't fail.

jack vines

P.S.- I did learn something from reading the Service Bulletin; that Packard was installing the hardened retainers only on the intake valves and using up the soft junk on the exhausts. I mean, a retainer is a five cent item; cheaping out on a part which if it fails can destroy an engine.

Wonder if they ever used up the old stock and began using hardened retainers on exhausts as well.

We have these retainers in stock if you are interested. I would ask that you please call our Packard department and ask to be connected with Charod. He would be more than happy to provide with pricing and information.

Thanks
James From
Kanter Auto Products

Hi, James,

I just was on the website preparing to place a parts order and didn't see the valve spring retainers listed. Maybe they're there and I just overlooked them, but they didn't seem to be with the valves and springs.

jack vines

Good afternoon...You most likely have to do this the old fashioned way and call Charod on the telephone! They have many things that are not on the web site. Ernie in Arizona

Jack, i agree with u on the motors, when that motor came out in 55 it wasent perfected as well as Packard thout it was
but then again ,i have a few 55 fords and those motors are nothing brag about
Regards,joe

Hello Jack,

You will need to call Charod as these are not listed on the website at the current moment.

Thanks
James From
Kanter Auto Products