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First time inspecting the pan oil screen in my 1936 super 8. Got the cover off ok but can't seem to get the screen out. It is loose and wobbly but I don't want to force anything without understanding just how it is supposed to come out. I was able to turn it slightly by hand as if it was meant to be unscrewed but then it met a lot of resistance and I immediately stopped. Luckily, it doesn't appear to have any sludge buildup at least on the half inch of screen bottom I can see without removing it. If there is no sludge on the screen when I finally get it off, should I drop the pan for a thorough inspection anyway? Bad things often happen when one tries to fix things that aren't broken and dropping the pan unnecessarily might be one of them. Suggestions from those who know?

Glen

With some 130 reviews and no replies to my question about the oil screen and dropping the oil pan, I have decided to not try to get the screen off for fear of damaging something. Also not going to drop the pan for further inspection even though the old oil was dark before I drained it. The reason is the bottom pickup part of the screen is clean and free of any sludge. The screen cover and the hollow in the pan drain nut only had a thin coating of sludge with no metal chips. The car has a reproduction oil filter can with a modern spin-on filter inside and that will be changed with a new one. Was really hoping someone more knowledgeable than me would have replied with some advice.

Glen

Tim Cole is one of those who could have answered your question with authority, not sure how he missed it as he's posting regularly. I thought about responding but it's just been to many years to trust my memory.

My faint recollection is that the pump intake screen is a snug friction fit on the pump body, certainly NOT screwed on. And I don't recall that it will fit out of the opening after the access plate has been removed, I seem to recall dropping the pan to remove the screen. I could be wrong, but that's what this old memory is telling me.

That your access plate is free of sludge doesn't necessarily mean that the oil pan is as clean elsewhere. There is constant movement of the oil at the pump intake and sludge buildup would be mitigated by that. Elsewhere in the pan the oil is more static and sludge will eventually accumulate.

Ggg

Crin, If I understood the initial post correctly, the OP was inquiring about the oil pump intake screen, not the crankcase breather screen.

Ggg

Actually, I'm not really sure because it has been a long time. The part number for that screen changed in 1934. Prior to that the screen had to come out to access the oil pressure relief valve, but with 1934 they introduced pressure and flow regulation so that was no longer necessary.

Still, there is no indication in the parts book that the screen will not pull out by carefully using a 90 degree pick on either side.

Cleaning that thing is part of annual maintenance when the car was new.

Tim Cole,
Thanks for your reply. I was able to pry off the oil screen with picks as you suggested and it is perfectly clean. Just a thin layer of sludge on the inside bottom of the screen cap. With a finger into the oil plug hole, I found a tube shaped object lying loose in the bottom of the pan, about 3/4" in diameter and some 3" long. Can't tell if it's attached to anything. Using a boroscope, it looks like the object might be an oil pickup tube as it appears to have a screen around it but is difficult to tell. If it's a screen, it looks completely clogged. Can you tell me what that object is and why it would be unattached on the bottom of the pan?

I appreciate any input you can give.

Glen

I removed the oil pressure unit on the side of the pan which is in line with and close to the oil drain plug. It seems the loose tube I described above is attached to the oil sending unit, although I don't understand how it works.

Based on the fact a boroscope shows the pan to be free of sludge as far as the scope will go into the pan and the oil pickup screen is clean plus the fact I was sent the wrong oil pan gasket set, I have decided to not drop the pan but to put the new screw-on filter in the reproduction oil filter can, fill with new oil and start her up. Just hope I have not messed up anything in the oil sending unit and that the gauge will show proper oil pressure when I crank up the engine. I guess the proper procedure would be to disconnect the coil wire, turn off the fuel pump and crank the engine for a minute or so to get the oil filter and the repro can it is mounted in full of oil before firing the engine. I'm running blind here with no Packard experience and hope there would have been more input from knowledgeable Packard folks on this forum.

Is there another Packard forum a newbie like me should be using for these kinds of questions instead of this one?

Glen

No need to disconnect the coil wire to crank the engine without starting, just depress the starter button without turning on the ignition key.

This is probably the most active forum for Packard material but you might also consult the forum of The Packard Club, and the Packard section of the AACA forums. Also, as your Packard is a CCCA Classic, there is a forum for CCCA on the AACA forums. But again, this is probably the most active of all those.