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Kev - I watched closely when the valve covers were off and both intake and exhaust valves seemed to move normally. No evidence of space between the valve and lifter. However I haven't watched it while just cranking. Here's a video that shows it while running:


Someone suggested maybe one of the lifters isn't fully collapsing and keeping one of the valves from fully closing. I'm hoping that I can see evidence of that by looking inside the combustion chamber.

Is it hydraulic lifters vs. solid lifters? Also, you can look at the values more closely by using a bump switch on the solenoid and see if the valves on the problem cylinder move down as much as the other valves. Perhaps there is carbon buildup or something that prevents a valve from seating all the way.

It's hydraulic lifters. I tried getting in there with the borescope last night and it's too tight of a turn through the spark plug hole. I can't see the valves at all.

We may need to pull the rear cover again and watch/measure the #8 valves while bumping the starter.

Morticus has been enjoying the car and tackling projects as time allows. He replaced a leaking master cylinder and just finished rebuilding the original carb. Brakes seem to working very well now, and the rebuilt carb has made a big difference. Still dealing with the collapsed lifter ticking and dead cylinder #8, which we hope to address sometime this spring.

Two things have come up:
1.) The transmission doesn't want to kick down into torque converter when flooring the gas. I believe it's an adjustment on the linkage, which we will need to research and learn how to do.
2.) The new fuel tank has unfortunately developed a leak at the threaded bung for the fuel line. We've been chasing a leak in the area for a while and initially thought it was due to bad threads/bad flare. But then it became apparent that the bung was twisting in either direction about 1/4". I put in an email to Auto City Classics to see if this was a warranty problem but haven't heard back. Now we are looking at dropping the tank and either braising the bung or doing silver solder.


-Kevin

Could be the linkage adjustment but don't forget on original Ultras there is no downshift as such because for normal driving trans starts and stays in high range. If car is below a certain speed it drops out of direct drive into high range converter for the extra burst of speed but that feature is locked out if going over 45-50 mph. Manual says if going over 50 but after so many years that given speed can be different due to linkage adj, different tires, speedo gear, etc etc.

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The early Ultramatics are different from the later years, like '54? His 52' was allowing the kick-down out of direct drive before, I assume under 40mph. But it is not working now, after the carb rebuild. My assumption is the carb linkage needs to be adjusted. It does still drop out of direct drive once under 10mph.

Quote:

What speed does it go into direct when accelerating during normal driving? If it's pretty low, then your throttle pressure is set too low. In other words at full throttle the trans thinks you are only at part throttle and doesn't kick down. At part throttle the trans thinks you are coasting, and upshifts early.

For the linkage, just look which way the lever on the trans goes when you twist the throttle up on the carb. Adjust the linkage so it's more in that direction to begin with.

Edit: there were some ultramatic changes in 53 (IIRC) but nothing too significant in this regard.

Here is a bit from the 52 manual. Depending on throttle position they usually go into DD at approx 20 mph and when coming to a stop, should drop out at about 11 to avoid killing the engine. There are articles in early 50s service counselors where they made changes to how to adjust the linkage. IIRC, Ross also had a few posts on how to set initial linkage positions adequately without having access to the special positioning gauges Packard used.

Thanks both of you. The car goes into direct drive MUCH sooner than my '54. Mine shifts at about 35 which I believe is normal. His '52 shifts at 15-20mph.

HPH, that helps. We'll mess around with that setting and see what we get. Are you saying adjust the throttle linkage or the linkage at the trans?

Howard, I'll look around for Ross's posts on this. The manual talks about using the positioning gauges which we don't have.

Yeah just sounds like low throttle pressure. I don’t know what to adjust specifically, on the V8’s you just had a linkage from the gas to the carb and then a linkage connected to that that ran back to the trans. Should be pretty easy to figure out with inspection.

P.S. 35 MPH may actually be too high on yours, but I’m not sure.

Edit: assuming the 35 figure is at normal traffic driving, it sounds perfectly fine. I had in my mind the 1956 "light throttle" direct drive engagement speed of around 25 MPH.