Packard Forum Index » Project Blogs

Well, here goes the start of my blog about my challenge.
Back around 1989 I happened to find this 326-264 sedan which had had an amateur restoration in California.



It is a certified Earl C. Anthony car...at least it has the plate.



I took it to Salado one year and had a bit of fun since it is not a show car.




(That's me in my 1928 Sutro Baths bathing suit)

Well, eventually I determined it has a crack in the block that needed to be fixed, so out came the engine and after a 2 year stint at a local machine shop, I actually videotaped it running in a test stand.
Fast forward a couple of years...
I religiously turned the engine over monthly and even started it about a year ago.
Two years ago I was about to install it when I realized that the steering box needed attention. It took 2 hand to turn the steering wheel about 15 degrees.
Unfortunately, the babbit in the steering box swelled and froze the shaft.
Fortunately, Bruce Blevins has the factory blueprints for the bearings, so it was a matter of finding a machine shop to make the bearings and install them.
Finally, in September we installed the engine but my to my chagrin, a new Optima battery would not turn it over.
Using the hand crank, and a lot of energy, I am able to turn the crank90 degrees.

We have flooded the cylinders with oil, transmission fluid, Marvel Mystery, etc....
We hear no nasty noises like metal scraping on metal; the transmission is in neutral, the clutch is fully depressed, but SOMETHING is not right.
I am hoping some reader has encountered this problem and can suggest a solution.

Thanks to reading this....

Bob

Bob, nice car. Hopefully you can get this worked out soon.

My first thought is valves have to be stuck. I think that's more likely than a piston being stuck or seized. Have you removed the valve covers to take a look? My guess is at least one of them is stuck and will need some persuasion to get it moving again.

Good point, Kevin.
I will do that and report back.

Bob

just checked the engine...no stuck valves.
Any other ideas????

Bob

I bet you are going to have to start taking'er apart before you find the culprit(s). Engines die of boredom and it could be a whole series of tight fitting parts never properly broken in from the initial re-build years ago. I would start with the head and just keep going till she spins smooth. How else will you have any confidence when driving her?
Sorry,
Bob J.

Good Afternoon... With the spark plugs out, will the engine turn over with the starter and a good well charged battery? It might sound strange...but I would wonder if the oil in the mains/ and or rods has dried out. If you loosen the main caps, and or rod caps, will the engine turn over easily with the crank

Quote:

I'm not sure you're going to see which valves are stuck just by opening the covers. The valves are stuck where they are now. Meaning you'll need to try and turn the engine and watch which ones are not moving. With only being able to turn the crank 90 degree it will be hard to figure out which ones are the culprits. If you can't figure out which ones, then like Bob J said it may be time to pull the head and go from there.

Been thinking, and, being the luddite that I am, I never think of modern tech first, but an alternative to removing the head would be to put a bore scope down the sparkplug holes to see what is going on in each cylinder. A cylinder open from the carb could have some serious stalactites of rust in there, or simply a stash of seeds from a furry resident, both would stop a piston's travel. At any rate it would allow a view of the cylinders while leaving the head intact.
Just another thought,
Bob J.