Packard Forum Index » Pre-War (1899-1942)

This may be a question previously asked and if so, apologies, but I have searched and cannot come up with any definitive specs. My question: is there any published info regarding RPM redline on the 245 six? Or does anyone have an educated guess? My estimate would be 5K but even that may be too high. I do know that many on the site warn of driving these motors past their 'usable' power range and I cetainly agree, but would really like to know more about what the revs actually are at highway driving speed and where the 'too-much' line is. Thanks in advance for any info or informed opinions.
Chris.

I don't now an actual number as I've never seen it published (that doesn't mean it hasn't been) but I used to drive my 1940 110 without overdrive at highway speeds all the time with 65 MPH being an average. Visiting my grandparents where my 1941 Henney-Packard was located took at least an hour on the highway each way but no strain on the car at all.

Hi Don,
Thanks for weighing in. I know you have said numerous times that you drove your six at 65-70 MPH all the time with no issues or apparent damage to the engine. I wonder what kind of rear end your car had? You also say you could spin the tires from a stop so it couldn't have been geared that high. I feel like I have a pretty good ear for listening to an mill rev and with my car, 50 seems like the 'no-load' range, 55, she's working and 60, it's 'starting to scream'. Many others on the site have stated that 50-55 is about all you should push these cars to and based on the sound(s) of what I hear, I tend to agree. I just thought if I could get a documented redline and put a tach on the engine, it would give me a more technical baseline, than just 'by ear. Chris.

Peak HP is at 3200 RPM so I wouldn't go past that...

packardinfo.com/xoops/html/downloads/1939_DataBook.pdf

Chris, it had the stock rear end. If it had overdrive (which I later added but never drove it again after the addition) I would have also put in the proper rear end for OD which would have given even better off-the-line performance.