Packard Forum Index » Post-War (1946-54)

I really appreciate all the input gentlemen. I'm going to drop the inspection cover and look at things before ordering the clutch parts.

I think the bolt added to the linkage is just being used as a spacer. To my mind, as long as the fork isn't in tension against the TO bearing (with clutch out) then that shouldn't be the problem..?

Have read several posts that reference the 3/8 bolts to keep pres plate fingers depressed. Not following exactly what that looks like but may make sense once I get in there. Yes, I will mark the flywheel/pressure plate to preserve balance.

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This might help visualize where the nuts should be placed before unbolting the plate..




Also, in case you have not gotten that far yet, on 356 engines when you go to remove the lower half of the bellhousing to inspect the clutch, there is a 5th bolt holding the transmission that is often not mentioned in most instructions for what to remove when inspecting or servicing the clutch. That bolt threads into the bellhousing bottom half and must be removed too. It is almost dead center at the bottom of trans but may be covered with grease or dirt and can be hard to see.

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I believe your thinking is correct.

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You may find that the flywheel/pressure plate are already marked from a previous clutch replacement. The service manual suggests making punch marks, and not sure if this applies here, but when Ross marks the torque convertor in his video he recommends not punching, but rather scribing a couple of marks.




That extra nut that is being used for a spacer makes me wonder what they are compensating for. Something that is worn? Something that is incorrect? Maybe disk facings that are too thick so they needed extra adjustment? Maybe the release levers are not in the correct position to apply the additional pressure as per the service manual.







I don't think anyone mentioned the possibility of the flywheel being the issue, but it's possible that is needs to be machined, was maybe missed during the previous clutch repair.

When I have found issues on my car, they were often caused by a novice, or mechanic, that didn't understand what to do, maybe didn't have a service manual, or didn't use the correct parts.

Check and measure everything, you'll find the issue/s I'm sure! Once corrected you'll be able to pull a '40 holiday trailer through the mountains without issue! LOL

Keep us posted as to what you find!

Pulled the inspection cover today. There is certainly an oil leak issue. The parts look correct to me (?). It does appear the spring that attaches to the throw out bearing carrier is missing, could that contribute to slipping.







Howard, am I correct that the 3/8 nuts could only be installed once the tranny is off?







You can see where I wiped the oil off the flywheel.




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A couple vids of the clutch movement.

dynobob.smugmug.com/1947-Packard/i-Bk9KX3Q/A

dynobob.smugmug.com/1947-Packard/i-3McChtd/A

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I don't think there's enough oil on the clutch to cause it to slip. Old cars usually have some oil in the flywheel housing. The pressure plate looks kind of odd to me... it looks too thin. It may be that someone re-machined the face of the pressure plate and took too much material off of it. That could allow the release fingers to hit the clutch cover before the plate is fully clamped down on the disc. It would also cause the springs to be over-extended, which would reduce the available clamping pressure. Any slippage will wear the disc rapidly, which will aggravate all the conditions mentioned above. A good rebuilt pressure plate and disc should solve the problem. Correcting the oil leakage would be a good idea, too. It could be the rear seal or the pan gasket, or both. Usually, oil getting on the clutch will cause it to grab or chatter, rather than slip smoothly.

The proper clutch cover/pressure plate assembly bolts that attach it to the fly wheel are not common bolts.They are dowel bolts which both hold the pressure plate assembly to the flywheel and align it. Be sure the correct bolts are used. Common bolts will allow mis-alignment and may cause engine vibration and other issues. The clutch pilot bearing in the center of the crankshaft needs to be in good condition for proper clutch and transmission action.

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That is correct. Trans does need to come out and here is a photo that was posted a few years ago showing the pressure plate and the nuts in position.

Here is another photo showing the spring but I have not found any showing it and the throwout bearing mounted in position.

Before everything comes apart you might look carefully on the bellhousing just to the passenger side of the throwout bearing carrier and see if you can see the approximately 3/16" sticking out end of the small clevis pin with hole where the spring loop goes. As I mentioned, pin is just a loose fit in the hole in bellhousing. When the transmission is removed to access the clutch and pressure plate the pin can easily out and get lost. If yours is missing you might visit your hardware store see if you can get one before everything goes back together. Size is 3/16 diameter by 1/2 long. If a local store doesn't have anything Amazon has them but their cheapest package is a dozen. Vendors might have them too but the parts search for the Packard number 7523 didn't seem to work.




The spring is nothing special and POSSIBLY a generic in a proper size could be found but other than a length you can see if you enlarge the detail photo Max Merritt shows in his listing I don't have any other specs so it might be easier to pay the price and get one from Max or Kanter.

Here are factory part numbers.

I understand how the 3/8 nuts work now.

Does anyone know if a clutch alignment tool is available? Max doesn't have one. I think I read somewhere that a Ford tool would work?

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I don't know about a Ford item but it would be for a pickup if something is available because some model trucks did use the same diameter disc and input shaft size as the 356. If someone knows I would like the info too as I had to make my own. While it worked, it was crude so something like the tool the Packard SM shows would definitely be better.

On one of the links above, farther down from the photo I linked, Guscha had posted an illustration of the spring and throwout carrier mounted so here it is.