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Re: 1938 Super 8 1605 - adventures with a newbie
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Home away from home
 
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I suggest wiring the heat riser closed (in the warmed up position, blocking off hot air to the carb) and trying again. A heat riser that is malfunctioning can cause ALL sorts of driveability issues. May not be the only thing, but it is certainly going to contribute to issues.
Posted on: 1/14 11:19
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1937 120 1092 - Original survivor for driving and continued preservation. Project blog / Registry
1937 115 1082 - Total basket case, partial restoration, sold Hershey 2015 Project blog / Registry |
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Re: 1938 Super 8 1605 - adventures with a newbie
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BigKev - During the rebuild there weren't any issues noted with the timing chain so it was reinstalled. It certainly could be a contributing factor, but I'd like to check through the other/easier possibilities first to rule them out. Getting to the timing chain will be a much bigger job.
DM37 - The shielded ignition cable was removed because of a short. The first time we tried to start the engine after the rebuild the ignition wire nearly caught fire....it melted and burned the entire length of the ignition cable (12V). So I had to disassemble and modify the ignition switch with a new wire (link). I did not use the shielded cable. So there should be no short at all now. But perhaps the wire should be a lower gauge? Ken - It was wired closed before, and I removed it to try and get the valve operating properly. But I don't have all the parts I need. I don't remember which way to wire so it is closed....not sure if it's the same as my '54. Can anyone comment on the distributor shaft wobble seen in the video? I need to know if that's normal play or not. If not then the dizzy gets pulled to send off for a rebuild.
Posted on: 1/14 12:22
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Kevin
1954 Clipper Super Panama "Van Halen" | Registry | Project Blog 1938 Super 8 1605 | Registry | Project Blog 1953 Clipper Deluxe Club Sedan "Rusty McRustface" | Registry | Project Blog 1956 Packard The Four Hundred "Tanner" | Registry | Project Blog |
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Re: 1938 Super 8 1605 - adventures with a newbie
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On the heat riser, weighted arm down is the warmed up position.
On your distributor, that shaft play looks very excessive. You can also use a timing light, with the car warmed up and idling, to determine if the timing is wiggling. With my old distributor, the needle would oscillate by a few degrees just because of play in the distributor.
Posted on: 1/14 14:07
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1937 120 1092 - Original survivor for driving and continued preservation. Project blog / Registry
1937 115 1082 - Total basket case, partial restoration, sold Hershey 2015 Project blog / Registry |
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Re: 1938 Super 8 1605 - adventures with a newbie
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Been a while since I've made progress on this car. But I ended up sending the distributor out for a check/rebuild to Parker's Packards. What he found was that the condenser I had installed was causing a slight interference with the cam lobe. The bracket was slightly bumping it, causing metal dust/shavings to go everywhere in the distributor. He cleaned everything up, changed to a better condenser, cleaned/adjusted the points, and checked it all on the Sun machine. Everything worked well at that point and nothing further needed to be addressed.
I finally got around to reinstalling it the other day. Had to get #1 back to TDC to time it right. It took a minute for the fuel pump to get fresh fuel back to the carb, but it started up. Messed with the timing but will need a better timing light to confirm. There are no specs for RPM at idle. Anyone know about what it should run at? Let in mind the Super 8 may be different than other models. Also changed out the oil in the air filter and cleaned it up. Turns out this one had rusted through in the past like my '56. Someone in the past has done quite a bit with JB Weld in the reservoir. Dumb question, but what is the correct level of oil? There is no indication. 
Posted on: 5/31 18:28
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Kevin
1954 Clipper Super Panama "Van Halen" | Registry | Project Blog 1938 Super 8 1605 | Registry | Project Blog 1953 Clipper Deluxe Club Sedan "Rusty McRustface" | Registry | Project Blog 1956 Packard The Four Hundred "Tanner" | Registry | Project Blog |
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Re: 1938 Super 8 1605 - adventures with a newbie
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Quote:
Thanks, I missed the pint part. Other sources that I was reading were more vague. The sticker on the air cleaner says "fill to the indicated level".
Posted on: 5/31 21:51
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Kevin
1954 Clipper Super Panama "Van Halen" | Registry | Project Blog 1938 Super 8 1605 | Registry | Project Blog 1953 Clipper Deluxe Club Sedan "Rusty McRustface" | Registry | Project Blog 1956 Packard The Four Hundred "Tanner" | Registry | Project Blog |
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Re: 1938 Super 8 1605 - adventures with a newbie
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Got the Super 8 out this morning to take it to the big local car show, where we hoped to have 4 Packards lined up. The Super promptly died about 1/4 mile down the road, and died again bringing it back to the house. It felt an awful lot like fuel starvation. Definite stuttering, and then nothing. Pulled the air cleaner off to look down the throat, no fuel when I pulled the throttle. Gave it a minute both times and was able to start and move it. Idles fine, no problems noted when running the throttle stationary.
Both times it died when in 3rd hear going about 35-40. This happened before when the coil was going bad, but maybe felt a bit different. The car wouldn't start until the coil had cooled down for a few minutes. Cool had since been replaced with a Napa unit. How hot are these things supposed to get normally? My two theories: 1.) fuel starvation, due to either clogged fuel filter in front of carb, or problem with the float/needle. 2.) bad coil, even though it's new and only has maybe 40 miles on it. Thoughts?
Posted on: Today 10:50
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Kevin
1954 Clipper Super Panama "Van Halen" | Registry | Project Blog 1938 Super 8 1605 | Registry | Project Blog 1953 Clipper Deluxe Club Sedan "Rusty McRustface" | Registry | Project Blog 1956 Packard The Four Hundred "Tanner" | Registry | Project Blog |
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Re: 1938 Super 8 1605 - adventures with a newbie
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Forum Ambassador
 
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As to fuel, if it is one of the ceramic filters I had a similar issue on a 56. Engine would idle and move car slowly but as soon as more fuel was needed to go above a crawl, engine would start to sputter and die. Turned out the filter was clogged internally probably due to varnish from going dry during periods of staying in the garage. Filter looked clean and air could be blown thru without difficulty but with the pores mostly clogged it could not sustain a decent fuel flow.
Another issue I ran into on a 54 was due to the short length of rubber fuel hose connecting the metal line to the pump. It was old and probably dry so with some bending when changing a fuel pump the inner lining of the bore must have cracked. One of the cracked pieces apparently was still attached well enough so it could act like a hinge. With more fuel needed at driving speeds the unattached part of the lining was pulled into the bore like a flap and partially blocked the bore as the pump suction tried to pull more fuel. The car sputtered with barely enough power to get to the curb but would start again and run at idle until you tried to go anywhere. Personally, I would rule out fuel issues before condemning the new coil.
Posted on: Today 11:12
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Howard
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Re: 1938 Super 8 1605 - adventures with a newbie
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Quote:
The fuel filter is just a generic metal one that I spliced into a new fuel line from the pump to the carb. There are hose connections on either side of the filter, and so if those are maybe two years old. Ethanol free gas only. I plan to remove the filter completely, and probably put a glass fuel bowl and filter to the carb itself. I need to see if fuel is making it to the carb. Then I can move onto the carb if needed. I thought maybe vapor lock, but the fuel filter is barely warm to the touch, and it's only 50 degrees out today. 
Posted on: Today 11:34
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Kevin
1954 Clipper Super Panama "Van Halen" | Registry | Project Blog 1938 Super 8 1605 | Registry | Project Blog 1953 Clipper Deluxe Club Sedan "Rusty McRustface" | Registry | Project Blog 1956 Packard The Four Hundred "Tanner" | Registry | Project Blog |
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Re: 1938 Super 8 1605 - adventures with a newbie
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Also check the carburetor's inlet screen if it has one. My 1939 did but it was a different engine. Based on your description and the fact that you saw no fuel from the accelerator pump, I can't imagine it being anything other than a fuel issue.
Posted on: Today 11:51
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