Packard Forum Index » Project Blogs

Mal,it would recommend to clean the engine water/cooling circuits as well, it might eas things in the future.
Its interesting that on many engines(not only flatheads) I have repaired the last ore last two cylinders get worn off the moste, can someone explain to me why is that so?

Quote:

Yup, cavitation. The rear cylinders are the hottest cylinders of any engine. What happens is under the heat and pressure little air bubbles form in the coolant (which is actually the molecules separating into gases) and then proceed to explode. These micro explosions in the water jacket most often occur in the very rear of the engine, which is why you see little craters and pockmarks back there. Most people think it's years of corrosion, (which technically it is, "cavitation corrosion") but this occurs on engines less than 5 years old as well.

So sayeth the Ford Power Stoke Diesel video I was forced to watch a few years ago at the Ford dealership I worked at....

Are you going to pull the coolant distibution tube? I think the present state of the engine with the clip removed, is the only way to remove it.

PICs would be appreciated.

lowell

Thursday 17th December 2009

First up pulled the intake/exhaust manifold off the '41. While I was doing that Wade was working on removing part of the clutch pivot mechanism. And looking at all the linkages, brakes, clutch and trans - all will be pulled, cleaned, repaired where necessary, painted before being re-installed. Then Wade was off to pick up the repaired radiator for John's 110, leaving me with plenty of instructions about what to remove or loosen underneath the '41 for the engine/trans removal. Great day for it too over 40C in Sydney's west and there you have a fat man struggling under a Packard to loosen painted on nuts/bolts(wonder who might have done that with POR-15?). Besides the painted on ones there were the ones still held in place and resisting movement courtesy of good old Idaho dirt, will it never end? During my long sojourn under the '41 Wade returned with the radiator so while I continued that Wade flushed the block of the 110. That done I emerged to help with the radiator, water pump, pulley & fan, thermostat housing, hoses re-install, a much cooler and comfortable work situation. Radiator went in easily except for the "padding" between the bottom frame and the front crossmember which slipped out of position first time. Second time, with the padding secured in place, it was even easier! With all back together, but before putting the bonnet(hood) back on, fired her up. All looked well until a leak was noticed at the top rear of the waterpump where the body and the steel backing plate join. Very disheartening for Wade, after all he's put a lot of effort into John's car but having one problem being solved then another another rears it's ugly head. Unfortunately, or maybe it's fortunate for Wade, I won't be there tomorrow to help hinder because the granddaughters require my attention.

Quote:Lowell,

I see you've made a number of posts about distribution tubes, you obviously have an interest in them. Because the engine is going to be completely re-built everything, including the distribution tube, will be pulled from it. I'm very hopeful it is in good condition, the water in the cooling system was clear and with the water pump off the front end of the brass tube looks pretty clean. Once we pull it we'll know more.

Don't I post enough pic's? Or is it you'd like to see pic's of the tube or other specific parts? If so, let me know and I'll take 'em and post 'em.

Attach file:

---

  (30.97 KB)


  (29.68 KB)


  (39.39 KB)


  (23.32 KB)

Hi Mal,

Reading this thread has become a daily obsesion. I have been too busy at work to be able to drop by as promised - but maybe next week? It always seems like my work load and obligations expand to fill every moment and won't let up to give me some 'hobby' time... bugger!

Anyway, all the best to yourself and Wade for Xmas if I don't get a chance to catch up before hand.

Cheers

Matt Snape

Quote:Matt,
If that's the case, I suggest a visit to the doctor before it's too late!

Be good to see you next week but, with Wade going off on a break over Christmas, the opportunities to do so are limited to Monday or Tuesday only.

Friday 18th December 2009

Didn't get to the Workshop today but had a phonecall just a while ago from Wade updating the situation. John's '39 110 had the waterpump pulled and new gaskets made from a different material and that's the waterpump leak problem fixed. Wade will drive the car over the weekend to make sure all is well and return it to John next week.

Then on Monday morning, when I'm donating blood in the morning, Wade will be doing a pickup run. Big Red's crankshaft, rods, flywheel and clutch from Parry's Engineering and Noel's '41 160 re-built front shocks from Tony "Shocks". Wade will be very pleased about the Big Red situation because now he'll have all the parts to be able to put her all back together again. After all it was only back at the beginning of April that Big Red went in for a refresh. That it grew from there is a given for a 72yo Packard, waiting for parts, waiting for machining, finding more work/repair/refresh/rebuild/replace is required than expected, and wanting to do the work once and once only.

Your photos are excellent but there are never "enough" ..
I have worked on Ford and GM cars but I am always run
ning up on new show-stoppers on my 39 like distribution tubes, shutter-stats and pulling rear hubs on tapered axles.
Would appreciate photos of "pulling the distribution tube".
I am not as comfortable with pulling the front clip as you all are. I don't want to do it but once in my lifetime,

After cornering most of the pullers in town(that didn't work), I found an old one belonging to an old friend who used to run a frame straightening shop.It will be -5*C in my shed tomorrow and I hope some heat on the hub plus this puller will get the job done.

Quote:Lowell,

Never enough? Sometimes I think I go into picture overload here and it's mainly because of the quantity posted that I don't do more. Trouble is it takes time to load up each one individually to the post you're making and can become time consuming. Saying that, as I said earlier, I'm only too pleased and willing to take pic's of anything specific.

My Packard is a '41 120 while yours is a '39 Super8, I believe. Despite there being differences I'll certainly take pic's of the distribution tube when we remove it, probably next week. What I will do is get some pic's of Big Red's tube. Big Red is Wade's '37 Super8 and the engine is out at the moment getting re-built. Big Red's block was hot tanked prior to machining and the tube is currently out waiting to go back in.

As to removing the front clip, it really is the best way to work on the engine for accessibility purposes on these Pre-War Packards. It takes some planning, mainly involving lying under the car to ascertain which nuts/bolts need to be removed, wiring issues and what's needed to accomplish the job. Although Wade didn't take the clip off Big Red it's almost a necessity for '38 and later Packards with their "pontoon" type mudguards(fenders). It was done on the '39 110 when the rebuilt engine went in and also on Wade's other '37, Old Blue, a 120 when the exhaust/intake manifold was repaired. We tried not to do it on the '41 but it turned out, with 20/20 hindsight, we should have done so. I highly recommend you take the front clip off if you are doing major engine work on your Super8. And one more thing, you'll need some muscle to lift it off and away once everything is undone.So, invite some friends over for a or but probably best to serve the refreshments after the job is done!

Monday 21st December 2009

Summer solstice here in Oz today, I know, another piece of non-Packard useless information, so back to the chase. Donated blood plasma this morning then off to the workshop. There I found Wade talking to a guy and his daughter. Turns out the guy is Rick and I'd spoken to him on the phone on Saturday. Rick had been referred to me by "Big Bad Barry", PACA's Vice-President, Barry has been touring around Oz for the last 7 months and felt a bit out of touch with the local Packard scene. Rick is interested in buying a Packard or Buick Coupe so, putting aside Buicks, Packard Coupes are not usually readily available in Oz but, at the moment, there is a '37 115c Coupe and a '39 Convertible Coupe for sale in Sydney! They belong to PACA members Wendy and Richard and I provided Rick with a copy of the For Sale notice for "Emily", the '37 115c, so he can contact them if he's interested. And it turns Rick knows Vince, the guy Harvey works for and on whose two '39 Coupes Harvey's currently working on, Rick and Vince actually went to school together! But Rick didn't know Vince had Packard Coupes so he's going to contact him too. Small world! And Rick tells me he went and visited Harvey who'll sell his '37 Super8 Club Sedan to the right buyer.

But now really, back to the workshop. Wade went under the Coupe and undid the last bolts holding the trans in, and the trans crossmember bolts, speedo cable, front universal joint and the gear linkage I couldn't reach. I rounded up the engine crane and undid the front motor mount from the front crossmember. I also removed the top of the trans to provide more "wriggle" room when taking it out in concert with the engine. A trolley jack had also been placed under the trans to assist in the engine/trans/OD combo liftout. While I was removing carpet, underfelt, trans cover and trans top bolts, Wade was making up some hefty steel straps to bolt to the head studs to use as anchor points for the lift. So with Wade under the coupe controlling the jack under the trans and me operating the engine crane raising it, or pulling it as required together with some help from Graham guiding the engine out, the combo came out without a hitch. Then came further dismantling, bottom cover of bellhousing and clutch spring disengaged, trans complete with OD separated from bellhousing, clutch off(flywheel and pressure both marked first), flywheel off, bellhousing off, front engine mount off, sump off, timing cover off, timing chain and gears off(looks like the timing chain was starting to come apart!), oil pump off, oil pickup off and pistons and rods out. That's about all I think, although I could have missed something. Reason I remember is because mostly I was the one doing the wrench work. Wade's philosophy is, if it's your Packard you do as much of the work as you can on your own car. That's within reason of course, and under his supervision too, and I must say you learn a lot more hands on rather than helping.

Stop Press! Forgot to include this in my original post, the last pic below being sent to me yesterday by "The Flackmistress" aka the wife of PackardInfo member, flackmaster.

Attach file:

---

  (48.37 KB)


  (47.14 KB)


  (44.28 KB)


  (55.95 KB)


  (44.43 KB)


  (47.35 KB)


  (26.65 KB)


  (45.01 KB)


  (32.33 KB)


  (31.23 KB)


  (43.95 KB)


  (36.35 KB)


  (47.44 KB)


  (75.34 KB)