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I have a 1935 Packard 120 sedan. When I inhertited it, it had a 1941 motor in it. I did a rebuild on a '35 last year and installed it this winter. When I had the '41 motor in place the temp guage would read hot when pulling long hills. Since I have installed the rebuilt '35 now it reads hot on hills and when the engine is under a load. I sent out the radiator and had it checked, it got a clean bill of health. I have checked the temp of the block with a thermometer and it is equally hot all the way across. I recently installed a 6 volt 16" pusher fan to use during parades and while idling, but I am still hitting 212 degrees on the guage when pulling a hill or while the engine is under a load. Any ideas to help cool this engine or to what might be causing it to run so hot???

Thanks, Albie

Have you checked the water pump to make sure it is in good order and the caveating. Also do you have the correct style thermostat installed? Those older bellows style ones opened further than some of the modern pellet style ones.

Also have you checked the timing? The incorrect timing can cause a motor to run warm. Lastly a restricted exhaust could also cause it to overheat.

Two quick armchair comments - first, have you checked the accuracy of your dash gauge ( I have alternated original and common aftermarket gauges when doing diagnostic testing), and second, please confirm that you removed and cleaned the water distribution tube when you rebuilt your engine.
Can you please post a picture/details of your electric fan installation?

G'day Albie,

to PackardInfo and for including your '35 One Twenty Sedan in the Packard Owner's Registry,

Thanks alot guys for all your suggestions. I will get pics of the fan install and all the info on everything else. My father is working on my Packard right now because I am deployed overseas to Afghanistan with the Army. I will contact him today to try to get all the info. Thank you, Albie

Linked to the timing kev talked about, be sure your vac advance is working smooth. (if they had it that year) If things are gummed up and cruising gets it advanced and then you start up hills, it could stick there and not retard again or take too long.

Cleaning my whole distributor and fixing the vac advance and (most importantly) setting timing correctly did wonders for cooling my car down.

Also, when my belt broke, i fell for the "go to Napa and get a utility (tractor, dozer, etc) belt that wasn't wide enough and settled too far down on the pulley. Water pump was able to slip on the new belt. If you changed it, be sure you're using the correct belt.

Ah, come to find out I was wrong about the radiator. It had been repaired but not recored. Dad has flushed it a few times and some crap has come out of it. He drove it and said that is was only heating up slightly on the hills now. Probably gonna have to do something with the radiator soon. Any ideas? suggestions? Also i am looking for a mechanical double action fuel pump for it. Anyone know where I can get one? I also have a problem with the float sticking sometimes and think I should rebuild the carb. It is a Stomberg EE-14. Where can I get a good rebuild kit with a new float? Thank you guys so much..