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

51 - may I call you by your first number? That "undesirable hack" remark was not directed at your car. I like wooden sills, many of the custom built 12 cylinder Packards had them. You might consider cherry, or possibly birdseye maple.

I have used JB weld in fact I repaired an intake manifold with it no more than 2 weeks ago, on a Lincoln Town Car where a fitting stripped out and it was impossible to retap it. JB weld will make a permanent repair, just not on a red hot manifold.

Unless I am mistaken, even though it is an intake manifold the perforated area is subject to exhaust heat because it is the hot spot where exhaust heats the incoming gas.

It's fun to ramble on but in the end Tobs friend Kurt will be the judge of how to repair it, after he gives it a close inspection.

I believe the method Rusty is describing is generally called "stitching"; enclosed is 1 of 4 pages on the process from an old Glenn's Repair Manual. Glenn's is perhaps the best manual ever for general principles and shop practices, a shame there aren't enough copies around for everyone in the hobby who likes to get dirt under the fingernails.

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Yes that is the idea. In this particular case there are 2 rather large holes. It might be possible to fill them with 2 large pipe plugs, large enough that you can drill a hole that will reach good thick metal. Tap with a pipe tap, screw in the plugs then grind and file down smooth.

Looking at the pictures makes me suspect there is an incipient crack between the two holes or at least an area worn thin and weakened by wear. If this is the case it becomes a much more difficult repair.

Let me post the 2 preceeding pages on the "stitching" technique, again courtesy of Glenn's manual. This was a pretty standard shop technique years back and is still practiced today by better shops when replacement castings are NLA. My own 34 block had a small crack stitched back in the 60s and it's still fine today. The particular example shown was a crack than across the block and into a valve seat.

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To quote RustyQuote:

I agree with Rusty. I have had cast iron sucessfully welded but agree with others here that an exhaust manifold is not a very good candidate. It operates at very high temperatures. Believe the crack would just reappear again.

I just had a manifold crack. In fact a quarter size chunk fell out. I located a used replacement. And yes by all means have the exhaust/intake assembly surfaced wether you weld the old or replace it with a used one.



Added note: Welcome back Eric.

Enjoying the discussion on repairing cast iron items, but if it were me with this problem I would be spending time and effort in trying to locate a manifold. If that search failed, then I would try and repair the one I have. Just a suggestion.

(o{I}o}

Do the 1953 288 and 327 Intake manifolds interchange? My intake has '327' cast into the first runner, which makes me think they are different. Anybody with first hand experience on this, or proficient enough with the engine/chassis numbers to understand this list?
I could work at Autozone hahah, ugh, 'It's not in the computer, I dunno'

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The exhaust manifolds are all basically the same across the 288s and 327s and will bolt up. They may have had minor revisions on them over the years. Only other difference on them may be were the little tube that connects to the carb thermostat is located.

Also the intake manifolds are between the 2bl and 4bl carbs.

The 288 and 327 manifolds will bolt-on interchange, but the 288 version seems to have slightly smaller runners. I have several of each in the 2bbl version if push comes to shove.

In case your friend Kurt doesn't turn up any leads in M?nchen, I have a few old car buddies that live in Untersleissheim (north of the city) that may have some specialty welding contacts to help you. I know it can be done.

Pat