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There is a Packard Service manual for the 6th, 7th and 8th series. Red cover. Not always useful, particularly when the instructions tell you to check with your supervisor!

But, still an important book to have around, even without the supervisor.

Also there is some basic engine information in the 7th Series Owner's Manual as well as the 7th Series Part List. Both of which are in the article area.

Guys,

Thanks for all the feedback, here are a few updates

-Yes I have the red covered manual, it's mostly worthless. It does show a rod alignment jig that checks the piston, wrist pin and connecting rod as an assembly, with no more details.
-My connecting rods are all shimmed, as if the babbitt was machined too tight and somebody hand cut crude .001 or .0015 brass shims to open it up a bit. It's still too tight if I remove them, around .001".0015" by plasti gage. None of my mains have been shimmed but then I haven't checked them all.
-I am certain Dave is correct in that the ultimate front to back location of the rod is controlled by the side faces of the connecting rod babbitt.
-I haven't checked to see if there are different odd and even rods. Oddly, the odd rod is in the right place...
-I don't know who made the pistons but I have posted their photo here, maybe somebody can tell me as they are like most other parts, unmarked.
-#2 is the only piston/rod assembly I have removed. I can tell you that it's wrist pin is snug, both in the piston and in the bushing, it takes a little force to push it and it won't slide out on it's own. This engine was running with 40+ psi of oil pressure and none of the bearings looked bad, even the remainder of the cap that failed looked good.

The knock was only associated with the clutch. When the engine was cold it would knock the first time you pushed in the clutch. It would knock at a diminished volume after you let up on the clutch and would continue to do so until the engine warmed up. It wouldn't knock again until the engine was stone cold and yes, I have looked at the clutch, pressure plate and throw out bearing. I believe the knock was in the area of #4 or #5 piston.

This inside of this engine is tight, and clean. I really don't want to take it further apart than I have to. I'm just looking for a little knowledge on the rod alignment issue. I would prefer to put if back together, and save my pennies for a major rebuild if I can safely drive it for a season or two.

Thanks again,

Scott

PS: PackardV8, if you PM me your E-mail address, I'll send you a digital recording of the knock...

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Update to the Update,

Dave (Owen Dyneto) is correct, using the parts listing from this magnificent web site I found that there are two types of connecting rods used for cylinders #1-3-5-7 and #2-4-6-8. I would think the difference is the side clearances; how much babbitt is on each side face with the basic steel rods being identical. I looked at my bottom end and I don't see the pattern. Some of my rods are evenly centered in the babbitt and some have more babbitt on the back face. This babbitt spacing isn't consistent with even or odd numbered rods. I will have look at which rod (tops) aren't centered in the bushing and see if there is a correlation with the odd even rod theme...

Thanks Dave!

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It's a dull day in Packardville when you don't learn something new -- I was completely unaware of shop manuals for these earlier years, here I've done with just the service letters for my 34 Eight all these years. How about some more info on it, like who has reprints, or who might scan and put up on this site?

Seems I'm been right about 50% of the time lately; at the risk of dropping below that, let me comment that I've diassembled/assembled lots of babbitt bearing Packard eights and never seen a bearing shim, and w/o looking to confirm I don't believe they are noted in the parts books. Seen them often in GM cars though, like Buicks.

Piston looks to me like an Egge, though they have been trash-mouthed from time to time, my own experience with them has been quite satisfactory.

Dave,

I am not sure who is doing the reproducing of these manuals. I will check when I get back out to the garage. There is also a manual for the 11th and 12th series (plus 120). It has a green and white cover. I saw one on ebay (a reproduction) not too long ago.

Dave, my manual was reprinted by SMALL WORLD PRESS, a cursory Google of that name was didn't turn anything up. Maybe Kev could chime in with a ruling on the legality of scanning a reprint for post. The photos in my copy wouldn't scan very well, they are already low grade but the text would be OK.

I think the shims in my engine were installed because somebody mis-judged the clearance needed for good oil flow and they just didn't want to re-machine the rods... They are crude looking. My 30' Chevrolet had factory shims installed, they were much nicer. Overall though, I'll take the Packard

Scott

Scott,

I have some brand new pistons sitting in a box in the garage from Egge. The one you have shown above sure looks identical to mine.

When I disassemble my engine there where no shims on the rod caps. But I can't say if shims are required or not because my engine had been gone through at one time in its life. Some of the rods from my car have been replaced also at one point also. I say that because some of the numbers stamped on them don't match the cylinder it came out. Who ever reassembled it use dots instead.

I don't recall the rod alignment on my pistons but I will most defiantly watch for it now when I reassemble it.

Good luck with yours

To prevent copyright issues, we can only put scans of original version here online, unless we have permission from whomever is reproducing that particular piece.

Look at the pistons to see which side of the engine the "T" slot is facing. The manual PROBABLY says toward the left side (drivers side). Are there any markings on the top of the pistons??? Are ALL of the pistons "T" slotted???

Does the engine have a main bearing between EVERY cylinder????? or is it a 5 main crank??? Which main bearing takes the end play thrust????