Packard Forum Index » Pre-War (1899-1942)

I could send a picture of the VIN stamped on the frame rail of my 38 Jr coupe but it wouldn't be factory - I stamped the number in myself. You can just barely make out the number on the decal.

Greetings again I spent the day working to clear a path to the 38 and after messing around for 3 hrs got her to fire up. I am having a problem with getting the car in gear. While it is running, and it purrs like a kitten, I am unable to get it into gear with the clutch in, it just grinds when I try to put it in any gear. If I shut her off and push the clutch in and put it in first or second with the clutch in and try to start her she moves,even whit the clutch in!! Is there a way to grease the throw out bearing to help this problem? The mans wife said that once and a while it would do the same thing for him and it would correct itself what ever that means? I would like to drive it out of the barn and not have to try to pull it with a tractor.

It's not uncommon for the clutch disk to stick to the flywheel on a car that's been sitting for a very long time. Sometimes you can break it loose by putting the car in gear (clutch pushed in) and then start the car. I broke one loose by using a putty knife twixt the disk and the flywheel. You could also just start it up in 1st gear and drive it out. My clutch rod broke once and I limped the car home by starting it in gear ( I used 3rd). It was a pain at stop signs though.

Sometimes it works to start the car in neutral, warm it up, depress the clutch all the way and rev up the engine rapidly. Tehn the pressure plate is not pressing on the disc and it breaks free. Try it a number of times. Good luck.

Starting it in gear and driving it out is an accident waiting to happen. You could try that outside on an empty street but not recomended in a barn.

Quote:Phil,

Same thing happened to my '38 a few years back. Was able to limp home in gear and was lucky I could take a route avoiding stop signs and traffic lights.

Hi from another owner of a 1938 1601 4-door sedan Packard. I hope you enjoy your Junior Packard as much as I do mine. The tranny is rock solid and the straight 8 purrs like a kitten. Parts are easy to find for most items, tricky for a few. Mechanicals are easy to fix and good reference books are a must. Rubber parts can be located through Steele and many resto parts through the big Packard vendors.
My '38 is Packard Blue. I get more comments from this car than my '40 Chevy hot rod or my Corvette roadster. Can't wait to see what your car looks like. By the way model 1601 has a rubber matt in the front and regular steering wheel, not a banjo style wheel. The 1601-D (the deluxe model) had carpet in the front, banjo wheel, side mount tires and I believe trim rings too. My car is the standard 1601.
Good luck with your find. This site is great help. Keep in touch.

Greetings again gang, I just checked the rear end, and it is a little low, and the shop manual which was in the trunk, what luck, says to use some special fluid that only is sold by Packard, What do I do for rear end fluid!! I tested the antifreeze and she was good to 30 below, I lucked out again.

GL-5 85W-140 gear oil will work perfectly. Hypoid type differentials were not used in all vehicles at that time. Mechanics were not always aware, when servicing vehicles equipped with this type of differential, as to the special gear oil required. Owner and service manuals cautioned owners about using using the correct gear oil. The modern GL-5 is an appropriate gear oil to use. Do not use anything else in the differential. The transmission can use GL-1 gear oil, but the GL-5 oil is appropriate for this too.

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Sir I have 90 wt gear oil is the the same as you have advised if not where can I get G5 the type you stated. thanks Dale

johnlaw, GL-5 is the type of gear oil. It comes in 90W, 140W and 85W-140 multiple viscosity weight. The 90W oil you have will work if it is the GL-5 type. I recommend the 85W-140 multiple viscosity weight GL-5 when it comes time to change the oil.

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